Punch things up a bit with Image Effect
Our support specialists spend their days answering a lot of questions about website functionality and design, so they have unique insight into things you can do with SiteBuilder that aren’t widely known. Here’s Ben to tell you about one of his favorites - Rochelle
I think one of the most underutilized elements in SiteBuilder is the “Image Effect” element. I get a lot of calls from members who want their site to look more dynamic and have more visual pizzazz. Most people assume that paying for Flash animation or animated GIFs is the only way to accomplish this, but that’s only because they haven’t tried SiteBuilder’s Image Effects.
Image effects allow you to have your existing images fade onto the screen, flicker on or do other neat effects when a visitor first opens your web page. Having an image effect near the top of a page can give your site a dynamic, visually arresting look similar to what “big business” sites pay Flash designers $$$ for. At the same time, since the effects are very easy to add, you don’t have to mess around with anything complicated, like HTML code. As an added bonus, since an effect only appears once - when the page first loads - your visitors’ eyes won’t be distracted from the content of your site.
You can find the Image Effect element by clicking on the Add Images and Files element button, then Add an Image Effect.
So if you’re looking to add more visual “pow” to your site, you might try Image Effects; they grab attention, they’re easy to use and they already come with SiteBuilder. Have fun, but please remember that this is one of those design elements where a little use of it can go a long way. One or two animations can make your site pop, but it can look too busy very quickly if you use too many. Visitors quickly tire of a cluttered site, so it’s best to use these effects sparingly.
February 26, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Your support specialists should focus on trying to make SiteBuilder work with Windows Vista, I haven’t been able to work on my PC on the site because of this….
February 26, 2008 at 2:55 pm
How about a flash photo gallery?
February 26, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Is it a two step process: add the image then add the image effect? Or a one step process: you import the image and add the effect at the same time?
–cgb–
February 27, 2008 at 12:59 am
Thanks for the Blog Ben.
I have put this effect to good use on a number of sites, for example;
http://www.hostalsanjuan.com
http://www.gesurbana.com
http://www.rajackson.org
However, I do find that the effects on offer are somewhat limiting. Is there any possibility of expanding the choice?
On another subject but one which I’m sure will be of interest to many of your clients - this refers to guest books.
I would like to be able to use the guest book facility for other things, “simple forums for example” but every version of this facility is named “guest book”. It would be really useful if they could be personalised to say for example, “Forum” or “Visitors” or “nothing at all”.
Of course the button is easily changed as on this page;
http://www.nerjaapartmentrentals.com/index_se.html
but the actual guest book page itself is the limiting factor,
Many thanks,
Best wishes,
Ian
February 27, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Thanks
-Eric
February 27, 2008 at 4:50 pm
This is a great idea, but something the article left out is that is only works with .jpg files - NOT .gif files.
This is unfortunate, because I use a lot of transparent .gifs so they POP on the background.
Can you add .gifs to this feature, Homestead?
February 27, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Keep up the tricks and tips, they are very helpful. Also, do you have a drop down menu for the Navigation Menu so that other links on that page could be accessed?
Thanks, Frank