Better !? Left or Right Navigation

Discussion in 'HTML & Website Design' started by iatbm, Apr 19, 2006.

  1. #1
    Well most websites have left side navigation, but that doesnt mean it is better?

    By some studies people look at the website in F line so that means it is better to make navigation right and ads left ;)
     
    iatbm, Apr 19, 2006 IP
  2. Farkas

    Farkas Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    389
    Likes Received:
    14
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    140
    #2
    I mostly use the left side but on the right side shouldn't be any problem.
    Right side works good if you put adsense on the left. :)
     
    Farkas, Apr 19, 2006 IP
  3. marty

    marty Peon

    Messages:
    154
    Likes Received:
    7
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #3
    A few years ago I set up a page with right hand navigation and the usability dude that worked with me told me that left hand nav is better than right hand nav.

    His reasoning was that if someone has a browser that doesn't display all of the content the right hand navigation may not be displayed and it may not be obvious that the right hand nav exists at all.

    He showed me a couple of examples and I think he was right.
     
    marty, Apr 19, 2006 IP
  4. Farkas

    Farkas Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    389
    Likes Received:
    14
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    140
    #4
    Good point :)
     
    Farkas, Apr 19, 2006 IP
  5. MKInfo

    MKInfo DP Guard Dog

    Messages:
    1,481
    Likes Received:
    97
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    140
    #5
    After a lot of testing on one of my sites I found that the nav on the right with 120x600 Text ads underneath works the best.But that is only me.:)
     
    MKInfo, Apr 19, 2006 IP
  6. Crazy_Rob

    Crazy_Rob I seen't it!

    Messages:
    13,157
    Likes Received:
    1,366
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    360
    #6
    Left is definitely better. (at least for English language sites)
     
    Crazy_Rob, Apr 19, 2006 IP
    mcfox likes this.
  7. mcfox

    mcfox Wind Maker

    Messages:
    7,526
    Likes Received:
    716
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    360
    #7
    Also for consideration on left / right navigation should be your target audience.

    That may seem like stating the obvious but if your target audience usually reads from right to left, as is common in many cultures, I personally believe the navigation may be better served on the right, the equivalent of the beginning of the text.

    Left to right, the traditional western way of reading text, is imo, better served by the navigation being on the left, corresponding to the beginning of the text.
     
    mcfox, Apr 19, 2006 IP
  8. marty

    marty Peon

    Messages:
    154
    Likes Received:
    7
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #8
    I'm just curious if there are any browsers that overflows with a scroll to the left instead of the right?
     
    marty, Apr 19, 2006 IP
  9. FeelLikeANut

    FeelLikeANut Peon

    Messages:
    330
    Likes Received:
    19
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #9
    http://jodi.tamu.edu/Articles/v04/i01/Kalbach/
    Web Page Layout: A Comparison Between Left- and Right-justified Site Navigation Menus

     
    FeelLikeANut, Apr 19, 2006 IP
    mcfox likes this.
  10. Ticcaso

    Ticcaso Peon

    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #10
    left is better cuz' thats where everyone looks first but i have some sites where i put menu on left and right side havein' 2 many buttons xD
     
    Ticcaso, Apr 21, 2006 IP
  11. jsjb10

    jsjb10 Peon

    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #11
    i would say left, people read from left to right so its logically the first place they would look :)
     
    jsjb10, Apr 22, 2006 IP
  12. Smyrl

    Smyrl Tomato Republic Staff

    Messages:
    13,740
    Likes Received:
    1,702
    Best Answers:
    78
    Trophy Points:
    510
    #12
    To me seeing ads on left is just a red flag waving saying made for Adsense.
     
    Smyrl, Apr 22, 2006 IP
  13. iatbm

    iatbm Prominent Member

    Messages:
    5,151
    Likes Received:
    352
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    360
    #13
    Well it is other way for me ... when i see ads in page center ... now that is red flag for made for adsense ... not that i am saying I didnt do that ;)
     
    iatbm, Apr 22, 2006 IP
  14. fusionmanx

    fusionmanx Peon

    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    0
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #14
    i have read studies where they show the most popular sides and top left is where the eye usually goes first on the web page, bottom right is that last.
     
    fusionmanx, Apr 23, 2006 IP
  15. FeelLikeANut

    FeelLikeANut Peon

    Messages:
    330
    Likes Received:
    19
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #15
    Indeed. The study I posted corroborates this fact. That does not, however, make a left-aligned menu superior. If the menu is on the right and the user's eye first goes to the left, then the user will first see the page's content.

     
    FeelLikeANut, Apr 24, 2006 IP
  16. Daniel Malone

    Daniel Malone Peon

    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    3
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #16
    I think that the left side is better, with the 120x600 adsense text ad right below it.

    But usually, the navigation is on the left hand side of the web page, so people are used to looking there for the site navigation. It just makes sense.

    Or, you could put it on the top as well.
     
    Daniel Malone, Apr 24, 2006 IP
  17. ramakrishna p

    ramakrishna p Notable Member

    Messages:
    1,798
    Likes Received:
    361
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    240
    #17
    When it comes to reading and watching, starting from left to right is custom. It is always better to have important links on left. I like keeping menu on left only.
     
    ramakrishna p, Apr 24, 2006 IP
  18. Ticcaso

    Ticcaso Peon

    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #18
    how'z 'bout havein' no buttons at all? :D
     
    Ticcaso, Apr 24, 2006 IP
  19. demonsnakeyes

    demonsnakeyes Guest

    Messages:
    199
    Likes Received:
    1
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    #19
    no doubt about it! left nav is the easiest to navigate! why would you change it if ease up search for the links... i really have a hard time looking all over the page for the link i want to click... it really eats up a lot of time so i hope the left nav will be standardized...
     
    demonsnakeyes, Apr 25, 2006 IP
  20. iatbm

    iatbm Prominent Member

    Messages:
    5,151
    Likes Received:
    352
    Best Answers:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    360
    #20
    Ticcaso i like your idea ;) Just have to think how to implement it
     
    iatbm, Apr 25, 2006 IP