Web navigation is one of the key elements of a successful online business. Well-organized, intuitive, and efficient web navigation can significantly increase conversions and sales. Therefore, despite the fact that website navigation may seem like a minor detail, its importance should not be underestimated.
There is nothing more frustrating for a website visitor than confusing and inconvenient navigation. If a user cannot quickly find the desired information or product, they are likely to leave the website and never come back. Losing a customer means losing a sale, losing profit, and losing market share.
Therefore, creating a clear and logical structure for web navigation should be one of the main priorities in website development. Web navigation should be simple, intuitive, and offer the user the most relevant options for continuing their journey on the site.
In order to create effective web navigation, several important factors should be taken into account:
1. Page hierarchy
The structure of the website should be organized hierarchically. The main sections should be clearly visible on the main menu, and sub-sections should be on secondary menus or dropdown lists. This way, the user can easily navigate the site and easily navigate to the desired sections.
2. Visibility of current position
The user should be able to see which section of the website they are in, in order to feel comfortable and confident. This can be achieved by highlighting the active section or by using breadcrumbs - a navigation element that shows the user the path from the homepage to the current location.
3. Search
Some users prefer to use search to quickly find the information or products they need. Therefore, the search tool should be visible and easily accessible on all website pages. Additionally, search results should be accurate and relevant, so that the user can find exactly what they were looking for.
4. Minimum number of clicks
User experience suffers from having to go through too many steps to find the desired information or product. The more clicks required, the higher the chance that the user will get lost or get tired of searching and leave the site. Therefore, it is important to minimize the number of clicks required to achieve the user's goal.
5. Obvious and understandable names
Section and link names in the navigation should be clear and understandable. The user should immediately understand what the section or page is about, in order to decide whether they need to go there or not.
6. Mobile adaptation
With the increasing number of mobile device users, it is important to ensure that web navigation on the site also works well on mobile devices. Navigation elements should be clear and easily clickable even on the small screen of a touch device.
7. Testing and analysis
No navigation can be perfect from the beginning. Therefore, it is important to test the navigation and get feedback from users to find out what works and what doesn't. Additionally, analytics can help identify the most popular pages and sections that require additional optimization.
Successful web navigation can increase conversions and sales, retain users on the site, and improve the user experience. Therefore, sufficient attention should be paid to this aspect in website development and maintenance. Without losing customers, you can significantly increase the profit and success of your online business.