When a customer lands on your website—whether from a digital ad, Google search, or social media—you have just a few precious milliseconds to grab their attention. Where do they look first?
Eye tracking and heat map studies show that site visitors tend to read your web page in an F-shaped pattern, focusing mainly on the upper portion. Since your header menu bar falls right in this prime visual real estate, the choices you make here—from header text to navigation links and icons—can dramatically influence whether website visitors stick around or bounce.
To keep users engaged and encourage them to explore your products, grab a limited-time offer, or find your store, you need the right combination of header elements. Here are a few website header examples that could inspire your own online storefront.
What is a website header?
A website header is the strip at the top of your webpage, featuring your logo, main navigation menu, and often a call-to-action (CTA) button or search bar. Unlike a hero image—an eye-catching photo or graphic with text overlay below the header—the header typically remains visible as visitors navigate through different pages, providing them a consistent, ever-present way to explore your site, regardless of where they end up.
Many headers expand on hover or click, revealing dropdown menus with sub-categories to help visitors dive deeper into specific sections. As the first thing users see, your header plays a crucial role in shaping how easily they can navigate your site and discover what your business offers.
On desktop, headers can show more navigation options and features, while on mobile, due to limited screen space, they’re usually stripped down to just a logo and hamburger menu—a three-lined icon that reveals a hidden navigation menu when clicked.
Elements of a good website header
A well-designed header helps website visitors quickly navigate your site and find what they’re looking for. While the following elements describe headers as they typically appear, consider them starting points, not requirements. The most memorable sites often break convention to reflect brand personality or communicate a unique vision.;
Logo
Your logo typically sits on the left side of your header, as this is where users naturally look first—though some designs center it or use it creatively. Your logo also serves as a clickable Home button, letting users easily return to the homepage.
Navigational links
These are the main pathways to your site’s key sections. Keep them selective and focused to avoid overwhelming visitors with too many choices. Additional options are often tucked into dropdown menus. For instance, if your fashion brand might include New Arrivals, Collections, and Bestsellers in its primary navigation, keeping Size Guide and Sustainability to be discovered in the dropdown menus.
Search bar
Often placed on the right side of the header, the search bar can be helpful for visitors who know exactly what they’re after, but don’t immediately see what they’re looking for in your navigation—especially on content-heavy sites.
CTA
A prominent call-to-action button invites visitors to take an action depending on your business model—whether it’s signing up, booking a demo, or contacting your team. CTAs should stand out, often with contrasting colors or a frame, and use action-oriented language.
Locations
If you’re a business with physical storefronts or service areas, include a simple Locations link or store finder icon in your header that leads to a dedicated page with your full addresses and service areas. This helps visitors quickly determine if your products or services are within geographic reach.;
Website headers for ecommerce businesses
Ecommerce websites share many header design similarities with other websites but typically offer more navigation options to support shopping features, helping online shoppers find products, complete transactions, and manage purchases. Essential elements include:
- Shopping cart. Usually in the top right corner, this icon shows shoppers how many items they’ve added to their cart and sometimes displays the current total cost when users hover over it. When clicked, it either leads directly to the checkout page, or to a preview panel that displays the selected products.
- Account. This section lets customers log in, check orders, view purchase histories, update their payment information, manage addresses, and modify newsletter subscriptions
- Favorites. Also known as a wish list, this feature lets shoppers save products they’re interested in but not ready to buy yet. It’s typically represented by a heart icon.
- Country or currency selector. For ecommerce brands with an international customer base, this dropdown, often represented by a flag or globe icon, lets shoppers choose their location and preferred currency, ensuring clear pricing and avoiding surprise fees.
- Utility bar. This is a slim secondary navigation strip typically positioned at the top of a website header that sometimes contains supplementary functions like language selectors, account access, and store locators to reduce clutter in the main navigation.
- Promotional bar. Appearing above the main header, this strip is designed to grab attention with time-sensitive offers like flash sales, free shipping thresholds, or new product launches. It often features countdowns or sliding messages to create urgency.
To see these elements on display, check out ColourPop’s website header design. An affordable cosmetics brand with a cruelty-free philosophy, ColourPop’s vibrant brand personality is visible even on the website header.
The website’s header includes a centered logo rather than the go-to left-aligned placement, with a bright pink promotional bar announcing “Free domestic shipping on orders over $35” to entice shoppers.
The clean navigation bar includes the standard ecommerce elements—Search, Account, Favorites, Country, and Cart menu items—along with an extended dropdown that displays additional links when hovered over. For example, when you hover over the New & Best Sellers (highlighted in pink above), you see a list including New Arrivals, Best of Sitewide Sale, and Best Sellers, as well as a few featured products.
6 website header examples to inspire your site design
- Sticky header, center logo
- Non-sticky header, expandable, left logo
- Header with mega menu
- Floating header
- Minimalist header, expanded vertical menu
- Header with multi-site navigation
While most website headers include similar elements, they can be arranged in countless configurations and feature slightly different visual elements that reflect your brand style. If you’re an ecommerce entrepreneur, platforms like Shopify offer numerous themes that you can filter by options like in-menu promos, mega menu, or sticky header. Your selection will dictate the style and customizations available for your website that you can add without needing extensive web design knowledge.
Here are some inspiring header variations that might spark ideas for your online storefront:
1. Sticky header, center logo
Island Creek Oysters, a Duxbury Bay shellfish producer, features a centered logo and transparent navigation elements on its website, which transition to solid white as you scroll down.
Its sticky website header, which remains visible at the top even as you scroll, is comprehensive and contains navigation links including Shop, Rewards, Visit, Catering, Search, Account, and Cart—providing easy access to all of the brand’s tinned offerings.
The bold green promotional banner across the very top announces special delivery options for events, highlighting that beyond Island Creek’s focus on direct-to-consumer, it also provides special occasion seafood sales.
2. Non-sticky header, expandable, left logo
Away, a premium DTC luggage brand known for its stylish hard-shell suitcases, has a clean, minimalist header with its logo on the left and main category navigation centered at the top. Unlike sticky headers that remain fixed in place, Away’s header disappears as you scroll down the page, allowing its lifestyle photography and product highlights to take center stage.
The header expands when you click on categories like New Arrivals, revealing subcategories that include collection names, collaborations like The White Lotus × Away, and special offers. Each is presented with plenty of white space, reflecting the airy aesthetic of its luggage.
3. Header with mega menu
Popular fitness apparel brand Gymshark features a dual-layer header with utility links across the very top and primary navigation below. Its mega menu, triggered by hovering over main menu items, expands to fill the entire screen with multiple category columns organized by Trending, Products, Explore, and Featured sections. Large promotional images highlight current marketing campaigns like Strong Looks and Must-Haves.
Gymshark’s thoughtful website organization lets shoppers browse its extensive product catalog without feeling overwhelmed, while still offering direct access to specific items like leggings with pockets or bodysuits.
4. Floating header
Troubadour, a sustainable backpack and bag company, offers a refreshingly original website header design with a floating, pill-shaped menu aligned to the right side of the screen, following you as you scroll. Its minimalist header includes just the essentials—Shop and Explore, along with Search, Account, Cart, and County icons—all contained in a compact, muted sage green oval that accents the brand’s sophisticated backpack designs and earth tones.
This minimalist navigation is ideal for Troubadour’s curated product catalog, allowing hero photography and product details to stand out without competing navigation elements distracting from its carefully crafted bags.
5. Minimalist header, expanded vertical menu
Contemporary furniture and home goods retailer Haus embraces a minimalist header design with just four essential icons—Contact, Account, Currency, and Cart—completely eliminating navigation text from the top. Instead, a secondary vertical menu runs down the left side, organizing its offerings by category (Furniture, Lighting, Accessories) and shopping needs (New Arrivals, Brands, Clearance).
Both navigation systems remain static as you browse, creating an unobtrusive yet always accessible wayfinding system that helps you move across the site without the need to return to the homepage or open a dropdown menu.
6. Header with multi-site navigation
ButcherBox, a subscription service delivering high-quality meat and seafood, uses a dual-branding strategy in its website header to link its two product offerings. Its header design features both the main ButcherBox brand and ButcherBox for Pets, allowing customers to easily toggle between the two sites—while keeping separate carts for each experience.
This integration is a strategic move, leveraging the traffic and recognition of its established human food brand to drive brand awareness to its newer pet food offerings.
Website header examples FAQ
How do I make an attractive website header?
To create an attractive website header, use a site builder like Shopify or Wix, select a theme with a header style that aligns with your taste, and customize the colors, fonts, and layout to match your brand aesthetic. You can also customize an existing theme by adjusting the navigation menu structure.
What should a page header include?
For standard websites, include your logo, primary navigation links, a search function, and possibly a call-to-action button (CTA) that directs users to the most important part of your site. Ecommerce headers typically need additional elements like a shopping cart icon, account access, wish list/favorites, a country/currency selector, and a promotional banner highlighting current offers.
Do all websites need a header?
Yes, most websites benefit from having some kind of header, even if it’s a minimal version with a logo and hamburger menu. Headers provide a navigation structure that helps visitors move around your site. They may feel lost without one.
