Web Design Basics – Pay Attention to Navigation
December 1, 2011
Drake Moore – Raleigh, NC
123Triad: Web Design & SEO Company
Web Design Basics – Pay Attention to Navigation
We have all been there. You visit a site, looking for specific information, and spend ages trying to find it, only to eventually give up and look elsewhere.
Include clear, easy to figure out links on your home page, and consider adding a search function to your site.
By making information easy to find, you will keep more visitors on your site, for longer, than if they have to search for ages to find what they are looking for!
Here are a few tips to help you get the navigation on your site right, first time:
Plan
Before you even get started, sit down with an old-fashioned piece of paper and a pencil, and plan the layout of your site. Having a clear picture of what you want, and where everything goes, will really help save time!
Categories and directory depth
Try to group information into broad categories, and try to keep directories and sub directories to no more than three “levels.” For example: home – products – home theater equipment – plasma screens.
Any more than that and visitors may get tired of incessant clicking to try to find the information they need.
Position and consistency
The best position for your navigation? Top or top left. This is where people expect to find your navigation, so make it easy and put it there!
Also, make your links consistent – same size, font and colour throughout. That makes them easy to find, and again, limits frustration!
Logo
Ideally, your logo, wherever it is displayed on your site, should have a link back to your home page. Make sure you have the same link throughout though!
Search function and site map
Adding a search box to your site is probably one of the best things you can do to improve navigation! Users can access information easily, and quickly. Both critical to keep visitors on your site!
Another great idea is to include a site map. A page of links to all information on your site, including the category and subcategory. Laying everything out on one page for visitors makes finding the information they want so much simpler!
By following these tips, you should make your site a breeze to navigate, and your visitors will thank you, if only by spending more time (and hopefully money!) on your site!
123Triad webdesign offers affordable custom website design. Our full service website design company only hires certified website designers. Please contact us today on 1-800-720-0816 for your next web site design project.
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