Creating an SEO-Friendly Slider in Webflow using Swiper.js: Step-by-Step Guide

Published on
December 2, 2022

How to Create a Slider in Webflow using Swiper.js

Webflow is a powerful tool that allows you to create responsive websites with ease. In this tutorial, we will learn how to create a slider in Webflow with the help of swiper.js. This slider will have multiple controls, including clicking on the thumbs, dragging to move, and controllable scrolling. We will go through the process step by step, covering the necessary HTML structure, styling, and JavaScript integration within the Webflow platform.

Setting Up the Slider Structure in Webflow

  1. Creating the Parent Component: The first step is to create a parent component in Webflow, which will hold all the sliders. This can be achieved by adding a <div> element with the class of slider-gallery-component. Set the width of this element to 100% and apply Flexbox to its children.
<div class="slider-gallery-component">  <!-- Sliders will go here --></div>
  1. Adding the Background Image Slider: Within the parent component, create a new div for the background image slider. Set this div to have a class of slider-bg-component and position it absolutely within its parent.
<div class="slider-gallery-component">  <div class="slider-bg-component">    <!-- Background image slider content will go here -->  </div>  <!-- Other sliders will go here --></div>
  1. Incorporating the Title Slider: Similarly, add another div for the title slider within the parent component and give it a class of slider-titles-component.
<div class="slider-gallery-component">  <div class="slider-bg-component">    <!-- Background image slider content will go here -->  </div>  <div class="slider-titles-component">    <!-- Title slider content will go here -->  </div>  <!-- Other sliders will go here --></div>
  1. Integrating the Thumb Slider: Lastly, include a div for the thumb slider within the parent component and assign it a class of slider-thumbs-component.
<div class="slider-gallery-component">  <div class="slider-bg-component">    <!-- Background image slider content will go here -->  </div>  <div class="slider-titles-component">    <!-- Title slider content will go here -->  </div>  <div class="slider-thumbs-component">    <!-- Thumb slider content will go here -->  </div></div>

Styling the Slider Components

Background Image Slider

  1. Collection List for Image Slides: Inside the slider-bg-component, create a collection list and apply the classes swiper, swiper-wrapper, and swiper-slide to it. These classes are base styles for slider functionality.
<div class="slider-bg-component">  <div class="swiper swiper-wrapper">    <!-- Image slides will go here -->  </div></div>

Title Slider

  1. Collection List for Title Slides: Similarly, set up a collection list inside the slider-titles-component with the classes swiper, swiper-wrapper, and swiper-slide.
<div class="slider-titles-component">  <div class="swiper swiper-wrapper">    <!-- Title slides will go here -->  </div></div>

Thumb Slider

  1. Collection List for Thumbnail Slides: Inside the slider-thumbs-component, create a collection list with the classes swiper, swiper-wrapper, and swiper-slide.
<div class="slider-thumbs-component">  <div class="swiper swiper-wrapper">    <!-- Thumbnail slides will go here -->  </div></div>
  1. Applying Additional Styling: Apply appropriate styles to the image, title, and thumbnail slides using combo classes based on their respective parent components. Ensure that the dimensions and positioning are set for smooth transitions and interactions within the sliders.

Integrating Swiper.js Functionality

  1. Initializing Swiper for Each Slider: To enable swiper functionality, we need to integrate the swiper.js library and set up the sliders in Webflow using custom code.

  2. Configuring Background Image Slider: For the background image slider, use the following settings and initialization code within the custom code component in Webflow:

$('.slider-bg-component').each(function() {  var bgSwiper = new Swiper(this, {    slidesPerView: 1,    speed: 900,    allowTouchMove: false,    // Other necessary configurations  });});
  1. Setting Up Control for the Title Slider: For the title slider, implement the swiper settings and initialization code as follows:
$('.slider-titles-component').each(function() {  var titlesSwiper = new Swiper(this, {    slidesPerView: 'auto',    speed: 600,    loop: true,    slideToClickedSlide: true,    // Additional settings  });});
  1. Linking the Sliders: Establish the linkage between the title slider and the thumbnail slider for synchronized movement:
$('.slider-titles-component').each(function() {  var titlesSwiper = new Swiper(this, {    // Other settings    controller: {      control: thumbsSwiper,    },  });});
  1. Enabling Responsive Behavior: Make sure to add responsiveness to the sliders by adjusting the number of slides per view and other settings for different device breakpoints.

  2. Implementing Slide Change Event: Utilize the swiper API to execute custom code whenever the slide changes. This can be achieved by capturing the slide change event and updating the corresponding slide numbers and active classes.

By following the aforementioned steps, you can successfully create a slider with multiple controls in Webflow using swiper.js. The integration of swiper functionality and customization via custom code will provide a seamless and interactive user experience for your website visitors. Experiment with different settings and styles to achieve the desired look and behavior for your sliders.