Right vs. Left Sidebar: Which Side of the Screen Does Your Content Call Home?

[Cedric]

By default, most software scripts offer a sidebar on the right. Invision Community, XenForo, WordPress, etc. Admin Junkies is one of the few that have it on the left. I've been observing web design trends for quite some time, and one pattern seems to be almost evergreen: content on the left and sidebar on the right. But like all trends, there are always exceptions to the rule. And sometimes, those exceptions create the most memorable user experiences.

How many of you stick to the conventional "content-left, sidebar-right" format? And who among you dares to walk on the wild side with a left-hand sidebar?

Points to kick off our discussion:

User Expectation: The conventional layout is what most internet users expect. Does sticking to this norm provide a more seamless user experience?

Cultural Reading Patterns: In many cultures, we read from left to right. Does this make the content-left layout more intuitive?

Aesthetics vs. Functionality: While the right-sidebar may be more traditional, does the left-sidebar offer unique aesthetic or functional advantages we might be overlooking?

Mobile Responsiveness: With a majority of users on mobile devices where sidebars often get pushed to the bottom, does the side of the sidebar still matter?

Examples in the Wild: Can you share examples of sites with left-hand sidebars that offer a compelling and user-friendly experience?

Conversion Rates: For those who've experimented with both, have you noticed any difference in user engagement or conversion rates based on the sidebar's position?

Hybrid or No Sidebar: And of course, some modern designs eschew the sidebar altogether in favor of a more focused content presentation. Have you tried this approach?

I'm eager to hear your thoughts, experiences, and perhaps even the science behind your design choices.

 

[veloman]

I must admit I hardly thought about it when starting. PhpBB defaults to the right, but the first thing I did was install an extension to move it to the left. Why? I'm not sure... It just looked strange to me. When I changed the theme the option was there already (so the mod got deleted), but it always moves the sidebar above the post on mobiles - which must be undisputable correctly.

The only thing I can think of is that modern email clients (i.e. Outlook) put the bulk of the email on the right, and the sidebar and email lists on the left. So maybe we're just being conditioned to see it that way now

 

[Ravenfreak]

I personally like having the sidebar on the left side of the community, along with the member information too. By default I believe phpBB is the only forum script that has the member information on the right side of posts. I think it stems from the fact that we read sentences from left to right, and it just feels more comfortable to have the information on the left side of the forum.

 

[Cory]

I slightly lean towards a left sidebar, it almost seems like it's easier to view the board when it's on the right side. Maybe being right-handed means I'm right-eyed too.

Or, perhaps I'm just more used to it since most boards have sidebars on the left instead of the right.

 

[veloman]

I slightly lean towards a left sidebar, it almost seems like it's easier to view the board when it's on the right side. Maybe being right-handed means I'm right-eyed too.

Or, perhaps I'm just more used to it since most boards have sidebars on the left instead of the right.

The more I think about this, the more it is bugging me.. Forums for whatever reason have independently converged and agreed on the idea that the sidebar goes on the left, so there must be some phycological reasons why that looks correct... But whyyyyy?

 

[TwitchisMental]

I guess I am the oddball here, I prefer it on the right .

Main content is on the left side content on the right side.. Just makes sense for me .

 

[Tyrsson]

I think the standard should be that the software platform offer both options and the default be based on local time zone set for the software. If the location is above the equator then its on the right, otherwise it's on the left

 

[Empire]

Default is the right in most cases, but that's just me and used to be on the right.

 

[Cory]

I think the standard should be that the software platform offer both options

Thanks for the code idea, my friend!

 

[Dismal_Bliss]

I have it on the RIGHT in all my Invision installations, because when you look at the Communities on a mobile device, whatever is on the left side of the page on a PC becomes what is on the top of the page on Mobile. I want the forum content first, and the sidebar contents on... the side.

With this in mind, I always edit my templates so that when you view the user profiles, the sidebar is on the RIGHT. This way, when you click on a Status Update, it is the first thing you see, and you don't have to scroll past all sorts of sidebar blocks to the bottom of the page to see the Status Update.

 

[kensonplays]

I keep mine on the right, but I feel it should be on the left for countries that read RTL instead of LTR.

 

[Spartan]

I’ve always like sidebar on the left idk. If it’s because I’m left handed or what.

 

[Nomad]

I am a right hander, so I like sidebars on the right hand side. The reason why most scripts use right sidebar because most people are right-handed. I do not have proof to show, I am just guessing.

 

[Carlos]

I like right-handed side bars, your brain is trained to read that way, but for some reason, some owners like left-hand side bars. I don't like them, but it's not gonna stop me from using the site. It's just a preference.

 

[Senkusha]

By default, most software scripts offer a sidebar on the right. Invision Community, XenForo, WordPress, etc. Admin Junkies is one of the few that have it on the left. I've been observing web design trends for quite some time, and one pattern seems to be almost evergreen: content on the left and sidebar on the right. But like all trends, there are always exceptions to the rule. And sometimes, those exceptions create the most memorable user experiences.

How many of you stick to the conventional "content-left, sidebar-right" format? And who among you dares to walk on the wild side with a left-hand sidebar?

Points to kick off our discussion:

User Expectation: The conventional layout is what most internet users expect. Does sticking to this norm provide a more seamless user experience?

Cultural Reading Patterns: In many cultures, we read from left to right. Does this make the content-left layout more intuitive?

Aesthetics vs. Functionality: While the right-sidebar may be more traditional, does the left-sidebar offer unique aesthetic or functional advantages we might be overlooking?

Mobile Responsiveness: With a majority of users on mobile devices where sidebars often get pushed to the bottom, does the side of the sidebar still matter?

Examples in the Wild: Can you share examples of sites with left-hand sidebars that offer a compelling and user-friendly experience?

Conversion Rates: For those who've experimented with both, have you noticed any difference in user engagement or conversion rates based on the sidebar's position?

Hybrid or No Sidebar: And of course, some modern designs eschew the sidebar altogether in favor of a more focused content presentation. Have you tried this approach?

I'm eager to hear your thoughts, experiences, and perhaps even the science behind your design choices.

When I started my forum, I experimented. I had a "landing page" in the center that explained the purpose of the forum/site, with user information on the left hand side, and recent topics information on the right hand side. Now I've streamlined the side bars, combined them into one (on the right) and got rid of the landing/welcome piece.

I chose to use the right side because the left/main two-thirds of the screen space is the forum, and that's where I want people's attention to be centered on. I can't comment on conversion rates, because I've failed to make any conversions. LOL I find that having the sidebar on the right, allows for it to appear below the main content of my forum on mobile devices, so that's less scrolling needed for mobile users.