Website navigation is the process of moving around between pages, or between sections of a page, on a certain site. If you run a website, particularly an e-commerce website, there are a handful of quick and easy top tips that will ensure visitors to your site are able to navigate your online property smoothly.
Why Should You Improve Navigation?
There are a number of reasons why visitors to your website leave almost before they have arrived. Therefore, giving them a reason to stay is essential. Homepages should be eye-catching and purposeful, showing a visitor what your company is about but, equally importantly, also indicating where they should go to get what they want.
It is reasonably unlikely that a website’s homepage will have the exact information or product that a visitor is looking for, so clear and obvious navigation to the relevant pages is key. Improving your website’s navigation will increase the number of leads you build, enable you to increase sales and boost your site’s SEO.
Top Tips For Improving Navigation on Your Website
These top tips for ensuring smooth navigation should give customers a better experience when browsing your website, which will ideally lead to a feeling of trust and, in turn, more sales.
Clear Signage
Some suggest that a site that scores highly in terms of website usability enables customers to find the product or help they are looking for as quickly as possible. In order to do this, clear signage is necessary. Buttons and links should be bold enough to be obvious but not so unsightly that they detract from the aesthetics of your website or the other important text or imagery around them.
Use Experts
Seek the help of experts such as the Magento development company Manchester based. E-commerce professionals know how important smooth navigation is and will be able to perfect your website for all types of users. While some steps can be undertaken yourself, getting your website to its desired level of usability is easiest through seeking advice.
Chat Functions
Having an easy to use chat function on your website can help aid navigation for new visitors. Whether it is manned by a member of staff, which is preferred, or automated, it should be able to find out what a prospective customer or client’s desires are and point them in the right direction.
Simple Design
A website does not need to be expensive or complicated. Keeping your design simple, without too much text or too many small images cluttering up the screen, will aid navigation greatly. Without the distractions, customers should be able to find what they need quickly and without frustration.
Double-Check Links
Finally, once you have updated all of your buttons, ensured you have links back to your sales pages and written clear signposts to your products into your blog posts, you must double-check your links. It is easy to make a simple mistake when attaching a hyperlink as complacency may set in or there may be distractions in the office. To prevent dead or incorrect links going live on your website, trial the page yourself before launch.