10 unique site navigation menus

Some sites make us a little disoriented and struggle to find the part we were looking for. Then there are those who feel like effortless surfing, as if one button intuitively leads us to the next.

When creating a website, the various elements of the page should come together to guide visitors through your website seamlessly and easily. One element that plays a crucial role in the user experience of your site and that greatly affects navigation is the menu.

What are website menus?

A web page menu is a series of linked elements that are used to navigate between the different pages or sections of a web page. There are several types of menus, depending on the content and design of the site. The main types of web page menus are:

• Classic navigation menu: This most common type of menu is located in the title of the web page, usually as a horizontal list.

• Sticky menu: Also known as a sticky or floating menu, this menu remains as visitors scroll down the page. These are ideal for long scrolling pages.

• Hamburger menu: An icon consisting of three horizontal stripes that open to a menu when you click. This design convention is rooted in the design of mobile websites, but is also widely used on computers.

• Drop-down menu: A menu where a list of additional items opens when visitors click on - or hover over - one of the menu items. This option is suitable for sites with a lot of content.

• Sidebar menu: A list of menu items located on the left or right side of a web page.

Below are 10 examples of website menus, built with Wix. They represent versatile and creative use of the menu in terms of both website navigation and website design. Here they are, for inspiration:

01. Yang's Place: On-brand navigation that is easily accessible

The Chinese restaurant Yang's Place's website is fully marked with the logo that appears on the first fold, on the website's header and again in the full screen menu. The logo on the headline remains fixed on all the different pages, and leads visitors back to the website - a good practice to improve the user experience.

This navigation is accessible from both a hamburger menu (which opens in a full-screen menu), and a geometric website layout with photographs and text boxes on the home page, created using Wix Pro Gallery.

02. William LaChance: An animated menu with a long roll

Although there is a classic sidebar menu on this artist's portfolio, there's also an extra that consists of photos and video boxes that slide into the view as we scroll down the page. This menu uses website animations and bright, vibrant colors to capture visitors' attention.

This loud and colorful scroll fills the much simpler sidebar, allowing for an interactive navigation method along with a simpler one. Unlike the animations, which are only on the homepage, the page bar also remains on all the inner pages of the website.

03. I Love Dust: A menu divided across all corners of the screen

This graphic design agency's website puts on a pretty inviting show, with a fast-paced, fullscreen video that is a showreel of studio work. However, the web page menu remains simple and static, with a different menu item in each corner of the screen.

The split menu, a current web design trend, can be achieved by attaching items to the sides of the screen.

04. Calvin Pausania: A full screen menu that gives a statement

As an online portfolio, Calvin Pausania's website launches in a dynamic, full screen video by opening its website.

After clicking the "Enter" button on the home page, six menu items appear in front and in the middle in large white letters. The particular use of this type of style as well as the website's menu placement on the screen is bold and captivating.

05. SQUARE-Urban Legends: A floating menu without having to scroll back to the top

The products of this online store stand out with their beautifully illustrated patterns, screen printed by hand. The website's bright and colorful design, along with vector shapes and patterns complement the brand's creative product photography.

SQUARE-Urban Legends' website menu remains fixed on the website and acts as a floating menu. There is also a "Buy Now." button strategically placed in the middle of the website that directs visitors back to the website's product page.

06. Ruby Love: A drop-down menu for an e-commerce site

While Ruby Love specializes in protective clothing, Ruby Love is a company that offers a multitude of important things, from underwear to nightwear and swimwear. As a result, Ruby Love's eCommerce site requires a navigation system that organizes and categorizes the many different elements. Thus, the page's drop-down menu fits perfectly because it fills in a drop-down menu for each option.

07. Doris Liou: An illustrated menu with surprise animations

This illustration portfolio is filled with handmade drawings by California-based artist Doris Liou, making the illustrated headline menu feel at home. The menu icons are drawn in pencil, with a small newspaper for the "Illustration" page and a flower for "Social Media".

When the menu icons are held over, colorful animated gifs sneak in and bring them to life. And as we hover over the illustrator's name, we encounter a cheerful little character hovering around. The same friendly face also plays the main role in the site's favorite icon, tying it all together and increasing the portfolio's branding and visibility.

08. Adva Santo: Interactive sidebar navigation that is on the brand

The website menu of this online design portfolio of Adva Santo is both unique and interactive. The orange, black and white menu colors match the rest of the site's color scheme. When you click on the various menu items, a line appears at the top of the button that creates a "crossed" look and allows for a playful interactive web page navigation experience. Other parts of the site also feature scribbles and handwritten fonts that compliment the "ticked" item on the menu.

09. Liron Eldar-Ashkenazi: A menu that is small, yet powerful

Upon arrival, this website greets visitors with a bold one-liner above the menu bar: "I am Lirona and this is what I do best." The quote remains at the top of all pages, which creates consistency. Liron Eldar-Ashkenazi's minimalist design website menu includes an "About Me" page and an online store titled "Shop". The designer has simplified the number of menu options, so that the user can more easily navigate the entire website.

10. Roee Ben Yehuda: A menu divided into four corners that leaves art at the center

Roee Ben Yehuda states that the goal of his work is to "merge tradition and modern design", and his website reflects just that. The site has a clean design with generous amounts of white space that lets his artwork shine.

The website menu is divided into each corner of the website, bringing the artistic objects to the fore. The earth tones complement the natural materials, and the uneven splits of the site's images blend gently together, resulting in a distinctive look.

Freddy Fix Borrowed from Wix