Primary Navigation: Don’t Make It a Mystery
- 8/26/2008 -
by Reed Dunn
As marketing gurus, we tend to get cutesy with our phrasing. There’s something about being a clever wordsmith that really makes us smile.
But being clever on the Web doesn’t always work, especially when you consider the usability factor.
For most business-based Web sites, eCommerce or not, the goal is to present some sort of online brochure that allows users to interact with employees of the company and gather and share information through the Web site. At the very least, a business site is an electronic way for users to gather information quickly, without having to pick up the phone and press 1 for this or stay on the line for that.
Considering some studies have shown visitors stay on a home page for an average of 10 seconds or less – some studies say as little as three seconds – it’s important to clear any confusion right off the bat. And that should start with arrangement and labeling of the primary navigation.
When you’re designing primary navigation, it’s a good idea to sit back and take a few minutes to think about the goals of the site. Think about the users who will visit the site. Identify potential audiences, and make sure it’s clear to all of them.
Make sure you have a home page button so users always can return to the front page of the site no matter where they’ve navigated themselves. Next should be an about us tab or button for company profile information, history, a mission statement, list of board of directors or any other general information the user may find helpful. But, the most important of all is the contact us button. Even though it seems obvious, that last call to action frequently has been forgotten (or hidden), especially by large service-based sites (banks, big-box retailers and other shopping sites).
After those three key areas, there is a little flexibility. Depending on the type of business, a products and/or services primary navigation button will be crucial. You may also consider adding a resources button, which allows clients to house more than just a newsletter or press releases. Labeling this section as “resources” allows for the addition of a list of links to sister sites or other related sites, a frequently asked questions page or a number of other general areas that are useful to the site visitor.
In the end, the biggest thing to remember when labeling primary navigation buttons is to keep it simple. Call it what it should be called. About Us may be About (insert company name here), but don’t stray too far from there. Remember the user. They’re best served when you eliminated the confusion that could arise with creative labeling.
Your creativity should be saved for other parts of the site, including things like tiling images for the background, creative photography effects or creating an elegant color scheme.
