Stop Making Your Customers Work to Find Your Phone Number
I see it every single day here in Brisbane. A local plumber, electrician, or lawyer spends thousands of dollars on a flashy new website, but when I open it on my phone, I have to scroll for ten seconds just to find their contact details.
If a potential customer has to hunt for a way to contact you, they won’t. They’ll hit the 'back' button and call the next guy on Google.
In the world of web design, we talk about "sticky" elements. Put simply, this means parts of your website—like your phone number or your book-a-quote button—stay fixed on the screen while the customer scrolls down the page.
Whether you’re a landscaper in Carindale or a boutique shop in Paddington, your website has one job: to get people to contact you. If your website isn't doing that, you're just paying for a digital brochure that no one is reading.
In this guide, I’m going to break down the different ways you can use these "sticky" features to make sure you never miss a lead again. We'll look at what works, what’s a waste of money, and how to tell if your current site is costing you business.
The “Floating” Phone Number: Your Best Friend for Mobile Leads
Most of your customers are looking for you on their phones while they’re on the go. If they’ve got a burst pipe or they need a solicitor fast, they don't want to read your 'About Us' page. They want to hit a button and hear a human voice.
The Sticky Header
This is the most common approach. As the user scrolls down, the menu at the top of the site stays put.The Pro: Your business name and phone number are always visible. The Con: On small phone screens, a thick header can take up 20% of the screen. If it’s too big, it’s annoying.
I’ve seen dozens of Brisbane businesses get this wrong by making the logo too big in the sticky header. Your logo doesn't pay the bills; your phone ringing does. Keep it slim and make sure the 'Call Now' button is the brightest thing on the screen.
The Bottom Sticky Bar
This is my personal favourite for local service businesses. It’s a small bar that sits at the very bottom of the phone screen with two buttons: "Call Now" and "Get a Quote."Why it works: It’s right where the customer’s thumb naturally sits. It doesn't get in the way of the text they are reading, but it’s always there. We’ve found that small website tweaks like this can often result in an immediate jump in the number of enquiries you get without spending a cent more on advertising.
Comparison: Sticky Menus vs. Standard Menus
Let’s be blunt: standard menus that disappear when you scroll are a relic of the 2000s. Unless you are running a high-end fashion blog where the "vibe" matters more than sales, you need some form of sticky navigation.
The Standard Approach (Disappearing Menu)
How it feels: The customer reads your services, gets to the bottom of the page, and then has to scroll all the way back up to find the 'Contact' link. The Result: High frustration. Many people just give up. If you are wondering why your shop isn't selling, it might be because you've made the checkout or contact process a chore. Cost: Usually the default for cheap templates.The Sticky Approach (Follow-me Menu)
How it feels: No matter where the customer is on the page, the "Book Now" button is an inch away from their finger. The Result: More clicks, more calls, and more profit. It removes the "work" from the buying process. Cost: Any decent web developer can set this up in an hour or two. It’s a tiny investment for a massive return.The "Back to Top" Button: Is it Actually Useful?
You’ve seen them—the little arrow in the bottom corner that shoots you back to the top of the page.
Honestly? For most small business websites, they are a waste of space. If your page is so long that someone needs a shortcut to get back to the start, your page is probably too long.
Instead of a "Back to Top" button, just make your main 'Call' button sticky. Why send them back to the top of the page when you can just give them what they want right where they are?
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Sales
I’ve been doing this long enough to know that more isn't always better. Here is where I see Brisbane business owners go wrong with sticky elements:
1. Too Much Clutter: I’ve seen sites with a sticky header, a sticky bottom bar, and a sticky "Chat with us" bubble. By the time all that loads, the customer can only see three lines of actual text. It’s claustrophobic. Pick one primary action and stick to it. 2. Slow Loading Times: If your sticky bar is "heavy" or poorly coded, it can make your whole site lag. If you want to stop losing customers, you need to make sure these features don't slow down your site's loading speed. 3. Hiding Content: Sometimes a sticky header is set up poorly and it covers the top line of every paragraph. It looks amateur and tells the customer you don't care about the details.
How to Test if Your Website is Working
You don't need a degree in data science to see if your website is failing you. Do this right now:
1. Open your website on your own mobile phone. 2. Scroll down to the middle of your homepage. 3. Now, try to call your business.
How many taps did it take? If it took more than one, you are losing money. It’s that simple.
I spoke with a mechanic in Brendale last month who had a beautiful website, but the phone number was only on the 'Contact' page. We added a sticky 'Call Now' button to his mobile site, and his phone enquiries doubled in the first week. He didn't change his prices or his ads; he just made it easier for people to give him money.
What Should You Do First?
If you're looking at your site and realising it's a bit of a maze, don't panic. You don't necessarily need a $10,000 rebuild.
Step 1: Fix the Mobile View. Ask your web person to add a simple, high-contrast 'Call' button that stays at the bottom of the screen on mobile devices. This is the single highest-ROI change you can make.
Step 2: Slim Down the Header. If you have a sticky header on desktop, make sure it shrinks when the user scrolls. It should be a subtle reminder, not a giant block that takes up half the screen.
Step 3: Check the Colour. Your sticky button should be a "pop" colour. If your website is blue and white, make the button orange or green. It needs to stand out so the eye is naturally drawn to it.
Is This Worth the Money?
Let's talk brass tacks. Adding a sticky call bar or fixing your navigation usually costs between $200 and $500 depending on how your site was built.
If that change brings in just one extra job—one extra hot water system replacement, one extra legal consultation, or one extra floor sanding gig—it has paid for itself five times over.
Most marketing advice is about getting more people to your site. I’m telling you that you should focus on making sure the people already visiting your site actually turn into customers.
Summary of Approaches
| Feature | Best For | Business Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Sticky Mobile Bar | Tradies & Service Businesses | High - Directly increases phone calls |
| Sticky Header | Professional Services (Lawyers, Accountants) | Medium - Keeps your brand visible |
| Back to Top Button | Very long articles or blogs | Low - Rarely leads to a sale |
| Sticky 'Buy Now' | Online Shops | High - Reduces abandoned carts |
The Local Marketing Group Verdict
At the end of the day, your website isn't an art project. It’s a member of your sales team. If your sales rep hid in the back room and made customers hunt for them, you’d fire them. Don't let your website do the same thing.
Sticky navigation, when done right, is like a helpful shop assistant who is always standing exactly where the customer needs them. It’s not about being "fancy"; it’s about being useful.
If you're not sure if your website is up to scratch, or if you're tired of your phone not ringing despite having a "nice" website, let's have a chat. We help Brisbane businesses turn their websites into lead-generating machines without the technical fluff.
Ready to get more calls? Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s make it easy for your customers to find you.