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How Can Rule of Thirds be Used for Ecommerce Web Design?

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‘Rule of Thirds’ is a fascinating subject that was commonly used in reference to photo composition. But now, it is widely used for web designs too.  It is a method used to segment the web design or image into multiple sections using columns and rows that constitute a grid. 9 identical squares that fit over an image/web design are generated by 3 uniformly spaced rows and columns of the grid. (ADD IMAGE)  It is important to be aware of the dimensions of the image/design to create a grid with the ‘Rule of Thirds’. Once you have the measurement for height and breadth, divide each of them by three (evenly), and then mark the page’s top, bottom, right and left sides at these proportions.  Though the ‘Rule of Thirds’ is a basic aspect, it is essential to appreciate how it functions and pertains to website designs.  

How to apply the ‘Rule of Thirds’ to a design or an image? 

The ‘Rule of Thirds’ is a composition guideline that places your subject in the right or left third of an image or web page, leaving the other two thirds open. While there are various other forms of composition, this rule generally leads to well-composed and compelling shots. 
  • Put the marks at three uniform intervals on the paper’s top, bottom, right and left sides after dividing the height and breadth by three.  
  • Draw two horizontal and two vertical straight lines at every interval that you’ve marked.  
For example, if your image is 27 cm wide and 18 cm tall, you need to draw lines from top to bottom at 9 cm and 18 cm points and from left to right at 6 cm and 12 cm points.  
  • By using the two vertical and horizontal lines, the ‘Rule of Thirds’ divides the design into nine equal portions, and each of these portions will take roughly 33.33% of the vertical space and 33.33% of the horizontal space. And, they are called “Thirds” because of this reason. 
  • The image’s or web design layout’s essential components should be placed/organized around the intersections of these lines, and these serve as focus points. 

The major use of the ‘Rule of Thirds’ in web designing 

Almost all the graphics, including images, and virtually all web designs use the ‘Rule of Thirds’, consciously or unconsciously.   The grid intersection points (also known as sweet spots) are the ideal indicators for – where to place a logo, text or subject. This is because the eye is consciously or subconsciously scanning the page when it lands on a sheet, screen, or image.   There are many ways to apply the ‘Rule of Thirds’ while web designing. A few popular ones include – using it as a blueprint to design asymmetrical layouts, using diagonal lines for building tension and positioning crucial elements at intersections.  Testing is always necessary to figure out what works best for your website. A few preferred software for utilizing the ‘Rule of Thirds’ in website designing are – Sketch, InDesign and Photoshop. 

Let’s take examples of a website’s homepage and product pages.  

Homepage 
  • When you apply the ‘Rule of Thirds’ to your website’s homepage or index pages, it is important to prioritize website-wide objectives.  
  • When examining your website, a person naturally gravitates towards certain parts (intersection points mentioned above) according to the ‘Rule of Thirds’.  
  • You can improve the composition of your homepage by understanding where these points lie and adding appealing items at these locations. The top-left intersection of the grid draws attention first, then the one below it, the top-right and bottom-right cross-sections, and then the intersection below it. 
  • Furthermore, using images on your website can also benefit from the ‘Rule of Thirds’. Make smarter scaling and cropping judgements with this rule’s assistance. Analyze where each image’s subject lies and the mood or emotion it evokes. 
Product pages  Your product pages must appeal to the customers if your website sells merchandise. It’s not just the typeface and colour that contribute to the beauty of an image. It is also about how you organize things in the given space. You can use it for the product pictures on your website.  

An ideal product image has the following elements: 

  • Product image 
  • Brand name  
  • Unique headline/tagline 
  • CTA button prompting action 
  • Description content 
  • Background image 
You can use the ‘Rule of Thirds’ to arrange and balance these components in the given space. All the elements should be thoughtfully arranged (with a focus on the intersection points), making it is easy to capture the product’s beauty in a single focal point. 

Wrapping up  

The ‘Rule of Thirds’ in web designing considers the natural path that the naked eye takes to explore a field. Though it works in most cases, it may be violated in some circumstances. Therefore, it is best to determine which design aspects suit your brand’s needs. When in a dilemma, experiment with both proportional and ‘Rule of Thirds’ designs. You can also run A/B tests to ensure which works the bests with your demographics.   
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