Web design is all about creating engaging online experiences that make a site visit memorable. That means ensuring visitors actively engage with a site’s content rather than passively consume it.
Enter: hover effects, interactive elements that create a dynamic experience that guide visitors to where you want them to go.
In this article, we’ll explore the different types of website hover effects, look at the benefits of adding them to your client sites and provide nine website examples built on Wix Studio to get you in the mood to hover.
What are website hover effects?
Website hover effects are visual cues that spring to life when you move your cursor over a design element, such as a button or image. Ranging from subtle color changes to complex website animations, hover effects are primarily used on desktop and add an extra layer of interaction design for site visitors. Here’s a glance at the different website hover effects you can use.
Color change
Color change is one of the most common website hover effects used to signal interactivity. Apply the effect to buttons, images, links or elements using CSS properties to change background or text color.
Scaling and transformations
Scaling hover effects involve changing the size of an element once you hover over it, making it grow or shrink. It’s an effective way to add depth to your client site.
Animations and transition effects
CSS transitions allow for smooth changes between states, such as color or size adjustments. Enhance these effects with animations to create visually appealing interactions that feel natural.
Image hover effects
Image hover effects are particularly popular for image galleries and portfolios and involve different changes to an image once you hover over it. Examples include flip, zoom and overlay effects.
Tooltip displays
Hovering over certain elements can trigger tooltips that provide additional info without cluttering your site with extra text. This effect is useful for enhancing navigation and user understanding.
Glowing and shadow effects
Glowing and shadow effects add visual interest by creating a glow or shadow around an element when hovered over, drawing attention to important CTAs.
Complex animations
Using JavaScript with CSS allows for more intricate hover effects, such as animations that respond to user interactions beyond simple hover states, such as pop-ups or animated icons.
Icon hover effects
Icons can change appearance when hovered over, which is effective for adding motion to brand logos, social media buttons or navigation icons.
Ready to create website hover effects? Get started with Wix Studio today.
Why use website hover effects?
Website hover effects bring much more to the party than just pretty visuals. Here are five benefits of adding them to your client site.
Increase user interaction
Website hover effects can boost user engagement by encouraging interactions with elements that users might overlook. For example, when a link or button changes appearance upon hovering, it increases the chances of users clicking it, helping to boost conversion rates.
Highlight important content
Draw attention to critical elements such as CTA buttons or featured products. By making these elements stand out, hover effects can improve navigation and boost user interaction.
Improve user experience
When users move their cursor over buttons, links or images, hover effects signal that these elements can be clicked or interacted with, which helps users navigate the site more intuitively. You can also save visitors pointless clicks and page loading by giving them additional info by simply hovering over an element.
Create a cleaner design
Displaying additional info through tooltips on hover can also help reduce visual clutter. It helps users navigate the site more efficiently without overwhelming them with information while enabling you to give your client sites plenty of white space, essential for clean and minimal design.
Reinforce brand identity
Website hover effects can be used to strengthen a brand’s identity. For clients with big personalities, fun website hover effects can align nicely with their playful messaging. More subtle interactions can suit and reinforce the tone expressed by more professional or corporate brands.
Create a memorable experience
Add eye-catching visual changes that transform a passive browsing experience into an interactive journey that leaves a lasting impression. More advanced animations can enhance storytelling, add depth and dimension to web pages and create a more immersive experience.
9 standout sites that set the standard for hover effects
These websites built on Wix Studio use hover effects in different ways. Explore them with your cursor and let them inspire the interactions you add to your next client site.
02. LUCI
03. La Bonne
06. Eylon Malkevich
07. Adi Weintraub
08. Praagya Bahuguna
01. Bastien Gervasoni
While the website for French music composer and DJ Bastien Gervasoni is minimalist in its design and navigation, it uses hover effects to add a touch of delight to its main menu. Drag the custom cursor down to the bottom of the homepage and hover over each category to reveal a pop-up image that reflects each page.
02. LUCI
Built by multidisciplinary designer Tom Swissa, the site for wearable beauty brand LUCI lets hover effects take the lead on its homepage. Move the cursor over each letter to reveal vibrant balloon text that leans on elements of retro web design. Scroll down to its collection of sculpted rings where hovering over a piece shows you the product from a different angle.
03. La Bonne
The website for events agency La Bonne offers a range of neat hover interactions throughout its homepage, but for us, it’s all about the Contact section. Set your mouse over the envelope image and see it flip open to reveal a page with the text ‘Contacto’. It’s a simple addition by site creator Puente Studio, but too slick not to highlight.
04. OA Creative Studio
OA Creative Studio’s brand is big on shapes so it’s no surprise that its website hover effects play into that detail. The OA Creative logo does some neat flips when you give it some attention as do the category shapes in the Solutions section. Hover over the different images that make up the Works section to bring some color—an effective way to tell users these sections are interactive.
05. Moon Rabbit Acupuncture
Act One Media shows that there’s a place for subtle website hover effects in its site design for wellness company Moon Rabbit Acupuncture. Hover over the various services in the Our Services section, and you’ll bring each one to life with different imagery. It aligns nicely with a brand identity that is both minimalist and professional.
06. Eylon Malkevich
Web designer Eylon Malkevich goes big on creative hover effects for his portfolio site. His nine projects appear as giant floating, colorless illustrations that jump to life once you hover over them. We love the fine detail that Malkevich applies, like with the spinning colorful icon in the top right corner. It speeds up when you place the cursor over it and when selected, makes all projects appear in color.
07. Adi Weintraub
Adi Weintraub’s portfolio site loads with little fanfare. But hover over the graphic designer’s projects list and the site roars into gear—her works fill the page with color, confidence and motion, each project and hover effect offering a very different vibe. It’s a fine example of how hover interactions can encourage users to explore a site in more detail.
08. Praagya Bahuguna
Another online portfolio site, Praagya Bahuguna isn’t shy about using hover effects to create impact and grab attention. Hover over his project headings and you’ll reveal an illustration or animation that fills up almost one-third of the screen. With bold and colorful designs like Bahunga’s, we think he’s right to show them off.
09. Elite Architecture (Wix Studio template)
One from our collection of over 350 customizable Wix Studio templates, this website for a contemporary architecture company takes a minimalist approach to its hover effects in keeping with the look and feel of the design. Hover over the Success in Numbers section to see small images appear next to the text. It’s a handy starting point for those looking to add some understated website hover effects to their client sites.
How to create website hover effects on Wix Studio
You can create and add animations and interactions like hover effects to your client site on Wix Studio with minimal effort. All the action happens in the Studio Editor’s interactions tab, where you can trigger animations to occur on entrance, hover, click, scroll and loop—without a single line of code. You can use Studio’s preset animations or get more specific with your website hover effects by adding custom CSS or importing animations from LottieFiles.
For more on adding hover effects, check out our tutorials in the Wix Studio Academy, where you can build along to recreate image change hover effects, captivating hover effects and card hover effects.
Sign up for Wix Studio and create website hover effects that turn simple mouse movements into memorable moments.
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