Web site navigation

The design and organisation of a web site’s navigation is a fundamental aspect in a sites performance and future success. Poor navigation can be a big turn off for most visitors, often leading to them becoming lost in deeply rooted pages, and unable to locate the information they want. Well designed web site navigation will, however, deliver much greater success to the performance of the web site, leading to greater visitors, more page views and a much greater visitor experience.

Benefits of having a well structured and organised link structure:

• Retain visitors past the first page view, with a well designed and carefully organised link structure enticing visitors to explore more of the site. This increases; page views, time on site, possibility of sale, greater chance of bookmarking, and a much better experience for the visitor who may then recommend your web site to others.

• A clear design will show users which pages are the main category pages, and which are specific pages regarding individual topics. This aids both the visitor to the site in terms of ease of navigation, and also the web site owner for the organisation of future pages added.

• A more optimised site structure makes it easier for search engines to crawl. Internal link structure is a very important aspect in the performance of individual pages in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). Well structured navigation will aid in demonstrating to search engines, especially Google, which pages are the most important on your web site, and which are more specific pages regarding a component of the overall topic of the site.

It is clear that sound structure and organisation is the best policy for link structure, but how do we plan a web site, and its navigation, to ensure it is optimised?

• Include links to the web site’s main category pages along the top of the site, or running down the side of the web site. These links should be designed into the layout of the web site, and be displayed across all pages of the site. Between four and fifteen is common for these main category links, depending on the size and organisation of the web site. Ensuring these links are displayed across all pages will allow for visitors to have a consistent place to fall back to if they become lost within the site.

• Have a link to the homepage of the web site from every page across the entire site. As with the main category links, this ensures the visitor has the ability to navigate back to the homepage if they become lost, or wish to visit other areas of the web site.

• Display less important page links at the bottom of the pages, such as the contact, about us, and link pages. This will depend greatly upon the aspect of the web site in question, with many promotional sites requiring a visible link to the contact page to try to encourage visitor engagement

• Any page should be accessible to a visitor within three clicks from the current page. This becomes much easier with a well designed web site structure, and correct navigation in place.

• Include in-content links. Do not limit text links to the main navigation links; ensure there are plenty of internal links from within content, using the text content to provide descriptive link text.

• Breadcrumb links across the top of pages can quickly let visitors know where about they are within the site structure, and a method to navigate to the main category pages. These commonly follow a format such as, “Tesco Home > Online Shopping > Fruits and Vegetables > Apples”.

Following these simple steps can vastly improve visitor experience, and improve the future success of your online business. Webbed Feet UK has vast experience in designing well structured, easy to navigate web sites. Newly built web sites by Webbed Feet UK will contain a user friendly navigation system, which meets the requirements and specifications set by our clients. We also can redesign existing web sites if they are currently under performing and are in need of a restructuring.

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