A FEW SIMPLE STEPS TO MAKE YOUR WEBSITE EASY TO NAVIGATE

If you want to keep web users on your website and make them feel comfortable in it, it is significant to develop a proper navigation system. In case the users find it complicated to find what they need quickly or the website is difficult to navigate, they will never visit it again.

The main function of the navigation is to make it easier for us to find the information we need by showing the site content and make us feel that we know we are on the right way for finding the information we need. It has been proved through research that if a web site has a good navigation, then most of the users will come back and use the web site again. However,  if the navigation is not clear and difficult to use, most of the users will prefer a website that saves time and hassle, and will never come back again.

Well-developed navigation is a significant feature of a successful and highly visited web site. It guides all users through the pages and if it lacks simplicity and consistency, the content will be useless, because no one would waste their time thinking of how to find what they need from your web site.

So, let us see some of the most important steps in making a good Navigation System for our web site.

Basic elements- what to include

Site ID

The site ID should appear on each page. Usually it can be seen on the top of the page in the top left corner. It represents the whole web site that is why it is so important.

Utilities and Sections

The primary navigation of the website are the links to the main sections. The links to the most important elements are utilities. It is necessary that these tabs are less predominant than the sections. The persistent navigation should contain , as a rule, only four or five utilities. If they are more, there is a possibility that the user may find it complicated.

Home

The Home Page is one of the most important tabs. It the homepage tab is present all the time, the user feels comfortable, because they know that no matter where they are they can go back to the home page at all times. Our advice is to create a link always either in the Sections or the Sections

Page Names

Page names should be considered as a street signs – when you know your way, you do not pay that much attention to the signs on the street, but  at the moment you are lost, street signs become extremely important. It is the same way on the web. The user should be able to see the page`s mane with no effort. To manage to succeed with this, there are four things to be considered:

1. Think carefully what name would suit the page, regarding the information it contains.

2. The name should be situated on the right place, do that it is visible at all times.

3. Use the largest text on the page to point out its name. Make it more clear, using the right position, colour,, size, and typeface for it.

4. Give the pages proper names- it should match the words you click to get there. For instance, if you have clicked on a link called “Hobbies”, and the browser opens a page named: “My friends”, you`ll get confused and you`d think you’ve clicked on the wrong link.

A Way to Search

Option box for searching in the web site is highly recommended, because most people prefer it, instead of browsing. In addition to that, it is of great importance that it appears on each page and is in the right position. This search box has to be easy to use.
Many people prefer to use the search option box, instead of browsing. That is why it is highly recommended to have such. It’s very important to have a search option on every page.

This box should be simple (see below) and easy to use.

Where am I?

Local Navigation indicator must be included, so that the users would know where in the web site they are at any time. To separate the categories, use the sign “grated than: (>), and use boldface to underline the current location of the user. This way, they have proper indication of where they are in the website

Example: YOU ARE HEREHome > Drinks > Soft drinks > Carbonated Drinks

Summary

All there things are taken for granted and we all expect these elements to be on the web site, so do make sure you have included them and make your navigation clear and easy to use. Users would get confused if they do not know where they are or they cannot find the necessary information. These “little things” may make the users feel lost in the web site, so they`ll find a place where they feel comfortable and will never come back to your site. So, do not make them do that.

E-commerce Development

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