For engaging users, websites should convey information in a visually captivating manner while responding to users’ actions. This becomes possible when you integrate interactive elements. This article will help you learn about the certain steps that you need to follow, tools to use, and code to apply. Certain effects that come into play are animations, transitions, hover effects, click-and-reveal interactions, and scroll-triggered events, sliding animations, parallax scrolling, and progress bars. Adding such visual appeals increases the probability of your brand being loved and visited by people more often. It also helps people differentiate your website from others, which can definitely be a plus point. Moreover, these elements help reveal information about a product or service in a particular order as the user scrolls down gradually. They do this by revealing the name, features, description, and call-to-action of a product or service sequentially. Even if your website is being on mobile phones by users, scroll-over interactive elements will work the same way. 
Dive into the content to improve the way your website works by discovering new ways to engage your audience. 

Here Are The Steps You Need To Follow While Creating Scroll-Over Interactive Elements In Wordpress 

Scroll-over interactive elements simply means that whenever user will carry out a scroll action so these elements will do something in response to this action such as: 

1. Words and pictures on the website slowly appear when you scroll down. This is part of fade-in animations. 
2. When you notice that the text or image appears as if it slid down from either side or from the top, then it’s a work of slide-in animation.
3. If you notice that the content gets enlarged or reduced in size as you scroll down, then zoom or scale animation is playing its role.
4. When you observe a 3D effect on the website, such as pictures in the background moving slowly, whereas texts and buttons are moving faster, then the parallax effect is playing its role.

Below, a few pointers are mentioned which are prerequisites, and without them, you cannot carry out this whole process. 

Make sure you have a website on WordPress and, most importantly, admin access to your dashboard from where the website is managed.

If you are writing and editing the code yourself, understanding of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is required along with a code editor application. 

To protect the changes brought about by scroll-over elements, make sure child theme or custom theme is downloaded already. 

1st  Step Requires You To: Add A JavaScript File To A List

In functions.php file of your website’s theme, the following code given below is to be added. The reason for adding it in the functions.php file is that it contains code that is responsible for controlling various aspects of the theme. 
Function
 enqueue_scroll_scripts() {
    Wp_enqueue_script(‘scroll-
animations’, 
get_template_directory_uri() . 
‘/js/scroll-animations.js’, 
array(‘jquery’), ‘1.0’, true);
}
Add_action(‘wp_enqueue_scripts’
, ‘enqueue_scroll_scripts’);

2nd Step Requires You To Create A JavaScript File

By creating this file in theme’s js folder, you will successfully incorporate scroll animation in your website. This file will be called scroll-animations.js. 
jQuery(document).ready(function($) 
{
    $(window).scroll(function() {
        $(‘.scroll-
animation’).each(function() 
            Var elementTop =
 $(this).offset().top;
            Var elementBottom =
 elementTop +
 $(this).outerHeight();
            Var viewportTop = 
$(window).scrollTop();
            Var viewportBottom 
= viewportTop + 
$(window).height();
            
            If (elementBottom > 
viewportTop && elementTop <
 viewportBottom) {
                $(this).addClass(‘animate’);
            } else {
                $(this).removeClass(‘animate’);
            }
        });
    });
});
How it works: This code looks for components in the content where the label ‘scroll-animation’ is applied. With this, it identifies whether those components are visible on the website or not.

3rd Step Requires You To Add Css 

We are providing you with the CSS code below so you can add it in the stylesheet which can help your website look visually captivating. Or you may add in the CSS file which you will create just for this code. 
.scroll-animation {
    Opacity: 0;
    Transition: all 0.5s ease-in-out;
}

.scroll-animation.animate {
    Opacity: 1;
}

/* Example animations */
.fade-in {
    Transform: translateY(50px);
}

.fade-in.animate {
    Transform: translateY(0);
}

.slide-in-left {
    Transform: translateX(-100px);
}

.slide-in-left.animate {
    Transform: translateX(0);
}

4th Step Requires You To Apply Scroll Animation Class On HTML 

With the code given below, HTML element can be animated which includes images, text, buttons, and etc.

<div class=”scroll-animation fade-in”>

    <h2>This will fade in</h2>

</div>

<div class=”scroll-animation slide-in-left”>

    <p>This will slide in from the left</p>

</div>

Method number 1 concludes here. Below, another way of adding scroll-over interactive elements is given which doesn’t require coding. This method lets you play with WordPress plugins 

Work With Wordpress Plugins

A tool named Animation on Scroll for Elementor makes the overall process easier for you. Without requiring any code, you can create a more engaging website with scroll-triggered interactive elements.
If you want various animations to be part of your website, the Animate It plugin can help you with that.

For creating an interactive background, the Advanced WordPress Backgrounds plugin can help you implement features such as parallax effects and scroll-based interactions.
Another plugin, ScrollSequence, can help you create a more engaging website than ever.

How You Can Use These Plugins 

Before you begin, remember to use animations judiciously, as excessive use can cause glitches or slow down your website. Even some may not work on mobile devices, which is a significant consideration since most people nowadays access websites more frequently on their mobile phones. Before making it public, test the website on different browsers such as Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Opera. This can help you find out if performance of animations is consistent across all platforms. Also, its wiser to chose simple animations so that users don’t find it frustrating and distracting. 
In the WordPress plugin repository, a library of plugins, you can search for various animations to incorporate into your website. When you find the right one, find the ‘Install Now’ button and click it, followed by the ‘Activate’ button to make it work. 

Now, using the instructions provided for each plugin, add the animations of your choice to the elements you prefer.
By using plugins interface, you can adjust the animation speed, its duration, changing its effects, and customize its styles and colors. 
Its wiser to chose simple animations so that users don’t find it frustrating and distracting. 

How To Deal With Troubleshooting Issues 

If animations are not working as expected, there might be an issue with the installation of jQuery. Checking the console can help you identify the errors if any. 

If elements repeatedly enter and leave the website, viewers can get distracted. To eliminate this problem at its root, attach a permanent label (or class) to the element, which stays with it even after it leaves the viewport. This can be achieved by adjusting the JavaScript code to add a class.

If your website loads and responds slowly after adding animations, you can take two steps to improve performance: reduce the number of animated elements or simplify your JavaScript code.

End Note 

We have simplified things for you by offering two methods to choose from, depending on what you find easier. Before implementing any animation, remember not to overuse them, as this can frustrate the audience. Animations are meant to engage the audience, and if that purpose is not fulfilled, identify and address the root cause. The problem may lie in the coding or excessive use of animations. To resolve these issues, reduce the number of animations, avoid complex ones, simplify your JavaScript code, and test your website on different platforms. Additionally, ensure that your animations are compatible with mobile devices, which are now a primary medium for accessing websites.