Sticky menus are navigation elements that remain visible as the user scrolls down a page. They remain “stuck” to the top of the page as the user scrolls. They can transform the user experience, but to maximize their effectiveness, they must be done well.
The advantages of the sticky menu
- It improves navigation and allows users to navigate without having to scroll back to the top of the page. This is especially useful on sites that have a lot of content or long pages. By keeping the navigation menu within reach, users can quickly access other sections of the site, reducing friction and improving the overall experience. This is important for reducing bounce rates and improve engagement users: They are more likely to explore the site further and move from section to section without interruption, which encourages deeper exploration of the content.
- It allows toincrease conversions : on e-commerce sites, it allows users to access the shopping cart at any time, and thus increase the chances of selling. Whether on showcase or e-commerce sites, keeping call-to-action elements permanently visible encourages users to take actions such as requesting a quote, purchasing on the site or contacting your company, which can directly influence the site's commercial results.
The disadvantages of the sticky menu
- It can take up valuable screen space and obstruct the content, by reducing the visible area for the user. This can be problematic on small screens where every pixel counts! Users may also find this frustrating, as they have to scroll further to see the entire content. So be careful about the height of the menu and don't make it too thick.
- Sticky menus can sometimes cause performance issues, especially by slowing down the page loading time if the menu is complex or contains heavy graphic elements.
- They can cause accessibility issues by hiding keyboard-accessible content. By not seeing the focus on hidden elements, users navigating with the keyboard could be frustrated. They can also hinder navigation when a user zooms in on the page… So you need to make sure that keyboard-accessible elements remain visible. To do this, you can use the CSS 'scroll-padding' technique to adjust page anchors.
When to use them?
Sticky menus are particularly effective in the following contexts:
- E-commerce sites: to keep product categories or even the shopping cart visible
- Sites with long pages: to facilitate navigation when the content requires long scrolling
- Showcase sites with a conversion goal (request for quote, contact)
Cognitive benefits
Sticky menus can also take advantage of certain cognitive biases to improve the user experience.
- Recency bias: People are more likely to remember the last elements they were exposed to. By keeping navigation elements visible, users are more likely to remember navigation options (since they will have them in front of them), which makes it easier to make quick decisions and reduces the time spent searching for information or features.
- Attention bias: This refers to the way in which certain information is processed differently by the brain depending on an individual's concerns. By remaining fixed and visible, the sticky menu continually captures users' attention. This can direct their behavior towards desired actions such as subscribing to a newsletter, purchasing a product or requesting a quote.
In summary, sticky menus are a powerful tool to enrich the user experience on sites with a lot of content or e-commerce. By keeping navigation elements always visible, they facilitate navigation and increase conversions by making key actions constantly accessible.
Of course, it’s important to design them well to avoid hiding content or slowing down the site. By using sticky menus thoughtfully, you can significantly improve user engagement and overall satisfaction, while maximizing your site’s performance.
