How can you create animations in InDesign for web publications?

1 Choose your format

The first step is to choose the format of your web publication. InDesign supports two formats for web publishing: Fixed Layout EPUB and Publish Online. Fixed Layout EPUB is a standard format for eBooks that preserves the layout and design of your pages. Publish Online is a proprietary format that allows you to upload your document to Adobe's servers and share it online with a URL. Both formats support animations, but Publish Online has some advantages, such as more interactivity options, better compatibility with browsers, and automatic updates.

2 Set up your document

The next step is to set up your document for web publishing. You can create a new document or convert an existing one. To create a new document, go to File > New > Document and choose Web from the Intent menu. To convert an existing document, go to File > Document Setup and choose Web from the Intent menu. Then, adjust the page size, orientation, margins, and columns to suit your design. You can also use the Page Tool to customize each page individually.

3 Add your content

The third step is to add your content to your document. You can use the Text Tool, the Frame Tool, the Place command, and the Paste command to add text, images, graphics, and other elements to your pages. You can also use the Object Styles panel, the Paragraph Styles panel, and the Character Styles panel to apply consistent formatting and effects to your content. You can also use the Layers panel to organize your content into different layers.

4 Create your animations

The fourth step is to create your animations for your content. You can use the Animation panel, the Timing panel, and the Media panel to add and control animations in InDesign. The Animation panel allows you to choose from a variety of preset animations, such as fade in, fly in, spin, and zoom. You can also customize the duration, speed, direction, and trigger of your animations. The Timing panel allows you to set the order and timing of your animations. You can also group your animations into sequences and loops. The Media panel allows you to preview and test your animations.

5 Add interactivity

The fifth step is to add interactivity to your web publication. Interactivity can enhance the user experience and engagement of your web publication. You can use the Buttons and Forms panel, the Hyperlinks panel, and the Object States panel to add interactivity in InDesign. The Buttons and Forms panel allows you to create buttons, text fields, check boxes, radio buttons, and other interactive elements. You can also assign actions to your buttons, such as go to page, play animation, or show/hide content. The Hyperlinks panel allows you to create hyperlinks to other pages, documents, or websites. You can also create cross-references and bookmarks. The Object States panel allows you to create multi-state objects, such as slideshows, galleries, and tabs. You can also add animations and interactivity to each state of your multi-state objects.

6 Export and publish

The final step is to export and publish your web publication. You can export your document as a Fixed Layout EPUB or publish it online with Publish Online. To export your document as a Fixed Layout EPUB, go to File > Export and choose Fixed Layout EPUB from the Format menu. Then, choose your settings and options in the Export Fixed Layout EPUB dialog box. To publish your document online with Publish Online, go to File > Publish Online and choose your settings and options in the Publish Online dialog box. Then, click Publish. You will get a URL that you can share with your audience.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?