In the design world, it’s important to have a unique portfolio website. Your goal is to attract and retain your audience’s attention. Whether it be a hiring manager, client, or fellow designer, keeping your user engaged in a personal website is no easy feat.

Like many, I visit portfolios to design-winning websites to get inspiration or observe trends. With each visit, I see something new…kinetic typography, scroll effects, or 3D elements — each creating a distinct experience and keeping my eyes peeled.

But I also notice the lack of accessibility in these websites — especially when it comes to looped animations (GIFs) and autoplaying videos.

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For some users, this isn’t a problem. For other users, like a person with ADHD or a person who uses a screen reader, these animations and videos can be distracting and inhibiting. There needs to be a way for users to easily stop added motion so they can use your website.

Of course, animations and videos help differentiate your website. They add visual value to keep users exploring more, but sometimes at a disruptive cost.

Luckily, there are ways to have unique and accessible websites. Let’s review a few Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), risks of nonstop motion, and strategies to integrate accessible motion into our one-of-a-kind websites.