Sidebar
A sidebar is a vertical column, usually to the left or right side of the content area, that is used to show information that is tangentially related to page or section content. It usually contains widgets that an administrator of the site can customize. Some common examples of content types that go in the sidebar area include secondary navigation, related links, and sidebar callouts. Usually, the content in a sidebar changes from page to page or from section to section. In comparison, the footer area, which also works with widgets, is intended to display information that does not change across the entire site, no matter what page you are on, such as a list of upcoming events or contact information.
Best Practices
- Use the sidebar area for information that is tangentially related to page or section content.
- Use the footer area for information that should be available across the entire website.