If you’ve ever visited a website and noticed images that smoothly slide or change one after another, you’ve likely seen an image slider in action! Image sliders are popular tools on many websites, including WordPress sites.
Furthermore, a slider helps your site look lively and allows you to maximize the use of limited real estate. They can also make your website look more engaging and help you showcase important content or promotions.
But what exactly is an “Image Slider?” And are they the right choice for your business website? Well, let’s dive in and find out!
The Importance of Eye-Catching Images
People are naturally drawn to visuals. A good image can grab attention, tell a story, or even make someone want to learn more about your business. Therefore, using eye-catching images is essential for a website.
The right images can help highlight your business’s offerings, showcase products or services, and make browsing your site more enjoyable. An image slider can help you do all this in an interactive way!
What is an Image Slider?
An image slider is a feature that allows you to display multiple images on your website in a rotating or sliding fashion. Typically, the images move automatically or manually, creating a dynamic visual experience for your visitors.
This tool can be placed anywhere on your WordPress website, but it’s often found at the top of a homepage to make a strong first impression.
To see this in action, watch the video below to understand how image sliders capture your attention and encourage you to click on the pictures.
What is an “Image Slider” vs. “Image Carousel” vs. “Image Gallery”?
See an Image Slider in Action:
Watching the video, you can see how image sliders capture your attention and make you want to click on the pictures.
Examples of Image Sliders
If you go to this page, you can see an example of an image slider that I created:
https://websitecreationworkshop.com/slider-example/
And here are a couple of examples of the websites of my students in the Website Creation Workshop who use an image slider on their WordPress sites:
Penny Southam
https://southamdesign.com/
Nanci Rathbun
https://nancirathbun.com/
Pros of Using an Image Slider
1) Eye-Catching: Image sliders make your website look more interesting and can grab visitors’ attention quickly.
2) Show More in Less Space: Sliders let you show off several pictures or messages without taking up too much space on your homepage.
3) Easy to Navigate: Sliders often include buttons or links that guide visitors to other parts of your website, like a sale or a special offer.
4) Tell a Story: You can use sliders to tell a story or explain something about your business in a simple, visual way.
Cons of Using an Image Slider
1) Slower Website: Image sliders can make your website load more slowly, especially if the pictures are large. A slow site can frustrate visitors and hurt your rankings on search engines like Google.
2) Not Everyone Will See Everything: Some visitors may not wait to see all the slides, so important information could be missed. The first image usually gets the most attention.
3) Mobile Issues: Sliders not designed well can be difficult to use on mobile devices, which can annoy users on phones or tablets.
4) Can Be Distracting: If not done right, sliders can distract visitors from other important content on your site.
Add an Image Slider using Your WordPress Theme
Several WordPress themes include image sliders. The Divi theme (which I use on several websites) has a slider on the homepage that cycles through different featured blog posts.
Add an Image Slider using a WordPress Plugin
If your theme does not have a slider, you can find many free slider plugins inside WordPress. Many developers believe it’s better to use a slider plugin than a slider in the theme. I say use whatever is easiest for you!
Here are some popular WordPress Slider Plugins:
1) Meta Slider By MetaSlider
Meta Slider is a popular WordPress plugin that helps you create sliders easily with its simple, user-friendly interface. It supports different types of sliders and is great for making your site look nice and work well on all devices.
2) Smart Slider 3 By Nextend
Smart Slider is a powerful plugin that helps you build great-looking sliders using simple tools and templates. It is known for its easy-to-use design features, responsive sliders, and helpful customer service.
3) Slider & Popup Builder By Depicter Slider and Popup by Averta
Slider & Popup Builder lets you create both sliders and popups to make your website more engaging. It’s easy to use with drag-and-drop features, offers lots of customization, and comes with good customer support.
What is an Image Slider vs. Image Carousel vs. Image Gallery?
When building a website, you might encounter the terms image slider, carousel, and gallery. These tools display images, but they work differently.
An image slider is like a digital slideshow. It shows one image at a time and then slides to the next image automatically or when the user clicks a button. Sliders are often used on homepages to showcase featured content, such as new products or promotions.
An image carousel is similar to a slider but shows several images simultaneously, often in a loop. Users can scroll or swipe through the images horizontally. Carousels are useful for displaying more content in a small space, such as customer testimonials or multiple product photos.
An image gallery is a collection of images displayed all at once on a webpage. The images are usually arranged in a grid; visitors can click on each image to see a larger version. Galleries are ideal for websites where visuals are the main focus – like photography portfolios.
In summary, image sliders, carousels, and galleries each display images in a unique way. Choosing the right one depends on how you want to present your content and engage visitors.
Final Thoughts…
You may also be interested in another article and video I did on a quick overview of a WordPress Image Gallery. Some people prefer image galleries over image sliders. It all depends on how you want to display the images on your site.
However, here is a word of caution about using a slider on your site. Some say a slider can hurt your website conversions because people get mesmerized by them and don’t focus on your words. Many web developers hate sliders, but many business owners love them. Ultimately, you choose; it’s the website you are building! Here is a funny website that argues against having a slider/carousel on your website. And here is a great article from Yoast on this topic.
Like anything else, do your due diligence, weigh the pros and cons, and choose what is right for you!
*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If it is clicked and purchased, we may receive a small compensation for the recommendation.
Hi Christina, thank you for your helpful tips on sliders. Could you tell me what theme Tova’s Garden is using?
Yes she is using the free pinboard theme! You can find it at wordpress.org
Very helpful info. I have a WordPress.com site. Can I have a slider added?
I don’t teach wordpress.com. you will have to look there. I teach the self hosted version. But I’m sure that it’s possible