Components: Sidebar

Guides sidebar design for content sites (blogs, docs). ~80% of users focus on the left; sidebars influence flow but can hurt conversion if overused. Posts without sidebars show 3.1x higher conversion; bottom-right sticky CTAs outperform sidebars (5.62% vs 0.58% CTR).

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1-2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Initial Assessment

Check for product marketing context first: If .claude/product-marketing-context.md or .cursor/product-marketing-context.md exists, read it for content structure and conversion goals.

Identify:

Content type: Blog, docs, e-commerce
Primary goal: Navigation, CTA, related content
Mobile: Collapse to hamburger or hide on small screens

Best Practices

Placement

Left sidebar: Prime for nav; 80% of users focus left
Right sidebar: Secondary content, ads, related posts
Static vs sticky: Static for content-focused; sticky for persistent CTA (subscription, cart)

Conversion Reality

Approach	Typical result
Sidebar CTA	<1% opt-in for blog sidebars
In-content CTA	3x+ higher conversion
Bottom-right sticky	5.62% CTR vs 0.58% sidebar
No sidebar	3.1x higher conversion vs with sidebar

Recommendation: Prefer in-content CTAs or bottom-right sticky over sidebar CTAs. Use sidebar for nav and discovery, not primary conversion.

Widget Guidelines

One high-value CTA max; avoid clutter
Social proof: Testimonials, logos
Popular/related posts: Discovery, internal linking
Avoid: Too many ads, affiliate links; reduces trust and speed

Mobile

Collapse: Hamburger or off-canvas drawer
57%+ mobile traffic: Responsive design non-negotiable
Reduce clutter: Hide or simplify sidebar on small screens

Output Format

Placement (left/right, static/sticky)
Widget list (nav, CTA, related, social proof)
Mobile behavior
Conversion note (in-content vs sidebar CTA)

Related Skills

toc-generator: TOC often in sidebar for long content
cta-generator: Sidebar CTA (use sparingly)
newsletter-signup-generator: Sidebar signup; consider in-content instead
internal-links: Related posts in sidebar