UI Interactions & Animations Roundup #31
It's time for a new collection of Dribbble shots featuring trendsetting creative animations and motion designs that will ignite your inspiration.
Stream File Uploads to S3 Object Storage and Save Money
This is the fourth post in a series all about uploading files for the web. In the previous posts, we covered uploading files using just HTML, uploading files using JavaScript, and how to receive file uploads on a Node.js server.
- Upload files with HTML
- Upload files with JavaScript
- Receive uploads in Node.js (Nuxt.js)
- Optimize storage costs with Object Storage
- Optimize performance with a CDN
- Secure uploads with malware scans
This post is going to take a step back and explore architectural changes to reduce costs when adding file uploads to our applications.
“Engage and Convert Email Subscribers with the Ultimate Strategy of Drip Ca
Drip campaigns are a powerful email marketing strategy that can help you engage and convert your email subscribers. A drip campaign is a series of automated emails that are sent to subscribers over a specific period of time, with the goal of nurturing them and guiding them towards a specific action.
To create an effective drip campaign, you need to have a clear understanding of your audience and their needs. This will help you create targeted and relevant content that resonates with your subscribers. Here are some steps to follow when creating a drip campaign:
Define your campaign goals: Before you start creating your campaign, you need to define your goals. What action do you want your subscribers to take? Do you want to increase sales, generate leads, or build brand awareness?
Segment your audience: Segmenting your audience allows you to create more targeted and personalized content. You can segment your audience based on demographics, behavior, or interests.
Create your email content: Your email content should be engaging, relevant, and informative. Make sure your emails are visually appealing and easy to read. Use a mix of text, images, and videos to keep your subscribers engaged.
Set up your drip campaign: Use an email marketing automation tool to set up your drip campaign. Set the timing and frequency of your emails, and make sure your subscribers are receiving the right messages at the right time.
Test and optimize: Test your campaign to see what works and what doesn't. Analyze your open and click-through rates, and make changes as necessary. Optimize your campaign over time to improve engagement and conversion rates.
Overall, drip campaigns are an effective way to engage and convert your email subscribers. By providing targeted and relevant content, you can build trust with your audience and guide them towards the actions you want them to take.
The Importance of Color Contrast in Web Design
One of the most important aspects of web design is color contrast, which refers to the difference in brightness and/or color between two elements on a page. In this article, we’ll explore why color contrast is important for accessibility, and provide some code examples to help you improve the color contrast on your own website.
Why is color contrast important for accessibility?
Color contrast is important for accessibility because it allows users with visual impairments to easily distinguish between different elements on a page. For example, a user with color blindness may have difficulty differentiating between text and background colors that are too similar. Similarly, a user with low vision may struggle to read text that is too small or doesn’t have enough contrast with its background.
To ensure that your website is accessible to all users, it’s important to consider the contrast between all elements on your page, including text, graphics, and backgrounds. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide specific guidelines for color contrast ratios that must be met in order to ensure accessibility for all users.
What are the WCAG color contrast guidelines?
The WCAG provides specific guidelines for color contrast ratios based on the size and weight of the text being displayed. The guidelines are divided into two levels: Level AA and Level AAA. Level AA is the minimum standard for web accessibility, while Level AAA provides a higher level of accessibility for users with more severe visual impairments.
For Level AA compliance, the WCAG requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (18pt or 14pt bold). For Level AAA compliance, the contrast ratio must be at least 7:1 for normal text and 4.5:1 for large text.
To calculate the contrast ratio between two colors, you can use a tool such as the Contrast Checker from WebAIM. Simply enter the hex codes for your foreground and background colors, and the tool will calculate the contrast ratio for you.
Code examples for improving color contrast
Here are some code examples to help you improve the color contrast on your own website:
Increase text contrast
To increase the contrast between your text and background, you can adjust the color of your text or background. For example, if you have white text on a light gray background, you could darken the background or lighten the text to improve the contrast.
/* Before */
body {
background-color: #f2f2f2;
}
h1 {
color: #ffffff;
}
/* After */
body {
background-color: #d6d6d6;
}
h1 {
color: #ffffff;
}
Add text shadows
Another way to improve text contrast is to add a text shadow. This can help the text stand out from its background, especially if the background is a pattern or image that makes it difficult to read text.
/* Before */
h2 {
color: #ffffff;
background-image: url("background.jpg");
}
/* After */
h2 {
color: #ffffff;
text-shadow: 1px 1px #000000;
background-image: url("background.jpg");
}
Use a color contrast checker
To ensure that your website meets the WCAG guidelines, you can use a color contrast checker. There are many free online tools available, such as the Contrast Checker from WebAIM or the Contrast Checker from Acart Communications.
/* Before */
body {
background-color: #ffffff;
color: #dddddd;
}
/* After */
body {
background-color: #ffffff;
color: #333333;
}
Avoid color combinations that are difficult to read
Certain color combinations can be difficult to read, especially for users with color vision deficiencies. For example, red and green are often difficult to distinguish for users with protanopia (a type of color blindness). To ensure that your website is accessible to all users, it’s important to avoid using color combinations that may be difficult to read.
/* Before */
a {
color: #ff0000;
background-color: #00ff00;
}
/* After */
a {
color: #000000;
background-color: #ffffff;
}
Provide alternative text for images
Images can also impact color contrast on a page. If an image contains text, it’s important to ensure that the text has enough contrast with its background. Additionally, if an image cannot be displayed for any reason, it’s important to provide alternative text that describes the image.
/* Before */ <img src="image.jpg"> /* After */ <img src="image.jpg" alt="A blue sky with white clouds">
Conclusion
Color contrast is an important aspect of web design that can have a significant impact on the accessibility of your website. By following the WCAG guidelines and implementing some of the code examples provided in this article, you can ensure that your website is accessible to all users, regardless of their visual abilities. Remember that accessibility is not only important for users with disabilities, but it also benefits all users, including those who may be using a mobile device or browsing in a noisy environment. By prioritizing accessibility in your web design, you can create a better experience for all users.