Best Website Layout Ideas
What can enhance your web design and user experience better than having the best website layout. Using the right web layout will benefit your brand and the visitors greatly. Let’s find out what website layouts is, why it is important, and what are the best website layout ideas.
Check out how Viva One Digital implements website layout ideas in our templates.
Here are what you should know about website layouts :
What is Website Layout?
What is website layouts? Website layout is the pattern of how contents, images, and other elements are arranged on the page. Website Layouts you use will tell the users what your brand values. There are more simple and more fun layouts which will give the users some hint about brand characteristic.
Website layouts has an important role in deliver the informations and get user’s attention. It also plays an important role in web navigation. Good website layouts will guide the users to what they are finding.
The Importance of Website Layouts
Working on website layout will not be a wasteful effort. Here are the reasons why.
Website layouts is the first thing the visitors will see. It set the first impression for your brand in a few seconds. Those seconds will determine whether the visitors will leave or stay on your website. You need the layouts that will keep the visitors rolling and exploring your website longer.
Good website layouts build a reliable image for your brand. It will show that your brand is professional and tend to provide good products and services. When the customers trust in your brand, it will be increase more chance of them buying your products and choosing your services.
Website layouts help with website navigation. An easy-to-follow layout help your brand a lot. Web navigation play an important role in customer’s decision making. If you put yourself in the site’s visitors shoes, you will expect the website to be easy to explore. You will want all the important information to be easy to find. Because if the websites are messy, you couldn’t find what you look for easily, you will most likely do not want to stay in the website nor choosing their products or services. The good layouts that navigate the customers well will put them at ease and encourage them to choose your brand.
The Best Website Layout Ideas
Now that you know about website layouts and their importance, let’s take a look at some of the best website layout ideas.
Single Column Layout
Single Column Layout is the most simple and familiarized layout. Everything is all in one page. It is great for blogs because it is easy to read. It creates great reading experiences for the visitors since it is not jumping from one column to another. Plus, This layout work well in any screen devices.
However, when using this layout, you have to pay attention to the order of contents. You must arrange carefully what information to present first and next in order to not confuse the site’s visitors.
Split Screen Layout
Split Screen Layout is the layout in which the screen are divided in two parts. It suitable for brands that have two different themes of products and services such as women’s and men’s apparel or user’s and admin’s service.
This layout is not compatible with too much content. Since it will look too heavy and not attractive.
Asymmetrical Layout
Asymmetrical layout give the visitor the fun, unexpected, and interesting experience for the visitors. It is good for catching reader’s attention and to draw their attention to what you want to present and want them to look at. It is best for landing page, not for the heavy content page.
When using this layout, you could enhance it by focus more on the color of you page. Good color palettes will attract visitors more.
A Grid of Cards Layout
A grid of card layout is great for clickable content. It is best website layout with the site that have lots of content to display in one page in the same level. You can use images as a card for the visitors to click on them. You can see this layout namely on YouTube and Pinterest
Even though this layout work well on both desktop and mobile screen, there are things to consider. When using this layout, you should be careful with the scale of the images you use, or it would cause bad user experience if it all swamp up. And don’t forget to give some spaces between each card.
Fixed Sidebar Layout
Fixed Sidebar Layout has the main menu list vertically on either left or right side of the webpage. It is the best website layout for navigating the user. This layout make it super easy for the visitors to explore your website since they can find and change pages anytime.
Still, this layout work best for websites with a few main menu options. Websites with many main menu options might not be the ideal fit for this layout.
Featured Image Layout
Featured Image Layout is the layout which use a big picture to present the products with content. It is perfect for showcasing only one product or service at a time. It draws visitor’s attention to the product itself only. We can see this on Apple or Samsung Website where they introduce their new products.
When using this layout, make sure that the image you use and your content are relevent. And please use good and high quality image or graphic to present your product better. Another tip is to put some effort in typography, select the best fonts to enhance your products and brand image.
F-Shape Layout
The F-shape layout follows the nature of how people read. We read from top left and move our eyes horizontally to the right, then we start again at the lower left then move to right. This layout is good for the website that have a lot of content to display and for the users to scan and choose any options. We can see this layout on search results and news pages.
The visual cues could be added to help the users find the options they are looking for and to make the pages look more attractive and not full of texts.
Z-Shape Layout
The Z-shape layout is similar to the F-shape layout since the both follow the nature of people. The Z-shape layout is imitate how people scanning things. Our eyes goes from top left to top right, then go down to bottom left and bottom right which forms a Z-shape. It is best for websites with only one goal and less content. It guides user’s attention with visuals and texts. Plus, If we put Z-shape layout together continuously, it will form a Zig-Zag layout.
Conclusion
You can see that there are many website layouts to choose. When designing a websites, you should pick the one that suit your contents and products the most. Because when you use the best website layout for your webpage, your contents and products will shine bright and sure to get visitor’s attention. Keep in mind that contents are the most valuable factor. And don’t forget to consider others factor like pictures, colors, and typography too.