Imagine a content-rich site where your customers can easily browse and find what they need in seconds. That’s the power of intuitive navigation. Create a positive user experience with organized menus and a clear structure.
Here we explain why website navigation is important and how you can improve your website navigation design.
What is website navigation?
Website navigation refers to the user interface components (such as menus, buttons, and links) that allow users to navigate a website and access its content. A good navigation structure makes it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for, no matter how many pages your site has.
Why is website navigation important?
Poorly designed navigation creates friction. Without clear and intuitive navigation, visitors can get lost and frustrated. conversion rateEffective navigation, on the other hand, attracts customers and encourages them to interact with the content on your site for longer. Intuitive navigation can create positive feelings toward your brand.
Website navigation also helps search engines understand the structure and content of your website, improving its visibility and ranking.
What is a website navigation menu?
A website navigation menu is a section on a web page that contains a list of links. These are usually internal links to the primary site page. For example, a clothing brand may include links to different categories such as dresses and shoes. There is usually a navigation menu in the page header or sidebar for easy access.
Types of website navigation menus
There are different types of website navigation menus to guide visitors through your site. Here are some style options:
horizontal navigation bar
Horizontal navigation bars run horizontally at the top of a website’s page headers and often remain static as users change pages. Displays high-level sections and categories such as Blog, Contact, and About pages. It may also include a search bar to help visitors find exactly what they’re looking for.
vertical sidebar navigation menu
A vertical sidebar navigation menu appears on the left or right side of a web page. This is a good option if you have a large number of categories or different pages that you want to include in your menu. Vertical sidebar navigation menus allow users to see more links by scrolling down the entire page. This is a more natural movement than moving to the right side of the screen to see more information.
dropdown navigation menu
Dropdown menus are found within horizontal navigation menus or sidebar menus. When a visitor clicks the menu label, nested submenus appear, providing additional options. It’s an efficient way to save page space while providing more paths for users.
mega menu
A mega menu, a type of drop-down menu, is a large panel that appears when you hover over a menu item in the main navigation bar. Websites with a large amount of content and categories use this menu style. Mega menus are great for consolidating navigation options into one layout. This option runs the risk of clutter, but grouping items clearly and logically helps guide users to the page they want to see.
hamburger navigation menu
Popular on mobile websites and apps, hamburger menus resemble a hamburger with three overlapping lines. When the user clicks on the hamburger, a hidden panel pops up with menu options. This space-saving menu allows you to provide more links for a limited screen size.
footer navigation menu
Footer menus complement page headers. It appears horizontally at the bottom of your website and can include pages that didn’t fit in the main menu or pages you want to get special attention to (such as About Us or Contact Us).
Tips for designing website navigation
be positive User Experience Improve your experience and ensure that your website navigation structure matches your customer expectations and usage patterns. Here are some of the most useful website navigation best practices:
Study audience patterns
By understanding how your audience navigates your website, you can improve their viewing experience. Learn about your website’s traffic patterns and user journeys by running user flow reports (which show the paths your users take as they move through your site). can be used google analytics The Do This; (Behavior) section lets you see what paths users take and where they consistently get off, which may indicate unclear navigation.
Plan your menu structure wisely
An optimized website structure means that your visitors can reach their destination in as few clicks as possible. You can achieve this if:
- Flatten your navigation structure. Having too many levels of menus can overwhelm your visitors. Flattening the structure means that your most important site categories are placed in the main menu in the page header, with major category pages one layer below. The third and lowest layer only displays a single web page.
- Meet customer expectations. You don’t need to be too innovative with the layout of your menu. Customers expect standard practices. For example, top-level sections appear in a horizontal menu in the page header. Placing it elsewhere may disappoint your customers.
- Utilize the footer menu. When your visitors scroll to the bottom of your homepage, make sure to utilize your carefully designed footer menu. Since you don’t have the same limitations as at the top of the page where space is at a premium, you can include more options and dig deeper into your website.
Logically group and order navigation links
Haphazard grouping of links can frustrate visitors. Order your links carefully. If you want to direct users to a specific page, place that link at the top of the menu list. For example, if you’re running out of stock, place a limited-time sale at the top of the menu to encourage users to visit that page.
Designed for different screens
Adjust your web design for different screen sizes, including mobile devices. Mobile e-commerce is predicted to reach $710 billion By 2025. mobile first design Prioritize optimizing your website for small screens, starting with a mobile version before scaling up to larger displays.
You can also create different menu styles for different devices. The collapsible hamburger menu works well on mobile phones, but desktop users can choose the horizontal menu bar to see top-level categories without extra clicks.
Website navigation example
There are many ways to build an easy-to-use menu structure. There are three approaches:
Beach Home
Under The Beach HomeThe header of ’s homepage is a horizontal navigation bar with two traditional labels, “About” and “Contact Us”, as well as other descriptive labels for the main product categories. The TBH Life label links to an external site, i.e. an interior consultation page, as if you were on the same website.
The footer includes social media icons for Facebook and Instagram. Menu items use sufficient white space to improve readability. The mobile version of the website has an expanded hamburger menu icon, while the desktop version of the website has a horizontal label.
The Collective Outdoor
The Collective Outdoor It features drop-down menus; menu labels have down arrows next to them so visitors know there are submenus; and when you hover over a top-level category, a photo that represents that section also appears (for example, outdoor sofas for the “Seating” category). Collective Outdoors’ menu has plenty of white space to help display a menu with numerous options and accompanying category images.
TCB Jeans
of TCB Jeans The official web shop chooses a simple header design with a hamburger menu, user account icon, and shopping cart. Clicking on the hamburger opens a sliding vertical sidebar menu with items such as “Home,” “Products,” “How We Measure,” and “About Us.” (Product) There is a plus sign next to the category, indicating that there is a drop-down menu.
Frequently asked questions about website navigation
How do I create a navigation menu for my website?
First, plan your navigation menu. Define the high-level sections of your website and the hierarchy of categories you want. Arrange your categories intuitively to match the way your visitors move through your content. Decide whether you need submenus. Next, use the website builder’s built-in templates to implement and customize your site’s navigation menu.
What navigation designs are most commonly used in web development?
Horizontal navigation bars are the most common navigation design. It is placed at the top of your website’s header, lining up links to major sections or categories. This proven design is easy to scan, friendly, and accessible from a variety of devices.
Why is website navigation important?
Clear navigation effectively directs visitors to the right pages, increasing engagement and conversions. Without this, your website visitors may get lost and wander, reducing conversions.
