Why You Should Use Sticky Header and Footer for Your Website: A Real-World Example

When designing a website, the balance between aesthetics and usability is essential for providing an optimal user experience. How content is displayed and how users navigate through a website play a major role in their overall satisfaction. One way to enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of your website is by incorporating sticky elements, such as a sticky header and a sticky footer.

Sticky headers are a great way to ensure that essential navigation elements like menus, logos, or search bars remain visible as the user scrolls down a page. This ensures that users can quickly access key sections of the website without losing their place. On the other hand, a sticky footer can be used to present important Call-to-Action (CTA) buttons, like “Contact Us” or “Subscribe Now,” while keeping the rest of the content engaging and uninterrupted.

By utilizing sticky elements, you not only make your website more functional but also enhance its aesthetic appeal. Visitors are more likely to stay on your site longer when they can navigate easily, and a strategically placed CTA will encourage them to take the next step in their customer journey.

In this article, we’ll show you how to create a sticky header and footer on your website using Elementor, making sure these elements only appear when users scroll down the page. We’ll guide you through the process step-by-step, ensuring that both your header and footer are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and provide a seamless user experience.

Step 1: Creating a Sticky Header with a Hamburger Menu in Elementor

A sticky header keeps your navigation elements at the top of the screen, allowing users to navigate quickly even as they scroll through your content. For a more modern and minimalistic design, you can create a sticky header that shows the hamburger menu only after the user begins scrolling.

1. Create the Header Section:

• Start by opening your Elementor page editor and create a new section for your header.
• Add a container or column inside the section and place your logo and navigation menu inside it. You can also use an icon or button to create a hamburger-style menu.

Here’s what the basic structure might look like:

<header class="sticky-header">
   <div class="logo">
       <img src="logo.png" alt="Logo">
   </div>
   <div class="hamburger-menu">
       <button class="menu-icon">
           <span class="icon-bar"></span>
           <span class="icon-bar"></span>
           <span class="icon-bar"></span>
       </button>
   </div>
</header>

2. CSS for Sticky Header:

In Elementor, go to the Advanced tab of the header section and add the CSS ID or CSS Class (e.g., sticky-header). Then, add the following CSS code to make the header sticky:

.sticky-header {
   position: fixed;
   top: -100px; /* Initially hidden */
   left: 0;
   width: 100%;
   background-color: #333;
   color: white;
   padding: 15px;
   transition: top 0.3s ease;
   z-index: 1000;
}

.sticky-header.show {
   top: 0; /* Visible when scrolled */
}

.hamburger-menu {
   display: none; /* Hide by default */
}

.sticky-header.show .hamburger-menu {
   display: block; /* Show when sticky */
}

3. JavaScript for Scroll Effect:

You’ll need some JavaScript to make the sticky header appear only after the user scrolls down:

1. Go to Elementor > Custom Code or use a Code Snippet plugin.
2. Add the following JavaScript:

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
   var stickyHeader = $(".sticky-header");
   
   $(window).on("scroll", function() {
       if ($(this).scrollTop() > 100) { 
           stickyHeader.addClass("show");
           console.log("Header Show");
       } else {
           stickyHeader.removeClass("show");
           console.log("Header Hide");
       }
   });
});

This code will make the sticky header visible after scrolling down 100px and will log the show and hide actions to the console.

Step 2: Creating a Sticky Footer with a Call-to-Action (CTA) Button

A sticky footer stays at the bottom of the page and ensures that important actions, like a CTA, are easily accessible. When the user scrolls down, the footer will only appear, making sure it doesn’t disrupt the user’s journey.

1. Create the Footer Section:

• In Elementor, create a new section at the bottom of your page.
• Add a button widget to the footer with a CTA, such as “Get Started” or “Contact Us.”

Here’s an example of the footer structure:

<footer class="sticky-footer">
   <div class="cta-button">
       <button>Get Started</button>
   </div>
</footer>

2. CSS for Sticky Footer:

In the Advanced tab of your footer section, assign a CSS Class (e.g., sticky-footer). Then, use the following CSS to make the footer sticky:

.sticky-footer {
   position: fixed;
   bottom: -100px; /* Initially hidden */
   left: 0;
   width: 100%;
   background-color: #f2f2f2;
   color: #333;
   text-align: center;
   padding: 20px;
   transition: bottom 0.3s ease;
   z-index: 999;
}

.sticky-footer.show {
   bottom: 0; /* Show when scrolled */
}

.cta-button button {
   background-color: #007bff;
   color: white;
   padding: 10px 20px;
   border: none;
   cursor: pointer;
   font-size: 16px;
}

.cta-button button:hover {
   background-color: #0056b3;
}

3. JavaScript for Sticky Footer Scroll Effect:

Just like the sticky header, add the following JavaScript to show the sticky footer when the user scrolls down:

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
   var stickyFooter = $(".sticky-footer");

   $(window).on("scroll", function() {
       if ($(this).scrollTop() > 100) { 
           stickyFooter.addClass("show");
           console.log("Footer Show");
       } else {
           stickyFooter.removeClass("show");
           console.log("Footer Hide");
       }
   });
});

Step 3: Viewing show and hide Status in the Console

To see the real-time behavior of your sticky header and footer as you scroll, you can enable the browser console:

1. Open the Console in Your Browser:
   • In Google Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + J (Windows) or Cmd + Option + J (Mac) to open developer tools.
   • Switch to the Console tab.
2. Monitor the Logs:
   • As you scroll through the page, you’ll see the logs for both the sticky header and footer:
     • “Header Show” appears when the sticky header becomes visible.
     • “Header Hide” appears when the sticky header is hidden.
     • “Footer Show” appears when the sticky footer becomes visible.
     • “Footer Hide” appears when the sticky footer is hidden.

Conclusion

Adding sticky elements like a header and footer to your website enhances both its usability and aesthetics. By using Elementor, you can create a seamless experience where essential elements like navigation menus and CTAs are always accessible without distracting from the main content. The sticky header and footer ensure that users can navigate and engage with your website effortlessly, no matter how far they scroll.

With the added console logs, you can monitor the behavior of these sticky elements in real time, ensuring that everything works as expected.

By implementing these features, you’ll improve your website’s user experience while keeping the design visually appealing and functional.

Ready to Improve Your Website’s User Experience?

By implementing sticky headers and footers, you can take your website’s functionality and aesthetics to the next level. If you need help bringing these ideas to life on your website or have any questions about web design, let’s talk!

Contact Us today, and let’s make your website even better!