The last thing you want is for readers to get lost or frustrated on your website. When they’ve managed to get there through search or word of mouth, it’s time to keep them happy!
Help your visitor reach their end goal, whether it’s to read content, contact the site owner, or make a purchase. Follow these simple guidelines to get them from point A to point B.
Simplify
You only need one navigation, or nav, bar. It should remain consistent at the top of all the pages of your website.
Consolidate the number of links on the page. To do this, get organized by grouping content into categories. Make sure the categories make sense to your reader. Don’t make users click too many times to find the info they need.
Make it mobile-friendly
More than half of cell phone owners say they use their phones to go online and browse the web, check email, or download apps, according to the Pew Research Center. Since that number is continuing to rise, be sure your site is easy to navigate on mobile devices.
Beyond being organized, your menu should be easy to click on no matter the screen size or user’s finger size. Remember you have less real estate to work with and consider a collapsable menu for navigation.
Watch the analytics
If you’re not using Google Analytics, you should. It’s free!
Use the analytics tools to see who is coming to your site, how they are getting there, where they are clicking, what pages they are visiting, and much more. Use the numbers to know what content needs the most attention on your website.
Do it yourself?
We know many of you will try to make these adjustments on your own, but if you need help, we can work within your budget. Often we can take what you’ve already got and make the adjustment to the navigation or convert to a responsive website design. Give us a call at (217) 222-1451 today and we’ll take a look at your needs!
