How to provide the best navigation on your website?

 Navigation is an essential element of your website because it is a reflection of your brand. It also tells users where they are and allows them to access information.

Poorly designed navigation can have serious consequences: visitors will end up leaving and perhaps never return to your site.

So, how do you offer the best navigation to your users? Follow the leader.

Why is good navigation so important?

What is website navigation?

Navigation on a website corresponds to the different pages that make it up and the links that are made between them. Internal links lead to pages on the same site, and external links lead to different pages on other sites.

Good navigation is therefore essential, as it lets users know where they are on your website and how to find what they are looking for as quickly as possible.

The benefits of good navigation

Well-thought-out navigation brings many advantages! Your visitors will spend more time on your website than if they get lost and give up after just a few seconds…

The user experience is therefore significantly improved. Your visitors spend more time on your website, find what they are looking for and come back!

Depending on the objective of your website (such as, for example, selling an item or a service), well-designed navigation will more easily lead your users to do what you want them to do. If you have an e-commerce business, you will more easily convert your visits into purchases.

Possible navigation models

Before giving you some advice, it is important to remember that navigation on a website can be done according to different models.

1. Tabs

Tabs are very popular and are also found on mobiles, at the top or bottom of the screen.

They allow you to organize the content of a menu according to the same hierarchical level.

2. Vertical navigation

The vertical menu is a growing trend in web design. In principle it is found on the left side of the screen.

This type of menu can take up a lot of space on the screen but allows you to list your content in several levels.

3. The hamburger menu

This type of menu first appeared on mobile sites but is now increasingly used for all media.

Its composition is very simple: three small horizontal bars which reveal the entire menu when clicked.

4. The button

Just because it's not a menu type doesn't mean the button isn't a navigation element, quite the contrary.

The button invites the user to perform an action (download a file, register, etc.) and it must be clearly visible on the web page.

5. Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs are often used as a secondary menu to help the user find their way around the site.

This type of navigation reminds you at all times where the user is on the site.

How to successfully navigate your site?

Now that you know the different navigation models, let's get to the heart of the matter. Here are some tips for successfully navigating your site .

1. Offer clear navigation

As we mentioned above, navigation allows a user to have access to information. He must therefore know at all times where he is and where he can go.

You should use clear navigation elements to make it easier for the user to understand.

For example, highlight the currently viewed page in the menu. Likewise, your button should look like a button: users should immediately understand that they can click to take an action.

The words used in your menu are also very important since they contribute to the SEO of your site. It is therefore necessary to use precise titles. Visitors should have a general idea of ​​what to find on a page before they even click on a navigation link. This is true whether it is a main navigation link (a tab for example) or an internal link. If you sell shoes, don't put a link called "Products", but write "Shoes" to redirect to your product page.

2. Consider user goals

What are your visitors' expectations?

If their goal is to purchase a product, ask yourself how to guide them to your products as quickly as possible. Or how to encourage them to buy. If their goal is to obtain information or help, determine the navigation that will allow them to contact you, for example.

Whatever the objectives of your users, you will need to determine scenarios and then set up navigation paths.

3. Use mega menus

To prevent your users from missing certain parts of your site, it is preferable to use mega menus. At a glance, they will be able to see your different sections and pages. This type of menu is also recommended if your site has many pages.

4. Add navigation clues

Your navigation is not just a menu.

Many other elements can be added:

• A button to return to the top of the page when your user is at the bottom
• Your brand logo
• A breadcrumb trail
• The date of the article
• Icons
• The title of the page viewed, etc.

5. Keep it simple

When it comes to navigation, don't reinvent the wheel, but on the contrary use web conventions. Users will quickly understand your navigation if it matches that of most websites.

Navigation conventions work so well that you can look at a website in a completely different language and still find part of it.

6. Test navigation

If you followed the previous tips, that's great. But it's essential to test your navigation to make sure your real users understand it and feel comfortable.

You can create prototypes, many tools exist such as JustinMind and Proto.io , and you can test several types of navigation to see which is the most optimal.

7. Link the logo to the homepage

This may seem very obvious, but it is not uncommon to find sites that forget it…

It is customary to place the logo in the upper left corner or centered at the top and link this logo to the home page. This is, again, a convention that is best followed, as it is widely applied and used.

Conclusion

By keeping in mind that navigation is not just the menu of your site and by taking into account the objectives of your users, you will offer a very good user experience. Remember the most important thing: keep it simple and test and evaluate what works best for you and your users.