Is it appropriate to use the desktop Hamburger icon? [Infographic]
It’s called a hamburger icon, the little button made of three stacked lines commonly found in the top corner of mobile websites. Consumers have become used to clicking on the symbol to bring up a site’s menu on their mobile devices, leading web designers to consider using them on desktop sites, too.
This infographic by The Deep End Web Design will help you understand when to avoid use of a hamburger icon and some instances of when using it may actually improve your conversion rates.
PROS:
- You have probably noticed on mobile sites that hiding the secondary navigation items results in a clean, minimal design. It streamlines access from the page and can enhance the overall look and feel of the website.
- Of users 18-44, 81% are very familiar with the hamburger icon and how to use it. That may seem good, but read on… older users are not as familiar with the symbol or its function.
- A great advantage of the hamburger icon is that it leaves you space on the page to focus on your call to action. A great technique is to use the hamburger icon next to a standalone CTA button.
- If there are too many choices on the page your visitors may be confused. Using the hamburger icon to bring up a simple menu allows you to highlight choices for them.
CONS:
- Of consumers over 45, only 52 percent are familiar with the hamburger icon and its function.
- It’s not necessarily a good idea for your users to have to click to bring up the navigation and then again to find content.
- It may not be as easy for users to see content on your site that they’re not specifically seeking. This will limit how many eyeballs will actually see what you offer.
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