When people hear the term “navigation” today, they
usually associate it with GPS and that map display that comes
with most systems giving you turn-by-turn directions and current
location. Let’s face it; with most websites today this
would come in quite handy.
Website navigation is the key to finding the information
you need with ease. In a time where accessing information
quickly has a direct correlation to repeat visitors, it is
vital for a website to have good navigation, so that people
will not become frustrated and leave the site. Simply put,
users want an easy way of getting around to find what they
need or learning about the site.
The navigation makeup of a site includes menus, hypertext
links, icons, buttons, and search engines. These tools enable
users to move about the site in search of information. The
ultimate objective of great website navigation is to have
a good idea of what the website is about without having to
click through several pages. If the navigation is simple
to comprehend, the user will probably stay on the site longer
and return because of the ease of use.
If you’re objective is to travel from Los Angeles
to San Francisco, you wouldn’t go through Texas to
get there. This is exactly the scenario difficult navigation
would yield. Users may perceive that a website is hard to
navigate if it does not have a good flow. Flow means that
the user has a seamless interaction with each click of the
mouse. For example, if I click on shop, the page should display
all options related to shopping and guide me by asking or
giving choices. A good flowing website will allow you to
go from one place to another without going back to the main
page. Attention is also important to navigation. If a website
has a lot of content and the user has to read it before knowing
where to go, this might be perceived as complex.
Companies should consider how users would navigate through
their site when creating the web pages. Remember, navigation
is useful because it helps users easily move through a site.
Easy navigation can save users time and frustration. To learn
more about how website navigation can improve your website
stickiness visit http://www.themarketinglady.com/.
Tarsha Polk, a.k.a. The Marketing Lady™ is a small
business marketing coach and consultant. She will guide the
business owner to Think Bigger, Broader, Differently, and
Smarter through marketing consulting and business coaching.
