Best practices for website front page slideshow?

Question

We are r&d on front page slideshow, if you look to the following slideshow there is next and previous and at right corner slideshow numbers, so some one place number on right corner while others on center. We browse many templates and high profile sites, and look for the slideshow patterns. But after all we need ux expert suggestions and comments.

So what is the best practices for front page slideshow, and is it good practices to place 400X200 slideshow on a front page?

Answer 1

Some quick suggestions based less on research and more on personal pet peeves:

• Ensure that the person visiting the site can control the slideshow

• Ensure that the navigation dots (like those in the posted example) reside outside of the photo content so that they are clearly visible no matter what photo is showing (unlike those in the posted example)

• Ensure that slideshow controls are easy to click

• Advise the people responsible for photo content of the dimensions as early as possible so they can have content ready on time.

Answer 2

My main comment on the slide show is the content itself, it's an advert or at least reads like one therefore likely to be ignored in itself and subsequent content probably also. This problem is more of an issue if the slide show automatically steps to the next frame as this further adds to the likeness in behaviour to adverts.

Of course the content may just be a place holder but what else is going to be placed in the slideshow, what messages are competing for attention?

I've yet to come across during user tests any participant that actually interacts with a slideshow without prompting to do so, they occasionally say that they saw it but did not think the messages linked to information on the same site.

Answer 3

Please take a look at my commercial slideshow script. It supports touch gestures navigation on mobile devices and responsive layout that adjusts to window size.