Navigation in website design is generally horizontal where you scroll the pages from top to bottom. Vertical navigation i.e. when web pages pan from left to right, is seldom seen but if you want to succumb to the unique trend and get your website designed in the same way, think again.

The reason vertical navigation is not common is not without reason. And there are more than enough reasons to support the claim!

Poor Information Architecture
Vertical navigation takes heavy toll on the information architecture of the web pages. In a bid to accommodate all the information and categories in the navigation toolbar, designers often end up extending the web page beyond limits and this erodes the page architecture big-time. Rather, in order to create a professional design, the content of the websites should be analyzed first and then a logical and hierarchical structure should be developed that is readable and well as usable for website visitors.

Wastage of Screen Space
Screen space is critically important for any website. In fact, this is what defines the placement of elements and content on the web pages. Designs today rely on strong information architecture and navigation pathways have definite goals and objects like taking visitors to the desired call-to-action button etc. However, web pages that zoom from left to right waste a lots of screen space that could otherwise have been used for more important things. Even though navigation should be easy to locate, it doesn't necessarily have to crowd a particular side of the page.

More Cons of the Concept
There are several websites on the internet that rely on simple horizontal navigation while at the same time providing a strong visual focus on the content. This trend can be used to highlight the call-to-action sections. Even though visitors can see all the elements of the web pages quite distinctly, they are still able to focus their attention on the navigation bar at the top of the page.

Contrast to People's Reading Habits
People, by nature, are accustomed to reading content that is sprawled across the entire width of the reading area or content that is dismantles into boxes or columns within the reading area. Both ways, the content remains between a header and footer. This is the form of content showcasing on popular reading mediums be it books, newspapers, journals and so on. Moreover, you should remember that readers aren't used to the left-side menu and would have adjustment problems when suddenly confronted with this kind of readings style.

Not Usable as Drop Down Menus
No matter how and in what direction you point your navigation pathway to, all the sub menus that you include in the navigation will point in the other direction i.e. when you have vertical navigation on your website, the sub menus will quite naturally drop vertically and sub menus are really usable as drop downs.

With the increasing focus on content, designers are creating websites where navigation and content become quite indistinguishable. And this purpose is quite ably served in case of horizontal navigation bars. This is because horizontal navigation does not interfere with the content areas and also can be located quite easily at the top of the web pages.


Maneet Puri is the Managing Director at LeXolution IT Services, a popular web designing company based in India. He helps his company provide seamless web design services and internet promotion services to its clients from across the globe.