Web Site Navigation - How To Make It Visitor-Friendly Using intuitive web site navigation techniques will greatly improve the usability of your web site, and therefore user satisfaction and return rates. By intuitive navigation, I mean some sort of menu, map or list that is instantly understandable to most visitors to your web site. One of the first points to making a site easy to navigate is to have a consistent menu that is on every page. By having a menu that is on every page of your site, users can move from each section from any other section, without having to go back to a home page or menu page. Site map Another useful website element, and one that's missing in many business web sites, the site map is a web page that contains a hierarchical, top-down, organized list of all the sections, or pages, on your website. It's a road map through your web labyrinth, which can get you where you want to go more directly, that is, quicker (especially to access links). It can also make up for any design 'sins' on your menu. And for many left brainers, like myself, it is sometimes the preferred route. Subtitle index For those large pages on your web site, which require page scrolling, it is preferable to include subtitles in your copy, for readability. Repeating these subtitles at the top of your page, linked to the subtitle in the copy, makes it easier for visitors to access or return to those sections of the copy that most interest them. Back to top link Again, for large pages on your web site, having 'Back to top' links, between subtitles, or at the very least the bottom of your page's copy, allows visitors to return to the top of your web page with one click, without the need to scroll. Text links Whether it's a menu item or other link throughout your web site, the use of simple and efficient text links is the preferred navigation method in most instances. There's an overabundance of fancy and impressive buttons, graphics and rollovers available for navigating your web site. However, this is an area where it is mindful to employ the wellknown K.I.S.S. method for keeping things simple. Text links are much faster loading than images. Now, for fast broadband internet access, the difference between text and image load may be negligible. However, there are still many potential customers out there still surfing on slow connections. For them, the difference can be significant. So, until we are all on the same connection page, you would do well to accommodate all visitors. In addition, text navigation menus can contribute relevant text for the search engines, which image navigation bars cannot. And of course, text is often easier than an image for understanding the purpose of the link. Just remember - on the web, and for your internet business, it is always preferable to err on the side of efficiency over impressiveness. Page footer menu As we have our menu items at the top (or side) of all our web pages, why would we want to repeat them at the bottom of every page? Well, in addition to providing your visitors with just another, alternative, option for navigating your website, there are two instances when placing your menu on your page footer is more an essential, than a 'nice to have'.
1. If you insist on using graphics for your main menu items, the inclusion of a text menu on the page footer aids both reader view ability and understanding, and ensures that search engine spiders can see you. 2. Placing your menu on a frame is an easy way to ensure that your menu items stay fixed and in sight, even as you're scrolling through a long web page. However, although there are many advantages to using frames on your web site, there are disadvantages as well. Although more detail on the pros and cons is fodder for another article, let's just say there are many web sites that prefer not to use frames. In such instances, scrolling down a long page will also scroll your menu items, sometimes out of sight. A page footer menu provides a convenient way to access these items without the necessity for scrolling back up the page. Containing an abundance of particulars, a context-rich web site can be a dense, confusing and intimidating jungle of information for internet visitors. However, by using time-tested intuitive navigation techniques, you can turn potential chaos (and lost customers) into a smooth and pleasant ride across the web superhighway. For more information, you may visit: http://tinyurl.com/n2azlj