Why Your Website Needs a Fixed Header (With a Great CTA)
Is your website making the right first impression?
When consumers visit your website for the first time, they are immediately forming an opinion about you. And in the eyes of consumers, how easy it is to navigate your website makes a powerful statement about who you are as a brand.
In fact, 38 percent of those who visit a website for the first time take a close look at the layout and the navigation bar. If the layout is challenging or the navigation menu is difficult to spot, these 38 percent of consumers may leave for easier-to-navigate pastures.
A fixed header with a compelling CTA is an important tool to make navigation easy and help consumers know what steps to take next. Here’s what you should know.
Site Navigability Is Everything
Just how important is it that visitors be able to navigate your website with ease? Apparently, it’s everything.
In fact, 94 percent of survey respondents shared that “easy navigation” is one of the most important features for them in their overall website experience. According to Small Biz Trends, having a site that’s easy to navigate makes it simpler for visitors to find what they are looking for; it relaxes them.
So what constitutes a website that is clear and simple to navigate? A clear menu structure is important, as is being able to efficiently navigate between pages quickly.
Poor navigation can have just as much influence on your site as really great navigation—only not how you might intend. One study found that 37 percent of users claimed that poor navigation or confusing design would cause them to leave the site. What’s more, 30 percent of respondents find poor navigation and design frustrating. It’s disorienting.
Why Sticky Headers Matter
Why should your site have a “sticky” or fixed header? This kind of header works best for a few types of sites and organizations:
Retail sites
eCommerce sites
Any “actionable” sites that are designed to inspire visitors to take action
Fixed headers and sticky menus improve the customer experience and ensure that visitors always feel that they have their bearings.
One site in particular reported that implementing a sticky navigation bar inspired visitors to scroll further and longer and focus more on individual products on the page. What else did they discover? A reduced bounce rate and a 10 percent spike in their conversion rate. A navigation bar can be the perfect place to include a call to action (CTA) to inspire your site visitors to take action.
Think Outside the Navigation Bar
But a fixed header doesn’t necessarily always have to be a navigation bar. A fixed or persistent header can also just be a CTA. This way if visitors are reading an article on your site, browsing various sales options, or discovering a particular page, they can’t miss your CTA.
When you reach the bottom of a webpage, do you scroll back to the top of the page, as most people do? If your CTA only lives at the bottom of your page. Your reader could miss it entirely and not know what steps to take next. A persistent or fixed header is visible no matter where visitors are on the page—and you don’t have to wait until they reach the bottom of the page to make a conversion.
What Should Go In a Fixed or Persistent CTA Header?
Marketing expert Neil Patel suggests that a persistent header should be captivating, stating that a fixed header should “start by giving a compelling statement or headline” to capture your reader’s attention.
Next, you want to let your site visitors know what they can expect when they click on the CTA button; what will they get if they take action? Will they get some kind of lead magnet like a downloadable guide, eBook, or checklist? Will they be able to subscribe to a newsletter?
Once you have made clear what your CTA is, you’ll want to draw the eye to the CTA button itself; to ensure that it stands out. Patel recommends personalizing the button to better connect with visitors, suggesting verbiage like, “Sign me up,” or “Give me the e-Book.”
You’ll also want to consider the size and scale of your persistent CTA header. You want it to be large enough to grab the attention of your site visitors, but not so large that it gets in the way or is frustrating to readers. You should also think about what triggers your fixed header: Does it pop up as soon as the page loads? When visitors start scrolling? All of these elements can come together to create a truly compelling fixed CTA header that drives conversions.
Get Support From the Professionals
Ensuring your website is efficient for visitors earns their trust; it sets in mind that working with you will be a similarly efficient process. Issues and annoyances in navigation can quickly turn visitors to a competitor who has a website that’s easier to navigate.
When you fix your site’s header in place so that menu items are always accessible, you’re requiring less work from your site visitors. What’s more, when your header is fixed in place, you can always have an accessible call to action to direct visitors to the next stage in the sales funnel.
At JAW Dropping Designs, we understand that the easier it is for site visitors to become customers, the more likely it is that they will choose you over a competitor. We’re all about turning your site into a nonstop conversion machine that inspires visitors to get to know you better, make a purchase, subscribe, or take the next step. And we know that a fixed header with a great CTA can make all the difference.
We’re ready to help you transform your website and engage with customers in fresh, exciting ways. To learn more about how we can make that happen, schedule a FREE website consultation today!
