Navigation is extremely important for your website. It's part of
your design, look, and feel. The right navigational tools will
create a user-friendly website, while a poorly mapped out
website can crush your success.
The following are some points to consider:
Presentation - Functionality - Familiarity -User-Friendliness
Place main website links at the top and bottom of every page,
or on the side and bottom, depending on your page layout.
The reason for this is so that visitors can instantly discover your
key features.
Some search engines cannot navigate through your entire site
through pictures, icons, or graphics. They need text links in
order to spider through your website.
Limit your navigational links to three clicks. So, say you're a
pet store. Your main links might look like this:
HOME - DOGS - CATS - CRITTERS - SPECIALS
These would be your main links. Your top links can be linked
pictures. The bottom links can be simple text links. The
following is how your next menu would look if your visitor
clicked the dog site.
DOGS
TOYS - FOOD - GROOMING
Your main links would still be available; however, your sub-menu
for the different dog links would now be visible. Let's take it one
link further.
TOYS
BALLS - CHEWS - SQUEAKY - STUFFED
In three clicks your customer has reached his desired goal.
Dogs/Toys/Squeaky. This should be your goal as well.
Nothing is more frustrating than having to click deeper and
deeper into a website to find what you need. If you're looking
for a dog squeaky toy, you shouldn't have to go through more
than a few clicks to get there.
Here's how your clicks might go:
Dog Toys - Small Squeaky Toys... you're there.
Unless the shop has too many of that type of squeaky toy and
you have to click for more squeaky toys to view, you should get
to the squeaky toy section or directory within a few clicks.
A large website should have a site map. (Our site map should
be up and running this week) A site map is a page that will direct
your customers to any place they want to go.
Don't place long descriptions on the site map. It's comparable
to a street map. Just the facts...err... links. Place a link to the
site map on each page.
This will allow your customers faster access. They will not
need to go back to your home page, especially if the site map
is created by adding a simple pop up window code.
Keep the main page no longer than two page lengths. If it's at
all possible your main page should be visible with little if any
scrolling. It's pretty hard to do, because most of us want our
customers to see everything all at once.
However, if you keep your main page focus on quick links, and
you don't crowd it with advertisements and other non-essentials,
you should be all right. Limit it to no longer than a two-page
viewing. A little scrolling is all right.
Main page should be fast loading. Nothing will kill your visits
faster than a slow loading web page. Keep your main page
simple. No more than a few pictures.
Remember you don't need to dazzle your customers with
animations and colorful banners and pictures. Believe me...
the people who know this fact are making millions...
YES, MILLIONS! Their web sites are simple and FAST loading.
Place "Back to Top" links on long scrolling pages, FAQ, or
other subject type references.
Place a "Back to Top" link at the bottom of long scrolling web
pages to keep your customers happy. This makes navigation
so much nicer and it's a crowd pleaser.
Place targeted links. FAQ targeted links is a good example.
Use targeted links for anything in this type of setting.
A targeted link will take your customer straight to the
subheading of interest. Use targeted links especially where
you have many subheadings or frequently asked questions.
Remember, an easily navigated website will impress your
visitors. A poorly designed web site will create a frustrated
visitor who will not want to come back.
About the Author
Chrisi Darrington.
For more help with web
design, tips, and strategies, visit: http://www.netwoozy.com
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