You may have heard rumors out there about three click or five click rules when it comes to navigating your website. Those rules refer to the idea that if Visitors to your site can’t find what they’re looking for in 3-5 clicks than they will become frustrated and leave your site. Though recent testing has shown that is NOT the case you should nevertheless try to create a painless experience for Users navigating your website.
We have written our 5 Fast Rules for Website Navigation to help you create a fantastic customer experience online!
1. Labels and Descriptions
Use labels for links and buttons that are clear as to where they lead. Your Visitor should know exactly where they’re about to go when they click on these elements on your website.
Use accurate and clear descriptions for your pages so the User knows if they’ve arrived at their desired destination.
An unclear destination can lead to frustration and ultimately an exit for your webpage.
2. Optimize Your Site Search Tools
Provide your Visitors with a search function on your website so that they can specifically look for what they’re interested in. Make sure you’re keeping up to date with your search function so that Users are receiving relevant and accurate results.
You can also create a sitemap to serve as a glossary for your website.
3. Create a Mobile Friendly Site
Though it may seem like an obvious statement, there are still websites out there that aren’t optimized for mobile. Avoid this inevitable frustration by routinely checking in on your mobile interface. This is one of the top reasons Visitors leave sites.
4. Keep Your Menu Short and Concise
Some websites are more complicated than others. An engineering company’s website will more than likely be more complex than a food truck’s website but that doesn’t mean the same general rules don’t apply to both. Keep your menus short and sweet. If they need to be more in depth, make sure they are clear as to where they will lead your Users.
5. Anticipate the Needs of Your Visitor
It is important to gently guide your Users as they navigate your site. Try to include buttons and links to other relevant pages on each page. This will keep the flow through your site smooth while keeping your Visitors on your site longer.
The best advice we can give you is to either go through your website yourself or have someone you trust go through the Visitor process. Where did they get hung up? Was there anything they couldn’t find or any links that didn’t go anywhere? Being able to anticipate your Users’ needs will help you both enhance their experience and keep them interested in your business and on your site longer.
Need a team to bounce marketing and design ideas off of? Message us here and let's start a conversation!