Tips & Warnings for Effective Website Navigation.
Your website's navigation menu is crucial for digital marketing success. It significantly influences search rankings, lead generation, and overall user experience. Beyond these, it shapes brand perception, affects ease of updates, impacts accessibility, and influences analytics. The choices you make in your navigation have a far-reaching impact on various aspects of your website's performance, emphasizing the importance of thoughtful planning for optimal results.
1. Use descriptive navigation labels
Optimize your website navigation for success. Replace vague labels like "What we do," "Products," and "Services" with descriptive keyphrases. This not only boosts SEO and traffic but also enhances usability and conversions, ensuring visitors quickly understand your offerings.
Search engines strive to present users with the most relevant results for their queries. When a website uses generic terms like "Products," "Services," or "Solutions" in its navigation, it misses an opportunity to convey to search engines what the site is specifically about. As a result, the website may not rank well for specific searches related to its actual offerings.
From a usability and conversions standpoint, clear and descriptive navigation labels immediately inform visitors about what the company does and what it offers. This clarity helps users find the information or products they're looking for more quickly and easily, enhancing their overall experience on the site.
2. Avoid format-based navigation labels
Navigation labels tell visitors the format of the content. Other labels tell visitors the topic of the content. Here are some examples that show the difference.
Formats: Articles, Videos, White-papers, Webinars, Infographics.
Topics: Wilderness Navigation, Marine Navigation, Survival & Safety, Cartography Tips
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3. Avoid little drop-down menus
Avoid small drop-down menus for better usability. Visitors decide to click before reaching the menu, causing a mental hiccup. Drop-downs can also lead to skipping crucial pages. Opt for "mega menus" instead - larger drop-downs resembling mini sitemaps. Research indicates these perform well, offering extensive options and justifying the momentary friction for users.
4. Add a call to action to your header
For effective user engagement, place a contact button in the header, commonly found in the top right of websites. It's a standard practice, with 55% of marketing websites following suit. Enhance visibility by using a contrasting color. Consider adopting a compelling call-to-action (CTA) like "Get Started," as demonstrated on this global human resources website.
Absolutely, the choice of words can significantly impact clickthrough rates. Opt for specific and descriptive button labels to enhance user engagement. For example:
5. Group items when there are more than seven
Limiting the number of links in your main navigation is beneficial for two reasons. Firstly, it improves user experience by avoiding clutter and overwhelming visitors. Secondly, it aids search engine optimization (SEO) by focusing on key, descriptive labels that convey relevance, thus enhancing the website's ranking potential.
Fewer items in your navigation are good for visitors
Minimize the items in your navigation for better user scanning and processing. Beyond seven items, information becomes visually overwhelming. Consider grouping related items to maintain clarity and prevent visitors from overlooking important content.