What is a Header and Role of a Header?
Header is the first thing which loads and re-presents your site or blog. We can say that the Header is the Brain of any website or blog. Header contains the main scripts (optional) and imports the necessary styling sheet along with the Navigation Menu (in most of the cases).
Also, don’t forget the Logo which becomes your unique identity around the world and finally the Title of our Site or Blog along with the description. Finally, Header ends with the opening container of the body in which rest of the content including Sidebar section till the Footer section is covered.
How to reduce page load with Header Options?
Header is the beginning of the page and therefore it contains the necessary imports of Styling Sheets and other Scripts, but to keep site load faster we must take care of Header by loading lesser scripts as we can. These scripts generally make pages heavier in size which unfortunately increases the page load time. The page load time depends on the bandwidth of the internet as the page size is the amount that browser will need to download.
See: How to test page size, page loading speed etc.
Now, you must be thinking if scripts are not loaded then, site or page won’t function properly. Simple solution to this is adding scripts in the Footer section as most of the scripts are accessed for additional features and thus loads better in Footer Section too. When scripts will be loaded in Footer section the page till Body section will load faster making page visible and readable and finally after the content is published, later the scripts will be loaded and will start its functions.
How to customize Header to improve Site or Blog?
Your header must contain a Navigation Menu as the navigation in Header than on Sidebar make easy navigation and also improves Site’s Visibility. The Navigation Menu can be placed under the Site’s Logo and/or Banner to drop down it than aligning to the top (can be ignored easily).
See more about Footer Features and Advantages
Things to be considered for creating a Good Header
The Header must not fall too long as it is the most common practice that people fills too much in header that most of the times full page view takes whole Header first and visitor requires to scroll to reach the main content.
Remember if you are trying to publish some important or common info try using Sidebar wherever applicable as this want irritate visitor and shall allow a portion of content to be visible whenever a page is turned on.
Your Header shall not exceed half the page (in height) which is around 300px to 350px in most of the Screen Resolution, as minimum height for a Computer Screen is 600px in case of (800*600) which is not in use now, but now-a-days most of the screen Resolution has increased at least 720px according to which keeping 350px height of Header is Enough.
Do Header supports widgets?
Yes, depending on different themes and templates they do support Widgets. but I really don’t like to uses a widget in Header as firstly they can make Page Load heavier as Widgets makes Functions Call and another thing is Header with widgets make a Fish Markets where your sources competes each other and the visitors ignores the fighters (LOL…)