The Truth
Carousels have low engagement. Users rarely interact past the first slide. Consider alternatives first.
If You Must Use One
- Max 5 slides
- Show navigation (dots or arrows)
- Pause on hover/focus
- Swipe on mobile
- Auto-play: slow (5-7 second intervals) with pause control
- First slide carries the most important content
- Visible indicators of total slide count
Alternatives
- Static hero with the strongest message
- Stacked sections (each "slide" is a scroll section)
- Tabs for different content categories
- Grid for multiple items