Design Elements

The Design Elements employed on websites often perform multiple tasks. They can contribute to the visual apeal of the site, deliver a message and often contribute to the usability of the site for the browser.  Elements such as "Latest News" or "Quick Links" (such as those used in the right hand bar on this site) assist browsers in finding information quickly and also encourage the browser to look a little further or read more than what they would have if something catches the eye.

Animations (Flash or GIF) used judiciously can assist by telling a story that would often not be quite as effective without the animation.  Again a number of the the animations used on this site are a good case in point. 

Another trick is to use "randomised" images or elements.  This basically means using a set of images or animations that apear randomly as the browser moves through the site.  This results in each movement through the site looking slightly different and as a result the site appears more interesting and "fresh" with minimal effort from the site administrator.