For reference:
This sidebar will scroll with the page, always visible to the left of the content.
Some people find this irritating. I'm trying to gauge whether the benefits are worth that risk. My website needs more exposure, and social share buttons have been helpful so far. While I'm revamping this design, I'm considering a floating share sidebar for larger screens. It will be easily visible, and always accessible, which should increase social sharing.
What do you think of this website trend? Is it the spawn of Satan and should die in a fire? Or no problem whatsoever?
All useless faff on a website's layout should not exist.
Useless is relative here. It may be useless to many users, but it is important for the website. If there's one thing I've learned as a web developer it's "if you build it they will come" doesn't apply.
I hate them so much that when I encounter one, I open another tab to try and find a Chrome plugin to kill them. Then I fail to find one and close the tab with the floating menu, then open another tab, do the search again and then avoid the purple links. I will occasionally even tell Google to "block results from..." because fuck your floating tab. You have a page, not a page with an overlay that demands my attention every time I scroll. I'll read your page... but the minute you dangle shit in front of it I'm out.
Mind if I ask why you hate them so much? This is assuming they don't cover the content at all (I wouldn't do that). Even if they're beside the content, do you find them too distracting? Too difficult to focus on the content?
If I'm reading your content, I'm reading your content. If I'm reading your content and your social fruit salad follows me around, I'm reading LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! UPVOTE US ON REDDIT! RETWEET US! POST US ON LINKEDIN, WE'RE NOT SURE WHY, BUT DO IT! LOVE US, LOVE US, LOVE US! OVER HERE! OVER HERE! TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS! PLEASE GOD GIVE US CLICKS! NO, NO, STOP LOOKING AT THE WRITING, WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT ALL THAT LOREM IPSUM BULLSHIT WE WANT CLICKS! MORE CLICKS! MORE CLICKS! and fuck that.
I personally find them super annoying on mobile, where every little bit of screen space counts, even with a larger phone. Sometimes I'll accidentally tap them or they'll glitch or they take up a ridiculous amount of space. Ugh. If I'm gonna share, I know the button will either be at the top or bottom. I am indifferent on desktop.
I agree. No screen real estate will be sacrificed for these buttons. The content already has a max width, and the floating buttons will only appear when there's enough space beside the content. Otherwise they will appear below the content.
Easier to find, more likely for users to share (at least in theory).
Really? I'd form a blind spot on those things or hide them with an ad-block. I'd be more inclined to share something if it's good and could be of some help to someone rather than because I'm inclined to by the array of colorful squares on the screen. And how is "right after whatever it is that I'm enjoying" not easy to find?
The general opinion here is definitely negative. Thanks for all your feedback on this issue. Since I already have the floating sidebar implemented, I'll perform some live tests to see if it even makes a difference in users sharing. In the end I'll probably go with a static share bar on the bottom.
Remember those site in the 2000 with flaming skull, moving cat pawn, laughing face? You hated it. The floating anything is the modern equivalent. Any self moving part on a page you want to read is an insufferable distraction. Even a static menu at the top distract you when you scroll down (because it does not move accordingly to your input). But at least, it's useful.
If it doesn't cover up anything, it works fine. I never had a problem with them; I don't find them distracting. I think I prefer them at the bottom of a article, just because they're static, but I have no major gripe with the floating way. And if people don't like them, they can block them with an adblocker anyway.