Should I Use Accordions in My Page Design?

Whether you should use accordions on your webpage depends on your content and user needs. Accordions can be beneficial for saving space and improving readability by hiding less frequently accessed content. Examples include FAQs, help or support sections, course specs, or forms with multiple sections. However, accordions can also make it harder for users to find information if not used appropriately.

Consider using accordions when:

  • You have a lot of content on a page.
    • Accordions help reduce scrolling and make the page appear less cluttered by hiding less important information under expandable sections.
  • Users don't need to access all content.
    • If users are likely to only be interested in a few specific sections, accordions allow them to focus on what's relevant.
  • You have a content-heavy page on a small screen.
    • Accordions are particularly useful on mobile devices where screen real estate is limited.
  • You have a series of FAQs or related topics.
    • FAQs are a classic use case for accordions, allowing users to easily find answers to specific questions.

Avoid using accordions when:

  • Users need to access most or all of the content.
    • If users need to see all the content, using accordions can add unnecessary clicks and make the information harder to find.
  • The content is complex and interconnected.
    • Complex content with multiple levels of hierarchy might be better displayed without accordions.
  • The content is not easily chunked into sections.
    • If the information doesn't lend itself to clear headings, accordions might not be the best choice.
  • Users prioritize a smooth, uninterrupted reading flow.
    • Accordions can disrupt the flow of reading if users need to constantly expand and collapse sections.
  • You have a small amount of content on the page.
    • If there's not much content to begin with, accordions might not be necessary and could even make the page less user-friendly.

In short, consider the user experience when deciding whether to use accordions. If they are used appropriately, they can enhance usability, but overuse can have the opposite effect. Ensure all core messaging, calls-to-action, and other critical information is visible be default. Some search engine testing has revealed that hidden content might not be weighted as much as visible content.