Poor website navigation can be a real flop
Have you ever had a negative online user experience? Maybe (and not for lack of trying) because you couldn’t find the page you were looking for?
Or perhaps the checkout process was all over the place, and the confusion it caused made you give up on the purchase?
Whatever the reason, at least you can make sure those that come to your site don’t suffer the same frustration. How do you ask? That’s easy – by simplifying your website navigation.
What is website navigation?
Website navigation refers to user flow. It’s about creating ease of access for your users so they can easily move from page to page without getting confused (or crabby!).
If website navigation didn’t exist, potential customers visiting your site wouldn’t be able to find what they’re looking for. EVen with the best About, Contact, Blog and Shop pages, without website navigation, these pages would be forever lost in the virtual abyss.
Every page on your website needs to be easily accessible, and it should take a maximum of 3 clicks for visitors to find what they need.
Making your website easier to navigate
1. Plan out your navigation steps BEFORE implementing them
This goes for anything. If you were a builder, you’d know that everything is measured twice and cut once. The same goes for your website. Plan and test your website navigation before coding it into your website.
2. Make sure your menu is clearly labelled
Don’t use a euphemism or a synonym – just say it like it is. Use terms that are easy to understand and remember that when it comes to menu tabs, less is always more. You can utilise dropdown submenus, grouped by category, to display more of your pages.
3. Utilise your footer
Footers are a great place to store all of the pages on your website. Whether you’ve got 5 or 35 pages, displaying all of the links at the bottom of each page will enable users to find what they’re looking for eVen if it isn’t listed in the top menu.
4. Add a search bar
If despite your best efforts, your user still can’t find what they need, you can make it really easy for them by adding a search bar. That way, eVen if your links aren’t sending them to the right place, your website’s search function will.
5. Keep it simple
When potential customers first land on your page, you want them to feel welcomed – not overwhelmed. Keep things simple by sticking to industry conVentions. It’s okay to be a sheep and follow the rules of website navigation. It makes things easier for everyone involved.
Provide a positive user experience
Improving your website navigation will not only make things better for your users, but it can also improve your traffic flow, lead conversion and bounce rates.
With a website that’s easy to navigate across, you can provide your customers with a positive user experience to ensure that they keep coming back for more.
