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Internet and mobile technology have revolutionized the digital world. They made communication easy and has enabled enterprises to connect to an enormous audience with the help of a simple click.
Web and mobile apps have taken the world by storm and are being used by millions worldwide. This has led to immense competition and has resulted in survival of the fittest; websites which are attractive to look at and are capable of retaining the attention of users for prolonged periods of time experience unmatched success. Web design enables enterprises to have a competitive edge in the market and thus requires immense investment from well-qualified web designers.
Major technological innovations have taken place in the web design industry, one of them being the use of cards. The arrangement and display of content on web pages is key to making a website eye-catching and user-friendly thus leading to the popularity of cards.
What is it?
Cards are a design framework that helps in organizing large amounts of content in an efficient format. They are bundles of structured interactive information, typically presented on a website in the form of a container. Cards come in various shapes and sizes and provide quick and related information to users in a condensed format making it easy for users to read and comprehend. Since they place content into distinct boxes, they offer a well-organized and well-structured view, thus enhancing readability. They enable intense communication owing to their interactive nature; each card presents an overview of information and gives the user the opportunity for further involvement. If the content in a card interests a user, he can click through it to explore the content in detail. Cards generally include like buttons and the option to post to social media thereby augmenting their popularity.
The main purpose of cards is to enable interaction and positive engagement with the user. They contain minimalistic info, thus acting as a teaser for a lot more information. Since most cards require action, thereby facilitating user engagement. Implementing a call-to-action in the card forces users to follow a trail that is not only beneficial to the organization but also leads to a content user. Each card encompasses content, a way to like, share and adds comments. It also gives the user an insight into other people’s like and comments, thus influencing the mind-set of the user. Some cards also contain rich media, which help in attracting the attention of users in the vast ocean of text.
As so much of information is available online today, important and otherwise, cards have the ability to be personalized. They pull out relevant content from silos of information and present it in a crisp and easy to share format, thus leading to constructive collaboration with the user. This way user can choose what they’re interested in, rather than be forced to read content that is beside the point. Cards enable content to be broken into individual components and re-aggregated into different shapes and sizes. This enables users to access information at one particular place, rather than having to go through a series of web pages; thus leading to a satisfying user experience.
Different types of Cards
Cards have steadily gained immense popularity in recent times. Due to their countless benefits, organizations around the world today are incorporating cards in their web design. Websites like Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter use cards to organize content and engage users in endless addictive ways. This has led to the evolution of different types of cards that can be used in order to make a website remarkable:
• Flat: This is one of the simplest styles for websites and uses a combination of bright colors and exotic design and provides minimal information. Flat design focuses solely on content, making it easier for reading and interaction.
• Grid: This card style is more popular with websites that display different type of images and graphics. Such websites comprise of blocks of content arranged in a grid or masonry format.
• Magazine style: This card style is most popularly used by news and magazine houses that upload content on a regular basis. It allows designers to highlight content based on relevance. Each card incorporates an attractive image and a catchy headline, thus exciting the user and making him want to know more. Once the user clicks on the card, he is redirected to the full article elsewhere on the website.
• Pin: Made popular by Pinterest, the pin design consists of various small elements of information pinned together on a website. Each card consists of bits of specific content that gives the user a good view of all the content available on the website.
Features of Cards
Apart from displaying significant content, cards have a lot more to offer. Below listed are some of the most important features:
• Informative: Through cards, information can be presented in a crisp and condensed format thus making it easily readable and comprehendible.
• Grab attention: Cards organize information into highly relevant bursts of text, allowing users to deep dive into subjects of their interest. Moreover, they look attractive and are an exciting alternative to mounds of text, thus grabbing peoples’ attention.
• Responsive: Cards are immensely responsive; they facilitate boundless interaction with users. On mobile devices, cards have the ability to present a feed-like layout, thus resulting in an enriching user experience.
• Engaging: Cards, when coupled with attractive media are highly effective in instigating constructive user engagement. Because of their restricted space, cards carry only a little information enough to entice users to dive further.
• Easy to digest: Since the content in cards is limited, it makes it easier for users to take in more information that is relevant to them.
• Shareable: Cards enable users to swiftly and effortlessly share heaps of content across social media, mobile technology, and email platforms.
Conclusion
Cards include incredible design patterns, making websites interesting, attractive and user-friendly. They are a great way for communicating quick stories. Since the information revolves around a particular subject and is limited, they are comprehensive and inclusive and enable quick grasp by users. They are also easily shareable, thus leading to their widespread use.
