A mobile menu design that is intuitive and easy to use can increase user experience, improve conversion rates, and attract more visitors. These are three design options that will improve mobile site navigation.

Mobile accounts for about half of all 4.7 to 6.5 inches. However, the average human thumb measures less than 3 in. This means that the majority of what’s on a mobile screen is not reachable.

Web designers must consider the ergonomics of the design. 

This graphic is based on how mobile users use their devices and shows how difficult it can be for them to access certain pages. Users find the bottom of the page the easiest to access so designers made their menus more user-friendly.

A Miami web designer, for example, created an animated tab bar with sliding tabs and added it to the bottom of this financial app. 

The platform is simple to use, with all icons within reach of a user’s natural thumb. This design has some limitations. It’s hard to fit more than a few menu items on this screen due to the small space between the sides.

Web designers should limit the number of options they include on a menu. The platform adhered to this rule and only offered four menu options.

Designers may have chosen a smaller menu design if they had to add more navigation options.

Hamburger Menu

Hamburger menus are shaped like hamburger sandwiches between two buns or three horizontal lines that are stacked on top. They often appear in the upper corner of websites. Because it is smaller and doesn’t take up too much space, this design is especially popular on mobile websites.

To view or hide navigation options on the menu, visitors must click the button.

Amazon, for example, uses a hamburger menu on its mobile website. It is located in the upper left corner, next to Amazon’s logo.

Site visitors can click on the icon to open a drop-down menu that appears on their sidebar.

This design uses space more effectively than traditional navigation menus, but it can cause problems for users if they are not properly organized.

You risk making your users leave your mobile website if the hamburger menu is not easy to locate. Designers should ensure that the hamburger icon is prominent and easily visible on the page.

They should also ensure that drop-down options are easy to use and large. Users will struggle to click with their thumbs if the fonts are too small. They are still a good navigation option if you have a lot of options.

Grid Navigation

Grid menus, similar to the hamburger menu, are an excellent way for web designers to optimize space on a mobile site. It uses a 3×3 box instead of three lines to indicate multiple options. Clicking on the icon will open additional navigation options.

Google uses grid navigation to allow users to find other apps like Gmail, Calendar, and Google Ads. 

This design is trendy and provides a great user experience. This design uses icons, rather than a drop-down menu. It makes it easy for users to browse through the options and find what they are looking for.

Users will also find it easier to click on images with larger blocks.

These menu designs will improve mobile navigation

It is vital to create a mobile-friendly site as people increasingly rely on their smartphones. The menu on your site helps users navigate the platform and find what they are looking for. They are essential for creating seamless user experiences.

Designers must consider how much space the menu will take up and the platform’s ergonomics when designing a mobile site menu. Many designers try to move navigational tools down the page to address these issues.

Designers can’t list all their links on the page because of the small space available. Instead, they use space-saving features such as grid icons and hamburgers. Clicking on these icons will open a drop-down menu with a larger selection.

These menu designs will optimize your website for mobile and increase your conversion rate.