Comments on: Placing Sidebars: Do You Lean to the Right or the Left? http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:36:09 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Addicott Web http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/#comment-1658 Addicott Web Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:18:21 +0000 http://www.addicottweb.com/?p=294#comment-1658 Steven – what I was writing about was the placement of sidebar navigation as a secondary navigation. I think I was presuming that there was already a primary navigation in the header at the top of the page, and that the secondary navigation in question was more of a way to interact with users through either more action-oriented links or blog-related navigational links. Steven – what I was writing about was the placement of sidebar navigation as a secondary navigation. I think I was presuming that there was already a primary navigation in the header at the top of the page, and that the secondary navigation in question was more of a way to interact with users through either more action-oriented links or blog-related navigational links.

]]> By: Steven Novick http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/#comment-197 Steven Novick Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:01:43 +0000 http://www.addicottweb.com/?p=294#comment-197 What about options for navigation on the top? What about options for navigation on the top?

]]> By: Bob Pease http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/#comment-151 Bob Pease Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:46:08 +0000 http://www.addicottweb.com/?p=294#comment-151 This is something that has always been in the back of my mind, but never something that I really put much thought into. I basically have two scenarios in deciding whether to use the right or left side. 1. Navigation - if the sidebar is meant to be part of the navigation I tend to use the left side. It makes more sense to me because it has more importance. Since we read from left to right, I like the keep the navigational elements on the left. 2. Extras - things like blogrolls, archives, and rss feeds I like on the right. It feels more natural to have these elements on the right. This is something that has always been in the back of my mind, but never something that I really put much thought into. I basically have two scenarios in deciding whether to use the right or left side.

1. Navigation – if the sidebar is meant to be part of the navigation I tend to use the left side. It makes more sense to me because it has more importance. Since we read from left to right, I like the keep the navigational elements on the left.

2. Extras – things like blogrolls, archives, and rss feeds I like on the right. It feels more natural to have these elements on the right.

]]> By: blogfail http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/#comment-150 blogfail Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:47:21 +0000 http://www.addicottweb.com/?p=294#comment-150 "Blog sidebars go on the right. Period." This statement is fail. Blogs started out with nav on the left. It was only trendy designers that moved it. Stop enforcing BS. “Blog sidebars go on the right. Period.” This statement is fail. Blogs started out with nav on the left. It was only trendy designers that moved it. Stop enforcing BS.

]]> By: Andrew Boyce http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/#comment-149 Andrew Boyce Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:36:23 +0000 http://www.addicottweb.com/?p=294#comment-149 I tend to agree with Chad (above). I started putting side bars on the right to make easier to jump back and forth from scrolling to navigating. However, I believe that it really tends to depend on my target audience. If I'm aiming for a more technical crowd I will usually put it on the right, but for a more broad audience I will but it on the left. It also depends on the design and what will make it feel more balanced. I tend to agree with Chad (above). I started putting side bars on the right to make easier to jump back and forth from scrolling to navigating. However, I believe that it really tends to depend on my target audience. If I’m aiming for a more technical crowd I will usually put it on the right, but for a more broad audience I will but it on the left. It also depends on the design and what will make it feel more balanced.

]]> By: Chad Mueller http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/#comment-148 Chad Mueller Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:59:37 +0000 http://www.addicottweb.com/?p=294#comment-148 A good point to be made about having sidebars on the right is think about where your mouse cursor spends the most time... usually its on the right side of the screen, close to the scroll bar... even if you are reading you tend to have the scroll bar on the right side of the screen.... makes sense also because almost 100% of people use their right hand to direct the mouse.... so by having your sidebar on the right you make it very convenient to navigate A good point to be made about having sidebars on the right is think about where your mouse cursor spends the most time… usually its on the right side of the screen, close to the scroll bar… even if you are reading you tend to have the scroll bar on the right side of the screen…. makes sense also because almost 100% of people use their right hand to direct the mouse….

so by having your sidebar on the right you make it very convenient to navigate

]]> By: Austin http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/#comment-146 Austin Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:24:11 +0000 http://www.addicottweb.com/?p=294#comment-146 "Search engine spiders read through your web pages in the order that the HTML presents your content. So if you put the content on the left, that means that search engines will see your content before your navigation" This is not true. The structure of your HTML and the location in which it is displayed do not have to have anything to do with each other (although they often do). Whether you use a left- or a right-hand navigation, the main content can (and usually should) always be generated first in the HTML. It's as simple as floating elements in opposite directions... “Search engine spiders read through your web pages in the order that the HTML presents your content. So if you put the content on the left, that means that search engines will see your content before your navigation”

This is not true. The structure of your HTML and the location in which it is displayed do not have to have anything to do with each other (although they often do). Whether you use a left- or a right-hand navigation, the main content can (and usually should) always be generated first in the HTML. It’s as simple as floating elements in opposite directions…

]]> By: Justin http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/#comment-144 Justin Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:07:20 +0000 http://www.addicottweb.com/?p=294#comment-144 For me it usually depends on the context of the content being presented in the sidebar. For instance, if the content is some form of navigation -- usually section sub-navigation on a standard, non-blog website -- I'll place the sidebar on the left. I've run tests in the past that suggest users are generally more apt to recognize the sub-navigation connection to the section header/title that way. It also suggests that the content in the subnav/sidebar is essential to the section since it comes before the content. If the sidebar content is supportive of the page's main content, but does not denote in-section navigation, I usually will place it to the right to signify that the information is helpful but not essential. Justin For me it usually depends on the context of the content being presented in the sidebar. For instance, if the content is some form of navigation — usually section sub-navigation on a standard, non-blog website — I’ll place the sidebar on the left. I’ve run tests in the past that suggest users are generally more apt to recognize the sub-navigation connection to the section header/title that way. It also suggests that the content in the subnav/sidebar is essential to the section since it comes before the content. If the sidebar content is supportive of the page’s main content, but does not denote in-section navigation, I usually will place it to the right to signify that the information is helpful but not essential.

Justin

]]> By: Nick | Resource Pile http://www.addicottweb.com/2008/11/sidebar-placement-do-you-lean-to-the-right-or-the-left/#comment-142 Nick | Resource Pile Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:59:31 +0000 http://www.addicottweb.com/?p=294#comment-142 I normally go for the right, especially for a content focussed site such as a blog, because then the first thing the reader 'reads' will be the main content. However, I can see situations where a left hand sidebar could suit better. Of course, having both is always an option. I normally go for the right, especially for a content focussed site such as a blog, because then the first thing the reader ‘reads’ will be the main content. However, I can see situations where a left hand sidebar could suit better. Of course, having both is always an option.

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