Improve Website Navigation & Improve Your Conversion Rates
When people land on your website, they are typically looking for something specific. Help them find it by delivering amazingly easy navigation on your site.
Good website navigation leads to new customers and increased conversion rates. Poor website navigation causes frustration and anger. Which do prefer?
So, in the spirit of creating many happy site visitors and increasing your website’s conversation rates, here are 7 tips to better website navigation:
Keep it Consistent
By far, this is the most important tip. Once you decide on navigational protocols for your site, keep them consistent throughout the site. The more you change the navigation from section to section or page-to-page, the more you are making your site visitors work. The idea is to make it easy for them, not hard.
Offer Multiple Navigation Options
Give site visitors options for navigating through your site to find what they are seeking, and more site visitors will find it. For example, include text links, graphic links, drop-down menus, breadcrumb links, etc.
Avoid Right-Hand Navigation Systems
Web users intuitively expect your site navigation to be on the left-side of the page or at the top. Make it easy for them and stick to these guidelines.
Provide Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs show you a series of hierarchical links that the site visitor has used to go from page to page (For example: Products > Bicycles > Mountain Bikes), and can be extremely helpful for the site visitor interested in jumping back and forth between content.
Use Contextual Links
Include links in the actual body copy on the page to help your site visitors find contextually relevant, detailed information.
Include a Site Map
For certain personality types, seeing an overarching structure of the site is the easiest means for drilling down and finding what they are looking for, so be sure to include a Site Map in your website.
Use Clear, Concise Language
Don’t make your site visitors guess what your navigational items mean. Make it easy for them to understand what they can find by clicking on any navigational option.
These are just a few tips to help you create a great website that drives your revenue growth. If you need additional help, let me know below or at www.WebsiteMarketingNOW.com. Thanks!
July 15th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Tom,
Do you find our site easy to navigate?
July 16th, 2009 at 4:07 am
Chris, I quickly scanned your site at http://www.referralkey.com. Overall, I think the navigation is good. Well done.
There are a few instances where the navigation could be improved, though.
For example, when I clicked on “Join Today”, the main navigation system disappears. This was confusing and frustrating when I wanted to click to another page.
On several of your pages, there is a “Why Join ReferralKey” box in the left-hand column. When I click on the presented reasons to learn more, instead of being taken to further information I am instead taken to a registration form. This is counter-intuitive.
I think it’s important for websites to offer visitors an opportunity to contact the business and ask questions. The only way I found on your site to contact your business was through a link called “Feedback” in your footer — it took time to locate this. I recommend making it easier for site visitors to see how to contact you — don’t assume that all your visitors will read your footer.
You provide only one way for someone to contact you (an online form), but I would suggest adding a phone number and email address as well.
Also, I recommend that you add a site map.
I hope this is helpful.
-Tom
July 16th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I am a Hardgainer myself and I started a website for all the information needed by people about it and still getting knowledge as much as possible…This was very helpful to me..thanks!
July 16th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Hi Tom,
What do you think of our navigation? There are probably some things we could improve upon, but is anything that makes it particularly difficult in terms of usability.
Thanks!
July 17th, 2009 at 10:46 am
For all the wealth of information on the net, I enjoy your blog very much, and is very well put together. You might also find it helpful for your research and tip to go to youbeyourboss.com
July 20th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
The information provided in this article. Would you look at my website and give me your opinion. This is a temporary website that I put together to promote an upcoming conference; however, I might keep the current site if I can get some honest feedback on ways to improve it. Thanks.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:05 am
Charllie,
Nice idea for a website. Very cool.
In terms of navigation, upon landing on your site I immediately thought that your four phrases “Millions of Songs,” “Share and Download,” etc. were part of your navigation. I tried clicking through and was frustrated that none of these were links.
In the upper right corner of the page of your Music and Playlists pages, you have two similar user-entry search fields. It’s unclear what the difference is between these.
Also, it was difficult to find how to contact you with questions. I finally found two links in your footer, one for “Feedback” and one for “Contact.” However, they both take me to the same exact page. And upon arriving on such landing page, the only option to contact the company is through a non-linkable email address. This should be improved upon by offering multiple options to contact the business.
Hope that this is helpful.
Tom
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:32 am
on this page the navigation tools are on the right side!
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
For a company like us that is re-doing our website over, this information is invaluable. Thanks so much!
July 24th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Great tips! Have you read Steve Krugg’s “Don’t Make Me Think?” That’s one of my favorite books on web usability. Don’t know how well I actually implement the tips, but I try!
July 29th, 2009 at 6:37 am
instock - In my blog post, I was referring to a web page’s main navigation system, not secondary or tertiary systems. As you can see on this page within StartupNation.com, the main navigation is at the top of the page, very much in line with my recommendation.
Dave - Thanks for the feedback! I hope this information is truly useful as you redesign your site.
kimZ - Thanks! Yes, I completely agree. I think Steve Krugg’s book is very useful. Best of luck with implementation of the tips, and let me know of any questions or if I can be of service along the way.
August 11th, 2009 at 7:39 am
[...] Improve Website Navigation & Improve Your Conversion Rates By improving your website’s navigational structure, you are sure to increase your conversion rates and generate more results from your website. [...]