| Traditionally the navigation menu is placed just below | | | | them to make a decision. Also, if you have many |
| the header area or on the left hand side of the web | | | | links, your visitor may get the impression that your |
| page. Usability studies have shown that web site | | | | site is complicated and difficult to navigate.If you |
| visitors instinctively look in these areas first.Wherever | | | | have only a few links, use mouse rollovers to visually |
| you decide to place your navigation menu, remember | | | | enhance your website. You will need to add some |
| that consistency is important. The most important | | | | Javascript that pre-loads the rollover images and then |
| thing is to place your navigation menu in the same | | | | add "onMouseover" events to your image links. |
| spot on every one of your web pages. If you use an | | | | Alternatively, use CSS for text rollovers that change |
| image to represent a navigational button, use the | | | | the link color when the mouse cursor hovers over a |
| same image and the same color for that image on | | | | link.Navigation links should be considered the most |
| each page of your website. For example, if you use | | | | important part of your website for two reasons:1) |
| an image of a green house in the left hand corner of | | | | They are used by your visitor to find content on |
| your web page as your "Home" navigational link, use | | | | your site.2) They are used by search engines to |
| the same green house image in the left hand corner | | | | spider your site.The reason users visit your site is to |
| of every one of your web pages to designate the | | | | get information. If visitors can't find the information |
| "Home" link.Your visitor should be able to find what | | | | they are searching for, they will click away, perhaps |
| they are looking for within 3 clicks of your home | | | | never to return again.While different search engines |
| page. This is usually not a problem for small sites. | | | | have different rules on how they spider and rank a |
| However, if you have a large site with many pages, | | | | site, basically a "bot" or "spider" will visit a site, search |
| you will need to design a navigation menu that | | | | for a "HREF" link and follow the links to other pages, |
| provides access to all areas of your website without | | | | indexing the pages as it goes along. If the "bot" or |
| getting your visitor lost or confused.You may want | | | | "spider" doesn't find a "HREF" tag on a page, it is |
| to use a bread crumb trail type of navigation system | | | | blocked from going any deeper into the site. As you |
| for large sites (Homepage > Category > | | | | can see, you need to design your navigational |
| Subcategory > Content). Another option is to use a | | | | system so that a search engine can spider all pages |
| dynamic menu that changes according to the page | | | | of your website.When designing your website, take |
| your visitor is, but be aware that search engines may | | | | the extra time to design a good navigational system. |
| not be able to spider sites using dynamic | | | | It is vital to your success!Visit Website Hosting IQ to |
| menus.Usability studies have shown that a navigation | | | | find out everything about building and hosting your |
| menu should contain no more than 8 links. The more | | | | website. We have all the latest news from the best |
| choices a user is given, the more difficult it will be for | | | | Website Hosting Companies and Domain Registrars. |