Welcome, UX designers!
In user experience (UX) design, every detail matters, including the often-overlooked loading page.
Believe it or not, a loading page can significantly impact a user's perception of your product.
According to a Google study, 53% of mobile site visitors will leave a page if it takes longer than three seconds to load.
🚀 This highlights the critical importance of loading times in retaining site users and preventing them from abandoning a website or application.
It's not just about the load time; it's about the experience you provide during that wait.
A fun and engaging loading page can turn a moment of frustration into a delightful interaction, setting the tone for the entire user journey.
Before we dive deep into it, here is the TL;DR in case you wish you had the time.✌🏻
Why Fun Loading Pages Matter
Consider this: As a business owner, every moment your users spend waiting is an opportunity to either lose their interest or engage them further.
When you make users wait, it's like putting them in a holding pattern, but it doesn't have to be dull. Instead of a static loading page, imagine implementing a preloader design that keeps users engaged and builds anticipation for your product.
Picture a clever, amusing loading animation or message, perhaps even a mini-game, accompanying the wait.
🚀 Suddenly, the waiting period transforms from a nuisance to an enjoyable experience, ensuring your users stay entertained and connected to your brand.
1- BuzzFeed's Quiz Loading Animation
BuzzFeed's target audience, which often includes millennials and Gen Z users, appreciates humor, creativity, and interactivity in digital content.
By catering to these preferences with entertaining loading animations, BuzzFeed effectively connects with its audience on a deeper level, fostering a sense of enjoyment and affinity for the brand.
When loading quizzes or articles, the platform displays quirky loading animations, such as a spinning pizza or a dancing cat.
2- Reddit's "Snoo" Loading Animation
Reddit incorporates its mascot, Snoo, into the loading animation to entertain users during wait times.
Snoo is depicted engaging in various activities, such as juggling, playing with a Rubik's cube, or riding a unicycle.
These animations are accompanied by witty loading messages, adding an extra layer of humor to the experience.
The animations are part of Reddit's efforts to create a more engaging and personalized user experience.
3- Tumblr's Random Loading Phrases
Tumblr's loading screen displays random and humorous phrases like "Catching your lost Pokémon," "Summoning extraterrestrial help," or "Locating the Internet."
These phrases are accompanied by colorful animations, creating a visually engaging loading experience.
The incorporation of a great preloader in Tumblr's interface not only ensures smooth loading progress but also adds a touch of surprise and delight for users.
4- Google's Dinosaur Game
You've probably seen this. When users encounter network connection issues in the Chrome browser, they're greeted with a simple but addictive game featuring a pixelated dinosaur.
The game appears with a message stating, "No internet." Users can press the spacebar to start playing.
This game was introduced as a way to entertain users during moments of frustration caused by internet connectivity issues.
It has become a popular Easter egg and has even inspired merchandise and browser extensions dedicated to the game.
5- Error 404 Pages by Bluegg
While not strictly loading pages, Bluegg's custom 404 error pages are noteworthy for their humor and creativity.
Bluegg creates custom illustrations and witty messages for its 404 error pages, turning a frustrating experience into a delightful one.
These pages often feature playful animations and references to pop culture, showcasing Bluegg's attention to detail and commitment to user experience.
6- Letterboxd's Loading Page
Letterboxd, a social networking platform centered around film reviews and recommendations, incorporates a personalized loading page experience that enhances user engagement and entertainment value.
During the loading process, Letterboxd displays a movie scene along with a humorous quote related to the film to keep users engaged.
This combination of visual and textual content not only fills the loading screen with engaging material but also reinforces the platform's focus on cinema and entertainment.
Users appreciate the attention to detail and the platform's commitment to providing a fun and immersive environment for film enthusiasts.
7- Asana's Progress Bar with Productivity Tips
Though not current, Asana, a project management tool, was used to incorporate a progress bar with productivity tips on its loading page. Which turned out quite great.
While users waited for their projects or tasks to load, they were shown helpful tips and insights on how to improve their productivity and workflow.
These tips covered various aspects of project management, time management, and collaboration, empowering users to work more efficiently while they wait.
🤓 Sorry I can't add visuals depicting this one, but I thought it is still worth including✨
8- Etsy's Crafting Animation
Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods, features a crafting-themed loading animation.
As users wait for pages to load, they're greeted with an animation of crafting materials like yarn, paintbrushes, and sewing needles coming together to form various handmade items.
This animation reflects Etsy's focus on creativity and craftsmanship, adding a whimsical touch to the browsing experience.
9- The Oatmeal's "Hamster on a Wheel" Loading Animation
The Oatmeal, a webcomic and humor website, incorporates a loading animation featuring a hamster running on a wheel.
Users waiting for content to load are entertained by the comical sight of a determined hamster tirelessly spinning the wheel, accompanied by humorous captions or thought bubbles.
This whimsical animation reflects the quirky and irreverent humor of The Oatmeal, providing users with a brief moment of amusement during their visit to the website.
10- UserGuiding's Take
UserGuiding stands out as a top-tier tool for enhancing user experiences within any communication platform.
Even in the seemingly mundane aspect of loading pages, we inject a bit of fun and personality.
Imagine waiting for your communication platform to load, only to be pleasantly surprised by a friendly emoji and a clever loading message.
UserGuiding understands the importance of engaging users during the loading progress, making the waiting time a part of the overall user experience.
With UserGuiding's expertise in building in-app experiences, they ensure that every interaction, including lazy loading, contributes to a seamless journey for users.
Key Takeaways
- Loading Screen Messages: Incorporating witty and engaging loading screen messages can turn moments of waiting into delightful interactions for users.
- App Loading: When designing app loading experiences, consider incorporating elements that entertain and engage users, such as animations, quotes, or mini-games.
- Loading Time: The loading time of a website or app is critical, as prolonged waits can lead to user frustration and abandonment. Optimizing loading times should be a priority in UX and loading page design.
- Great Way to Delight Users: Creative preloader design and messages provide a great way to delight users and enhance their overall experience with a product or platform.
- User Testing: Before implementing loading page elements, conduct user testing to ensure they resonate with the target audience and effectively serve their purpose of entertaining and informing users during wait times.
- Minimalistic Design: While loading pages offer an opportunity for creativity, it's essential to maintain a balance between engaging elements and minimalistic loading page design principles to avoid overwhelming users.
- Great Examples: Examples such as BuzzFeed's quiz loading animation, Reddit's Snoo loading animation, and Google's dinosaur game demonstrate how loading pages can entertain and engage users effectively.
- Good Option for Enhancing UX: Incorporating entertaining loading page elements is a good option for enhancing the overall user experience and creating positive impressions of a product or platform.
Final Thoughts
In UX design, the loading page is a crucial opportunity to engage users and reinforce your brand.
A good loading page
- entertains users,
- communicates your brand's personality, and
- sets a positive tone for the user experience.
When crafting your loading page, focus on aligning it with your brand identity and value proposition. Prioritize user engagement and consistency to reassure users and create a memorable experience that delights them and strengthens your brand awareness.