Guide to Ideal Website Navigation

What's your website's Navigation Quotient? Give your site a point for each checklist item you've put into practice. Find out how your site measures up to standards of quality navigation. 

Site Structure

Well-structured websites make it easier to provide clear navigation. Prioritize content and organize your website into major areas, then, if necessary, into sub-topics. Provide links up and down the topic trees. The larger the site, the more need for easy links between sections. Section tabs, buttons, or links should be available on each lower level page.

Choices

How many navigation choices do you provide? Studies show that most Internet users develop personal navigation habits quickly. Some users prefer to navigate by menu, others prefer a search box. Offer your visitors a choice of navigation methods.

Do you use a javascript menu or applet for navigation? Fine, but make sure you also provide at least one non-javascript, non-applet method of navigation. Some of your site's potential visitors are very likely using browsers that are unable to comprehend or properly display your javascript or applet. Give those customers a chance to view your content by providing an easily found alternate menu or directory.

Page Layout

Consistency is the key. Navigational elements should be placed consistently throughout your website. Place menus in the same location on each page, and organize the menu choices in a standardized manner. Each menu should reflect the most likely choices of 'here to there'. It isn't necessary to list every single site page on every single menu. Some items, such as linking or website policies, generally need only be referenced from your top-level home page.

Navigational Elements

Offer navigation help in the form of labels. All navigational links should be clear and helpful. Provide an indication of what users will find when a link is selected. Helpful navigation elements can be buttons, arrows, text, or more complex sitemap graphics.

Breadcrumbs, the name for a line of links showing the current page and its relationship to the homepage and site as a whole, are one of the best navigation strategies you can employ. Breadcrumbs are most easily recognizable by the greatest number of Internet users.

Intuitive Navigation

Help your visitors out by using color and layout to define different sections of your website. While layout should be homogeneous enough to make each section recognizable as part of the same site, variance in colors, backgrounds, and shapes may be used to differentiate each website section or sub-topic. Don't overdo it. Subtle differences are enough to be perceived and understood subliminally.

Table of Contents

The more content your site contains, the more important it is to provide descriptions. A table of contents for each area or sub-topic can help your visitors and customers sift through the offerings.

Site Map / Directory

Provide a Site Directory. Prepare a textual outline or organized list of all website pages. This IS a navigational element which should be available from each website page.

Site Search

Even a six to ten page website can benefit from a search feature. Larger sites will find searches even more useful. FreeFind and Google offer free, customizable, (ad-supported) site search capability.

Dead Ends

Eliminate dead ends. Don't leave your visitors stranded on a page deep in your site. Always provide a method of getting back to higher levels and to your homepage. Any automated redirection should be handled carefully and considerately. Strive to avoid tampering with visitors' browser history or confusing their browser back buttons.

Usability Testing

TEST your navigation strategy. What may seem crystal clear to you may be confusing to others. If possible, watch users attempt to navigate through your site. As a simple test, prepare a short list of questions, or items to find, and have your testers locate the information or items in your pages. Watch closely in order to measure the degree of difficulty of retrieving that info, if unfamiliar with the site structure.

What's Your Score?

9-10 Admirable Navigation.
Your visitors and customers are well directed.

6-8 Good work.
You've considered navigation and ease of use.

5 or less.
Work on improving visitor/customer experience with a more comprehensive navigation scheme. 

SK Kor
Internet Marketing Consultant