The do’s and don’ts of website navigation

An easy-to-follow navigation structure serves as a roadmap for visitors, guiding them seamlessly through your website content and helping them find what they need. Poor navigation, on the other hand, can frustrate users, leading to high bounce rates and lost conversions.

To help you create an intuitive and effective navigation system, here are the key do’s and don’ts of website navigation.

A well-designed navigation system enhances usability, improves engagement and can help contribute to higher conversion rates. Whether you are designing a website for a small business, a large corporation or an e-commerce platform, intuitive navigation is key to keeping users on your site longer and ensuring they can easily find relevant information about your products or services.

The do’s of website navigation

1. Keep it simple and intuitive

Users should be able to navigate your website without confusion. A clear, straightforward menu ensures they find information quickly and efficiently. Stick to common navigation structures such as horizontal menus at the top of the page or vertical sidebars. Cluttered or overly complex menus can deter visitors, so always prioritise simplicity.

It’s always a good idea to stick to website “norms” ie. Home is the first menu item, Contact is the last menu item - this will make it easier for your visitors to navigate your site.

2. Use descriptive labels

Ensure that your navigation labels clearly describe the content they link to. Instead of vague terms like “Products” or “Services,” be specific, such as “Men’s Footwear” or “Digital Marketing Services.”

This enhances usability and SEO, making it easier for search engines to understand and rank your site appropriately.

3. Prioritise important pages

Your most important pages should be the easiest to find. Essential pages like Home, About, Services, Contact and Blog should be prominently placed in the main navigation. Prioritising pages based on user needs ensures a better experience and encourages engagement.

For example, if you’re building an e-commerce site, have a menu item called “Shop” next to your Home page in your menu structure.

Hint: a great way to find out what people are interested in on your website is to analyse your website's traffic. This can be done by using tools like Google Analytics to track which pages are visited most often and how users are interacting with your site.

4. Ensure mobile-friendly navigation

With a growing number of users browsing on mobile devices, your navigation should be responsive. Use mobile-friendly elements like collapsible menus (hamburger menus) and touch-friendly buttons to ensure smooth navigation on smaller screens.

A responsive design ensures a seamless experience across devices and will prevent users from clicking the back button and visiting one of your competitor’s websites.

For more info, read our article What is responsive design?.

5. Include a search bar

A search function improves usability – especially for content-heavy websites. Ensure the search bar is easily accessible and provides accurate, relevant results. Implementing filters and auto-suggestions further enhances user experience by making searches more efficient.

6. Maintain consistency across pages

Your navigation structure should remain consistent across all pages. A sudden change in menu layout or style can disorient users and negatively impact their browsing experience. Consistency helps build familiarity, making it easier for users to explore your site without frustration.

7. Use breadcrumb navigation

Breadcrumbs provide a secondary navigation option, showing users their current location within the site structure. This helps improve UX and assists with SEO. This is especially important for websites that contain a lot of pages/menu items.

Breadcrumbs also encourage visitors to explore more sections of your website, leading to increased engagement.

8. Optimise for SEO

Navigation plays a crucial role in search engine rankings. Use keyword-rich anchor text for menu items, ensure crawlable links, and follow best practices for internal linking. SEO-optimised navigation enhances search visibility and improves overall site structure.

9. Test and analyse user behaviour

Regularly test your navigation using heatmaps, session recordings and A/B testing to identify pain points. Adjust based on user behaviour and feedback to continuously improve usability. Conduct usability tests to gather insights from real users and make data-driven decisions.

Your analytics software should give you a guide to what users are clicking on within your site, therefore you’ll be able to make necessary adjustments.

10. Use visual hierarchy to guide users

Employing different font sizes, colours and spacing can help direct user attention to essential navigation elements. A well-structured visual hierarchy enhances usability and makes the interface more intuitive.

The don’ts of website navigation

1. Don’t overload the menu

Too many navigation links can overwhelm users. Keep the number of primary menu items between 5-7 to maintain clarity and ease of use. A cluttered menu leads to decision fatigue, discouraging users from exploring your site further.

Use dropdown menus if your site has a lot of pages – a mega menu is also a good option for displaying a lot of menu items within a dropdown.

2. Avoid generic or confusing labels

Using unclear labels like “Stuff” or “More” doesn’t help users understand what the page contains. Always use clear and descriptive labels. Generic terms create ambiguity and reduce navigation efficiency.

Your website’s navigation structure is not the place to use your company or industry’s buzzwords.

3. Don’t use dropdown menus excessively

While dropdown menus can be useful, excessive or multi-tier dropdowns can frustrate users, especially on mobile devices. Use them sparingly and only when necessary. If dropdowns are needed, ensure they are well-structured and easy to use.

4. Avoid hidden or hard-to-find menus

Navigation should be easy to find. Avoid hiding menus behind obscure icons or placing them in unconventional locations that users might not notice. If using a hamburger menu, ensure it is clearly visible and accessible.

5. Don’t forget accessibility

Your navigation should be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Use proper HTML semantics, keyboard-friendly navigation, and ensure adequate colour contrast for readability. Implement ARIA landmarks to enhance accessibility for screen readers.

6. Don’t use auto-scrolling or uncontrollable menus

Avoid navigation that automatically scrolls, moves or changes based on cursor movement. These features can be distracting and frustrating for users. Give users full control over their browsing experience.

7. Avoid dead links and 404 errors

Broken navigation links disrupt user experience and can harm your SEO. Regularly audit your website for broken links and fix them promptly. Implement a custom 404 page with helpful navigation options to guide users back on track.

8. Don’t neglect internal linking

Navigation isn’t just about menus. Internal linking within content helps users discover related pages and enhances website engagement. Effective internal linking improves page authority and search rankings.

To find out more info about SEO, take a look at our article Why web design and SEO go hand-in-hand.

9. Don’t rely solely on JavaScript for navigation

Some browsers and devices may not fully support JavaScript-based navigation, and search engines may struggle to index JavaScript-generated links. Ensure essential navigation is HTML-based to enhance accessibility and search visibility.

10. Don’t overcomplicate the user journey

The navigation path should be logical and straightforward. Avoid excessive redirects, unnecessary clicks or misleading links that make it difficult for users to find the information they need.

Conclusion

Effective website navigation is crucial for usability, engagement and conversions. By following these do’s and don’ts, you can create a seamless browsing experience that keeps users on your site longer and encourages them to take action.

Remember, navigation should always be designed with the user in mind. Simplicity, clarity and accessibility should be your guiding principles.

Keep testing, analysing and refining to ensure the best possible experience for your visitors. A well-structured navigation system not only benefits users but also enhances SEO performance, leading to increased traffic and improved business outcomes.