Website navigation can make or break your website. When your website has good navigation, visitors can find the answers to their questions right away. Bad navigation frustrates users and causes them to bounce off your site, perhaps never returning again. So how can you create smooth, intuitive navigation that meets your visitors’ needs?
Below are some of our best tips for designing a fluid experience for web users.
Place Top-Level Pages in Your Main Menu
Your main menu is prime real estate so you want to make the most of this space. While it might be tempting to include every single page on your main navigation, this probably isn’t the best idea. Instead, include your top-level pages in your main menu:
- Home
- About Us
- Products/Services
- Blog
- Contact Us
If you want to add more content, consider drop-down menus. This way, you’ll have space to link more pages that fall under these categories. Also, remember that there are certain pages you’re required to include, such as privacy policies and terms and conditions. They can be placed in your footer since they don’t provide value in top level navigation.
Tips for Effective Website Navigation
Once you have your main menu set up, you’ll want to fine tune your navigation to ensure visitors are able to find what they need in a few clicks or less. Here are some tips for creating an intuitive experience for users:
- Use straightforward language for menu items. For example, “Blog” is better than “News.”
- Choose a menu that works across all devices. More people are using their smartphones to access websites and they prefer the hamburger menu.
- Keep all important messaging and calls to action above the fold.
- Include a search bar so that people can find what they’re looking for right away.
- Limit yourself to seven or less top menu items. The short term memory has a capacity of seven items.
- Utilize the footer section of your website for links that don’t fit in your main navigation.
Magna Technology has extensive experience designing and developing websites. We can help you choose a template that offers the straightforward navigation you’re looking for. Or we can update your current site so that it’s more simple and intuitive for customers. Contact us today and let’s chat!
