Web Site Navigation Best Practices - Navigation Design Guidelines
By: Cynthia Pinsonnault
|
| Poor navigation makes us think. Better navigation makes us think less. Great navigation is so obvious we don't have to think at all. This is such an important concept that Web usability author, Steve Krug, titled his book, Don't Make Me Think. That is the bottom line answer to every question about Web site navigation. How much thinking do we not want to do? If someone who's been living in a cave since the Web took off, can get online and figure out what a site is all about without help, that is just about the right amount of thinking. |
|
That may be a silly example, but worrying about PageRank and not worrying about usability, is a waste of time, effort and finances. Yes, get visitors to the site, but don't let them sit staring at the page, trying to figure out what to do next, or where to go, or how to find what they're looking for. If the back button to the search results is the only thing that's easy to find and use on the page, guess what. That's the button that will be used.
Today, in about ten minutes on the Web, I came across two common examples of poor navigation:
On the site of a major software company a link that goes like this:
Main nav link: PRODUCTS > Sub link: CopyDesk > Sub link: undefined (doesn't link to anything)
On the site of a national printing company: three links to "business cards" in three different navigation bars all on the same page. Only after waiting for all three to load do I learn that they all go to the same place: an order form. None of the three gives me more information.
The solution.Solutions to navigation problems are not always easy. Large, complex sites may have no choice but to offer multiple navigation. Sites with lots of pages and lots of links may need additional work to address these challenges. And then there's all the juggling to include search engine optimization. Some compromises may have to be made. Yet, keeping the user in mind, clarifying choices and eliminating confusion whenever possible, not only makes for happier site visitors, it offers the bonus of also helping search engines. |
Navigation that makes us think:Multiple navigation with duplicate or conflicting links. Vague links or links that don't go anywhere. Current page is not indicated. No navigation on page, forcing use of back button to get out. Active links to the current page. Not linking directly to the item named. Navigation that reflects the company's structure rather than division or classification meaningful to content and user goals.
Navigation that doesn't make us think:All pages have at least basic site navigation. The navigation indicates the current page. Meaning of link text is clear and each is unique. All links go somewhere specific and unique. Categories related to product or service offered, not company organization. Repetitive links, if absolutely necessary, are clearly indicated as repetitive.
If something is hard to use it doesn't get used very much.
|
|
| Would you like more leading edge tips and tools for effective graphic design, Web site development and search engine optimization, brand marketing and communication? Then learn more about [http://www.pinscreative.com]small business marketing and advertising at pinscreative.com. Read our [http://www.pinscreative.com/enewsletter.php] Flourish Newsletter or subscribe to the [http://pinscreative.blogspot.com]Ballyhoo Blog for more information and tips on marketing, graphic design and Website development. |
Website Navigation and Layout
|
Sitemaps and SEO
|
For those who don't devote too much time on the SEO of their site - this is a good place to start. By submittíng a sitemap to various search engines, you are telling them that you exist and what pages your site has to offer the World Wide Web. |
How to Make Easy Website Navigation
|
Navigation is how visitors get around your site. If your navigation is unclear then your visitors will get frustrated and go away. |
Navigational Options for Your Website
|
There are many types of navigation methods to choose from. You must carefully consider the layout of your site so you can choose the system that will work best. |
Web Site Navigation Best Practices
|
A great user experience will bring visitors back. Navigation is a key element in the user experience. |
Developing a Theme for your Website
|
Every website should have some type of theme or a way of giving your site an identifying look. When visitors come to your website they should be presented with an experience that they will remember. |
Website Navigation and Theme
|
Have you ever visited a website where you keep clicking on links, hoping you are going to find that information you're looking for, only to be led to more pages of links. |
Tips for Improving Website Navigation
|
In order for visitors to find the right information, a website's navigation path needs to be clear. |
Professional Webpage Layout
|
The layout of your webpages says a lot about you and your message. Good webpage layout is the key to a successful website. |
Web Site Design Layout - Five Common Elements
|
Your web site design layout largely depends on the type of website you're building. A sales page, for example, has different requirements than a landing page, and a landing page has different requirements than a niche web page. |
Web Page Design Ideas - How to Use Graphics Creatively
|
Keep your web site design simple, and never lose sight of what you want your visitors to do when they arrive. |
Website Design - 3 Pointers For Color You Must Consider
|
The correct use of color in your website design is paramount to ensure your site is not plain and uninteresting or on the other spectrum too busy, glaring and difficult to look at for a period of time. |
|
Creating a Basic Web Design Template
|
A "template" is simply a design format which you can apply to all (or most) of the pages in your web site. |
|
|
|
|
|
_archives_ribb.gif){kind=small}
Copyright© 1999 - 2010