Mega menus are UI elements that use large pop-up windows to showcase lists of items that would otherwise not be available to access. These alternatives are very suitable for websites that have many categories and subcategories. A mega menu navigation is created with the help of a dropdown menu that is activated when users hover or interact with the navigation option.
Navigation mega menus are useful when it comes to a UI UX design as they provide a preview of the site’s features and categories available for potential users. With the integration of mega menus designers provide easier navigation and a better user experience as they create a hierarchy of complex web designs. A website mega menu provides multiple choice options at once, without cluttering the design making it easier to navigate from one section to another and shortening the path to a certain part of the design. Responsive mega menus can also create a structure and sustain a design that is easier to understand.
The most common type of mega menu is displayed horizontally on the top or the bottom of a web page. These menus are most suitable for websites that have a significant amount of categories and subcategories because they offer them the necessary space. Horizontal mega menus offer access to sections of the design at all times, so users will spend less time looking for a certain part of the design and just click or hover over the vertical mega menu to get where they want.
Vertical Mega Menu
As the name suggests, these menus are displayed vertically and are usually part of sidebars and fly-out menus that appear from the side of the page. These are great fits for web pages that lack the amount of horizontal space. This type of website mega menu helps maintain a clean design when the available sections and categories are more than a horizontal mega menu would sustain.
Tabbed Mega Menu
Tabbed mega menus are based around a tab navigation that allows users to choose between various categories available in the menu. One of the main advantages of implementing tabbed mega menus is that it simplifies content organization.
Mega Menus Best Practices
Intuitive Labels. Users should be able to determine what each entry of the mega menu refers to without putting in a lot of effort. This is why we should use a friendly, accessible, and recognizable language register for it.
Grouping Options. Although mega menus have the role of offering more space for large menus content-wise, we should not risk overcrowding them. A good solution for avoiding this is grouping related items into subcategories.
Spacing. Links represent a crucial part of any mega menu. A mistake we should stray away from is not allowing enough space for links to be clickable. Therefore, it is important to take this visual element into consideration as it directly impacts usability.
Pay Attention to Triggers. It is important to pay attention to the way a mega menu can actually be actioned - if users keep triggering it by accident, it means something is wrong with it and it can easily become frustrating.
Visual hierarchy – Hierarchy is an important part of any user interface design, so designing a mega menu UI is mandatory. Typography, color, and spacing can manipulate the way we see a design and give gravity towards chosen elements. And for a mega menu to be interpreted correctly you need to keep a visual hierarchy that will guide the users to the most important elements.
Engagement. One of the main advantages of designing a mega menu for a web page is that it has been proven to result in higher user engagement.
Navigation. Another popular reason why designers implement mega menus is that they support easier and more straightforward navigation. Users find mega menus intuitive.
Increased Mobile UX. Websites are not the only ones that can benefit from the integration of mega menus. A good mega menu will be responsive and create a user-friendly interaction.
Discoverability. Because mega menus have the capacity to integrate more entries and categories, users will not need to search for countless sources. This can increase overall discoverability.
Use the Mega Menu UI Element in Your UI/UX Design With uinkits
Our uinkits system is a Figma Design System and UI Kits that include UI components that allow you, as a UI UX designer, to create your design products as quickly as pressing a button. You can find mega menus and everything you need to create the perfect product design in Figma – all in just a few clicks. All you have to do is take the UI design component you need, and you’re ready to use it in your designs!
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