Don’t you hate visiting a web site where the navigation is difficult or impossible to figure out? Don’t let your web site fall victim to this common mistake.
One of the easiest things to do is follow standard web design conventions. Put your links in the same place that most web designers do. It sounds boring and unoriginal, but it makes sense. There are lots of ways to make your site interesting and original. Hiding your navigation links should not be one of them!
Put your primary navigation panel down the right or left side of the page. Keep the tiles short and to the point. Your secondary links panel (things like Contact, About Us, Links) usually goes horizontally, across the top of the page, or just below the headline. Some designers put this panel across the bottom of the page, but it is not my favourite spot.
Your headline or logo, located near the top and/or the left of the page should also be a link; clicking on it should take you to your home page.
Remember, your home page is not always the first page your customers will visit. Search engines, or links from others, might take your customers to any page on your site. Make sure that the link back to your home page is clearly visible on every page. Or, even better, replicate your navigation panes on every page.
You can’t objectively check out the ease of navigation on your own page, you are just too familar with it. Ask friends or colleagues who are not familiar with your page to try it out. And go systematically through every page testing every link. There is nothing worse than having a customer click on a dead end link.
Do you need help designing an effective, easy to navigate web site? Give us a call for free, no obligation consultation.