| Clear and easy navigation is a central part of | | | | testimonials, return, guarantee, privacy and warrantee |
| effective website design. Effective navigation can | | | | policies, credentials, discount and promotional offers, |
| enhance user experience, build trust and loyalty and | | | | contact information, shipping cost, tracking |
| add to your client base. Conversely, difficulty in | | | | information, site maps and the like. |
| accessing information and outdated links can greatly | | | | Personalizing Navigation |
| degrade the reputation of your business and make | | | | It is always a good practice to personalize your |
| you lose your customers. | | | | website design and navigation to make your web |
| Before you start designing your website, determine | | | | pages more intuitive. Let us say you run a pet care |
| the number of pages it will have, the content of | | | | service. Navigation buttons at the top of the page |
| each page and how the pages will be linked to each | | | | may include Home, Cat owners, Dog owners, |
| other. Linked pages should use consistent font styles, | | | | Services, Rates, Contact. The faster your customers |
| graphics and colors. You can also look at the styles, | | | | can navigate through your website and find what |
| colors and graphics of other popular websites and | | | | they are looking for, the more likely you are to get |
| how they change from one link the next. There | | | | repeat visits from them. |
| should never be any conflicting information on linked | | | | Adding Links for Alternative Online Payment Methods |
| pages, as this can negatively influence your | | | | If you are selling products or services through your |
| reputation and diminish your client base. Additionally, a | | | | website, you should provide your customers with an |
| web page must have all relevant links to enhance | | | | alternative payment option. This could include an |
| customer experience and satisfaction. | | | | online order form and fax line or toll-free number. |
| Quick and Easy Search | | | | This gives cautious customers who do not want to |
| Your website should be designed in a way that it | | | | use their credit cards online, an excellent payment |
| facilitates quick and easy search of desired | | | | option. This link should be included along with all other |
| information. In general, it should not take more than | | | | payment links. |
| two to three clicks for customers to access the | | | | Testing your Navigation Scheme |
| required information. If they cannot easily find what | | | | Once you implement a navigation scheme, get your |
| they are looking for, and have to browse through | | | | friends, family and customers to test it out. Get |
| several pages before reaching their search items, | | | | people of different ages and backgrounds to use |
| they will get bored and turn their attention to other | | | | your website and evaluate the link and navigation |
| websites. Easy search capabilities make visitors' | | | | structure. Their feedback will help you to assess its |
| browsing experience an enjoyable one. | | | | effectiveness and how it can be improved and |
| As a rule of thumb, do not use more than five | | | | refined. Further, your website links should be |
| navigation bars. Additionally, provide options for your | | | | functional on more than one browser, for instance, |
| customers to review previously viewed content | | | | Firefox and Internet Explorer. |
| areas without having to use three or four links. In | | | | Monitoring Links |
| other words, it is always advisable to provide a link | | | | Regularly monitor your links to ensure proper |
| to the homepage on every web page of your site. | | | | functionality. Outdated links are annoying and may |
| Site maps can help customers and search engines to | | | | seriously affect your business reputation. |
| find web pages on your sites. | | | | Simplicity and logical consistency in your navigation |
| Selecting Navigation Links | | | | design makes it easy for customers to search |
| Depending on the types of your business, you may | | | | desired pages and also puts your business in the best |
| need to provide links to different elements. The | | | | light and wins loyalty for your brand. |
| commonly highlighted elements include customer | | | | |