Website Design – The Layout

Layout, template, format, structure… call it what you want, this is an important step in the Web Planning Phase. Website layout should be reviewed and assessed BEFORE moving to the Design phase. See All Website Phases.

The following elements should be considered when you plan your site’s creation or redesign:

Left versus Right Sidebar

Traditionally, the LEFT sidebar is viewed as part of a navigation element. For sites that we want to show on-page sub-navigation, we tend to use a left sidebar. On the other hand (er, side), RIGHT sidebars are viewed as a place to add further information, the next steps, call-to-actions, ads or additional communication. And this is only a start…

Taking into consideration the expert studies conducted on F-zone hot spots, click-through rates (CTRs), cultures that read left to right and the diversity of other features, tools and miscellaneous distracting elements that we tend to drop into banners or content areas, we feel compelled to showcase your site’s most important elements on the left. In many instances, this would be content. Other times, we may want visitors to click on affiliate ads, specials, coupons, contact options or to reinforce key messages.

Dominant Reading Pattern of Web Pages

The F-patterns below were created by heatmaps created from user eyetracking studies. Red, yellow and blue areas are indications of users’ eye fixation on web pages. The areas where viewers looked longest appear red; less viewed areas are yellow and least viewed areas are blue. Gray areas did not draw fixations during the page view period.

WEB DESIGN TIP

A safe assumption is that viewers are lazy, so if delivering key navigation on the left helps, go for it.

We recommend basing your final decision on your marketing strategy and what your targeted viewers want and expect. Leaving this option to a designer is kind of silly (in our viewpoint). Web designers worth their weight in gold can enhance any architectural layout and sitemap with poignant relevance, clarity, credibility and balance.

When perplexed or out-voted, use A/B testing. There’s nothing stronger than having documented proof of what works best. It may take a few months to collect sufficient data, but it beats guessing. And it never hurts to ask your customers (viewers) for direct feedback either…