Types of Website Menu Design: Examples and Expert Tips
Ever landed on a website where you couldn't tell what they were selling, where the menu was, or even what to click next?
You know the type—those “vibe” websites with stunning visuals but zero direction.
While sleek, minimalist design is trendy (and definitely has its place), a website without clear, functional navigation is like a map without street names. To ensure your website is intuitive, clear and on-brand, you will need expert web design services.
In this article, we’ll explore all types of website menu design, from classic horizontal bars to clever hamburger menus. You’ll see real-world examples, learn what works (and what doesn’t), and pick up expert tips to keep your visitors happy—and on your site.
1. What is a Navigation Bar?
A navigation bar/menu is the guiding map of your website. It leads visitors to all the most important website pages. It’s the structured list of links—usually at the top, side, or bottom of a page. The links lead to essential sections such as "Home," "About," "Services," and "Contact." Essentially, it keeps your website organised and user-friendly.
It’s the trusty compass that keeps your audience on course, ensuring they don’t get lost in the labyrinth of your content.
Still, not all navigation bars are created equal. Choosing the right type depends on your website's needs and your users' browsing habits.
Types of Navigation Bars:
Horizontal Bar: The Classic Choice
A horizontal navigation bar runs along the top of the page, displaying your site’s main sections in a neat row. It’s straightforward, keeping your site organised and easy to navigate—ideal for websites with a handful of primary pages.
Vertical Sidebar: The Deep Dive Expert
When your site is packed with content, a vertical sidebar menu is your best friend. It runs down the side of the screen, offering a scrollable list of links. It’s perfect for media outlets, blogs, or e-commerce sites where deeper exploration is encouraged.
Dropdown and Mega Menus: The Space Savers
Dropdown menus offer more options without taking up more space—hover over a category, and a list of links appears. If a dropdown is a pop-up book, a mega menu is a full-on library, showing a large panel of links, images, and organised categories—great for e-commerce and large platforms.
Hamburger Menus: The Mobile Mastermind
A hamburger menu (those three little lines) hides the navigation links until clicked. It’s perfect for mobile sites, keeping the interface clean and ensuring more screen space for content.
Footer Menus: The Underestimated Workhorse
A footer menu sits at the bottom of the page, holding links to less glamorous but essential sections like "Privacy Policy," "Terms & Conditions," and "Careers." It’s the last chance to guide users before they leave your site—and a smart way to boost SEO with internal links.
2. Inspiring Navigation Bar Designs
Analyse standout navigation menus from real websites, including:
Horizontal Bar: Athlone Castle’s Clean and Clear Navigation
This is the bread-and-butter choice for website navigation—and for good reason.
Athlone Castle horizontal menu
It’s a style most people expect to see on any website: a simple row of links at the top of the page. And Athlone Castle showcases this classic approach with style. The site uses a horizontal navigation bar that sits comfortably atop the hero image, keeping the focus on the lush, inviting visuals below.
The menu offers clear, concise labels for the site’s main sections—Home, Visit, Explore, and Contact—while an innovative “Book Now” button draws attention without being pushy.
The crisp horizontal navigation bar uses clear, concise labels and an easy-to-spot search icon.
Vertical Sidebar: Anton’s and Damian’s Clutter-Free Solution
When your website has a lot to say, a vertical sidebar is your best friend. Both Anton’s and Damian’s websites use this approach to showcase a wide range of categories while keeping the design clean and easy to navigate.
Anton’s vertical sidebar menu
The sidebar menu on Anton’s website hugs the left side of the screen, presenting a structured list of links that scroll naturally with the page.
This approach keeps navigation options visible without overwhelming visitors with too many choices at once. Users get to explore freely while keeping key links just a glance away.
Damian flips the script by placing the sidebar on the right.
Damian’s right-aligned vertical menu
Damian flips the script by placing the sidebar on the right. Leaving the left side open, the site maintains a strong visual impact while offering a robust menu.
This isn’t just a quirky design choice—it’s a strategic move that keeps the restaurant name prominently on the left, where our eyes naturally start when reading!
By holding the right side for the navigation menu, Damian ensures that visitors see the brand name first, creating a lasting impression before diving into the menu options.
Dropdown Menu: Big Gay Ice Cream’s Playful Branding
Dropdown menus are similar to jewellery boxes—they look simple at first glance, but click open the lid, and voilà! You discover a neatly organised collection of hidden compartments.
Typically found within a horizontal navigation bar, dropdown menus require a click to reveal submenus, offering a clean and controlled browsing experience.
See the example below, wrapped in the brand’s unmistakably bold and cheerful aesthetic.
Big Gay Ice Cream dropdown menu
Big Gay Ice Cream nails this design choice with a dropdown menu that feels as fun as it is functional. Each section from the main, horizontal menu opens up to reveal more options, without cluttering the initial view.
The bright yellow accents tie everything together—from the clickable dropdown links to the “Contact Us” button and the quirky ice-cream-cone logo.
And those background patterns? They’re more than just decoration—they enhance the playful vibe, making every click feel like unwrapping a colourful, candy-coated surprise.
Mega Menu: AquaVentures’ Organised Approach
At first glance, mega menus might seem like the overachieving sibling of dropdown menus—and in a way, they are.
While dropdown menus reveal a modest list of options when clicked, mega menus expand like a well-organised wardrobe, showing not only neatly folded shirts (links) but also coordinated accessories (images, snippets, and calls to action).
AquaVentures uses this style brilliantly.
AquaVentures’ Mega Menu
Their mega menu offers a spacious panel filled with organised links and integrated images, blending navigation with a sneak peek into the site's offerings. It’s an ideal choice for content-rich websites where a simple dropdown might not cut it.
But why choose a mega menu over a standard dropdown?
Pros of Mega Menus:
- More Space: They provide more room for categories, subcategories, and visuals, which is perfect for e-commerce sites or platforms with a wide array of services.
- Visual Appeal: The ability to include images or promotional content makes them more engaging.
- Organised Structure: With a good layout, they prevent the chaos of overstuffed dropdowns.
Cons of Mega Menus:
- Risk of Clutter: Without a clear structure, they can overwhelm users.
- Not Always Mobile-Friendly: They require careful adaptation for smaller screens.
AquaVentures strikes the perfect balance by keeping their mega menu clean and intuitive. The spacious design ensures that even with a lot of content, visitors can find what they need without feeling lost at sea—pun intended!
Hamburger Menu: Rathcroghan’s Minimalist, Mobile-Friendly Masterpiece
The hamburger menu—those three simple horizontal lines—is perhaps the most polarising of all navigation styles. It’s a favourite for mobile devices, where screen space is limited and minimalism is key.
By tucking away the main navigation until needed, it allows websites to shine without overcrowding the screen.
If you are unsure what we mean, please see the example below.
The hamburger menu on the Rathcroghan website
At first glance, Rathcroghan’s homepage is all about the experience. The lush green hero image invites visitors into Ireland’s ancient past, with nothing distracting from the view—not even a menu.
But look closer, and you’ll spot the subtle hamburger icon on the right side of the screen, perfectly balanced against the logo on the left. When clicked, the hamburger menu elegantly expands to reveal the site’s full navigation options.
This solution offers quick access to the menu without interrupting the immersive visuals. It’s a sleek and modern choice, particularly effective for tourism and lifestyle brands where the pics need to do the talking.
Be Careful To Make the Hamburger Menu Icon Prominent, Easy to Spot
It’s important to remember that the hamburger menu may not be as intuitive for older website visitors as it is for the more tech-savvy generations.
In fact, some people aren’t even sure what the hamburger menu means, in design language. While many people recognise the three lines, some—especially older visitors—might miss it. Ensure the icon is clearly visible, big enough on the screen compared to other design elements, and difficult to ignore.
Footer Menu: Achill Bikes’ Informative and Inviting Finish
While the primary navigation menu is often the star of the show, the footer menu is the reliable understudy—always present, quietly guiding the audience when needed.
Achill Bikes demonstrates how to do it right.
Achill Bikes footer menu
The footer menu sits at the bottom of the Achill Bikes website, providing a consistent and accessible reference point no matter where a visitor is on the page. It offers additional options and support. It’s where visitors expect to find critical information.
This footer menu takes full advantage of its space by including:
- Contact Information: The address, phone number, and email are all right where you’d expect them, making it easy for potential customers to get in touch.
- Quick Links: Repeating essential pages like ‘Achill Island,’ ‘Group Hire,’ and ‘Blog’ help users who might have missed them in the main menu.
- Newsletter Sign-Up: The footer is a perfect, unobtrusive spot for this. Visitors who have scrolled all the way down might be interested enough to want to stay connected.
- Social Media Icons: Green buttons seamlessly blend with the site’s earthy palette, encouraging visitors to explore the brand on other platforms.
The custom illustration at the top of the footer is a clever design choice. The silhouette of cyclists against a scenic backdrop reinforces the brand's identity, subtly preparing visitors for the adventure the company offers. It’s a perfect blend of form and function, ensuring that the footer isn’t just a block of text but a thoughtful, engaging part of the website's design.
Ultimately, Achill Bikes shows how a well-designed footer menu can boost usability and support SEO results while enhancing the site's overall look and feel.
3. Best Practices: The Dos and Don'ts of Website Navigation
3. Best Practices: The Dos and Don'ts of Website Navigation
The DOs of Navigation Menus:
- Keep Labels Clear: Use straightforward and specific labels like "Contact" or "Services" to avoid confusion.
- Limit Main Navigation Links: Stick to seven or fewer primary links to prevent overwhelming visitors.
- Use Whitespace Wisely: Space elements out to create a clean, easy-to-navigate menu.
- Prioritise Key Links: Ensure essential links are immediately visible—don’t bury them in submenus.
- Design for Mobile: Make sure your navigation is responsive and works smoothly on all screen sizes.
- Establish a Clear Navigation Hierarchy: Organise links logically, with primary pages in the main menu and secondary options in submenus or the footer.
The DON’Ts of Navigation Menus:
- Avoid Menu Overload: Too many links can lead to decision paralysis. Focus on the essentials.
- Don’t Hide Important Links: On desktop sites, avoid tucking vital links behind icons or in dropdowns.
- Stay Away from Vague Terms: Labels like "Experience" or "Feel" may add to the overall vibe of the website but add no value in a practical sense, and confuse users.
- Use only icons without accompanying labels: Not all users are familiar with the standard meanings behind certain icons, especially in responsive design. Even the simplest one-word descriptions would mean a lot.
- Avoid Social Media Links in the Header: These should be in the footer to prevent users from leaving your site too soon.
- Don't Sacrifice Usability for Design: Creative menus are great—but not if they leave users guessing how to navigate.
By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll create a perfectly functional and aesthetically pleasing website menu design of your choice. Doing this right enhances the user experience, leading to longer site visits and higher conversions.
Planning on redesigning your website to improve its UX/UI or simply build one from scratch? Contact us and we’ll talk about how to make your website stand out, without losing its core identity.
All Services
Web Design
Web Development
SEO Services
Branding & Design
Content Marketing
Data Measurement and Insights