10 Ways to Make Your WordPress Website More Aesthetic

Do you feel like your WordPress site looks a little flat? Have you ever visited a website and wondered why it feels professional while yours feels plain? We’ve got the scoop on how to make your WordPress site both functional and fabulous.

Aesthetic Design Ideas for Your WordPress Site

Before we dive in, keep in mind that less is usually more, especially when it comes to design. Feel free to implement a few of these tips on your site but don’t go crazy. Cluttering up your website with effects will not only make it look more amateur, you run the risk of slowing down its performance.

That said, let’s explore some tips for making your WordPress site more aesthetically pleasing.

1. Hover Effects

Adding hover effects (animations that occur when you hover over an object with your mouse) is a great way to make your website feel more interactive and engaging. Hover effects will draw a visitor’s eye to any essential elements you want to make pop.

It’s easy to make links change color through WordPress itself, but if you want to make certain objects bounce, enlarge slightly, or pulse, you’ll need a WordPress plugin like Hover Effects.

If you used Elementor to design your WordPress site, you can add hover effects through it as well. Elementor offers an easy tutorial for adding hover effects on their YouTube channel.

2. Smooth Animations

Subtle animations can add a layer of interactivity and style to your WordPress site. Different from hover effects, you can enable animations like fade-ins or transitions to reveal content as users scroll down the page.

Consider adding one animation every few page lengths for elements you want to stand out. Be sure to test the animations in action to ensure they don’t overwhelm the page.

Animations can easily be added through Elementor by navigating to Advanced > Motion Effects. If you don’t use Elementor, you can download a plugin like Blocks Animation.

3. Jump Links

A jump link (also called a page jump) lets users “jump” quickly to specific sections within a page. By using jump links effectively, anyone visiting your site will be able to navigate lengthy sections without having to wait for a new page to load.

The WordPress blog has a tutorial on adding page jumps for both the Block and Classic Editors.

4. Social Media Feeds

These days, social media and business go hand-in-hand. Whether your website is personal or professional, integrating social media feeds into your WordPress site adds visual interest and can foster a sense of trust with your visitors.

You can embed tweets into your WordPress posts or use a plugin like Feed Them Social. Either way, consider adding social media elements to your site to increase visitor interaction and networking.

5. Parallax Scrolling

Even if you aren’t familiar with the term, you’ve likely seen parallax scrolling in action. With parallax scrolling, background images move at a different pace than content in the foreground, making for a unique, 3D-like effect as users scroll down the page.

You can implement parallax effects through CSS, Elementor, or a plugin like Advanced WordPress Backgrounds.

6. Video Backgrounds

When used appropriately, video backgrounds can capture visitors’ attention and make your page look very professional. Choose a high-quality video with a seamless loop that doesn’t overpower the other elements on the page.

Everything we’ve mentioned should be used sparingly, but take extra care not to overdo it with video backgrounds. When in doubt, stick to one or two for your entire site.

You can add a video background to your site through Elementor or a plugin like Video Background.

7. Call-to-Action (CTA) Buttons

Even if you’re not selling anything, CTA buttons are crucial for telling your visitors what to do next. Clickable CTA buttons that ask people to subscribe to your newsletter, schedule a consultation, or request a quote can boost your site’s conversion rate.

Try adding a few well-placed CTA buttons with contrasting colors and compelling text. You can add a CTA button through Elementor or use a plugin like Icegram Engage.

A sticky header (also called a fixed menu) stays fixed at the top of the screen even as users scroll down your page. Sticky headers are great for providing quick access to important elements like your home and contact pages.

Sticky headers can be added through CSS by going to Appearance > Additional CSS and entering the appropriate code. You can also use a plugin like Sticky Menu & Sticky Header.

9. Iconography

Not only are icons great visual aids that convey information succinctly, but they also make your website more accessible, too. Studies have shown that visual elements help both dyslexic and non-dyslexic readers navigate textual information more quickly and easily.

Try adding in a few relevant icons, especially in text-heavy sections, to make your content easily scannable. Maintain a polished, uniform look throughout your site by using a consistent icon style. You can find free icons through various sites like flaticon or freeicons.io.

10. Animations With LottieFiles

Kick your icons up a notch by animating them with the LottieFiles plugin for WordPress. Lotties are animated elements that load faster than GIFs and can be color customized to fit your brand. You can find plenty of free designs within the plugin, or make your own Lotties in AfterEffects or similar software.

WordPress Design Best Practices

Now that we’ve looked at some of the more decorative elements of WordPress, let’s review some basic design practices to keep your site looking sharp.

• Less is more: find the right balance between design elements and negative space.
• Have consistent branding, including fonts, logos, and colors that follow your brand style guide.
• Use color theory and psychology to evoke desired emotions in your audience.
• Have a clear visual hierarchy to help viewers digest information.
• Optimize your site for all devices and screen sizes.
• Have friends and family test your site and report back with bugs or ideas for design improvement.

Make Your WordPress Site Uniquely You

If you’ve been feeling like your WordPress site is a little too basic, thoughtful details like animations, dynamic backgrounds, and sticky headers could be perfect for sprucing things up. Remember not to overdo special effects lest you alter your site’s performance. Always keep design best practices in mind when customizing your WordPress site.

Speaking of which, is your current WordPress theme working for you? There are a few things to consider before choosing a WordPress theme and your site could benefit from a revamp if you’re looking to switch things up.