How often do you click on a website and click straight off when it doesn’t give you what you need?
Now, apply that to your own website. Will your visitors have that same issue?
This is why it’s essential to maintain a smooth navigation to hold your visitor’s interest, making it as simple as it can be for them to find what they’re looking for.
There are a few different ways to display your menu, and you should opt for the most suitable option for your site. These can include:
Top navigation
This is the typical navigation option, which features a banner of options going horizontally across the top of the site.
Sidebar
This option will display vertically, down one side of the screen.
Hamburger menu
This will usually be in one of the top corners of the site and, when clicked, will open up the full menu. It will display as three horizontal lines, reminiscent of a hamburger.
Mega menu
This will tend to be used in menus that have more options than you’d typically expect, and can even contain informative text and images.
Footer menu
This would typically be used in addition to one of the four options above, and is placed at the bottom of each page. This will contain important links such as the privacy policy and any contact information.
What should I consider when putting my menu together?
Create a sitemap
This is the general structure, and must be done in order to plan out your navigation, identifying how one option relates to another.
Limit the total number of options
You don’t want to overwhelm your visitors – keep it simple, and make use of dropdowns if you’re struggling to narrow it down.
Create a suitable order
Typically, you will have the homepage and about tabs at the start, followed by service pages, then you would possibly have the blog option, with the contact page at the end.
Utilise separation
Make sure each option is well spaced out across the screen. This makes the menu easier to consume and follow, and customers will quickly be able to find what they need.
Include a CTA
Including calls to action (CTA), such as links to the contact page, social media, email and your business’ phone number will encourage engagement from any potential customers, as they will know exactly how to proceed with completing the sale or ordering your services.
If you would like any help optimising your site’s navigation, get in touch with our team at Engage Web today.
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