| A very important point to consider while | | | | navigation in another location on the |
| designing a website is proper | | | | page. Older browser versions may not |
| navigation. You must ensure that | | | | support drop-down menus, and therefore a |
| potential clients or customers are able | | | | small percentage of people may not be |
| to find the information they are looking | | | | able to navigate your website. Even more |
| for without too many clicks. As a quick | | | | important though, is the fact that |
| rule of thumb, visitors to your site | | | | search engines will not be able to |
| should be able to visit all your pages | | | | navigate and index your site if there is |
| by using, at most, 3 clicks. This is | | | | no text based navigation. |
| also important when considering search | | | | Another concern is accessibility by |
| engine optimization (SEO) because search | | | | assistive technologies. For example, |
| engines will only spider (or index) | | | | blind Internet users literally read the |
| pages that are 3 clicks deep into your | | | | code of your page. Therefore, if a |
| site. Not only does proper navigation | | | | navigation menu is image based or uses |
| allow users to find information they are | | | | image maps, alternate text must be used |
| looking for, but it also allows search | | | | to allow the user to properly navigate |
| engines to spider (or index) the | | | | the website. To make things easy, no |
| information they are looking for. This | | | | matter what type of navigation I choose |
| is essential if you want high quality | | | | for a client's website, I always include |
| search engine traffic directed to your | | | | text-based navigation links at the |
| website. | | | | bottom of every page to ensure that they |
| Different types of websites employ | | | | are accessible to all Internet users and |
| different navigation styles, so it is | | | | search engine spiders. |
| probably best to visit websites similar | | | | A Few Important Tips |
| to your own to see which navigation | | | | - Plan your site navigation structure |
| structure they have chosen. The most | | | | before designing your website to ensure |
| common locations for your navigation | | | | that you are not forgetting any page |
| menu are either on the left side of the | | | | links. It may be cumbersome to fix every |
| page or at the top of the page. When | | | | page you have created because you a |
| internet users view a website, they do | | | | missing a link or two. |
| so using what is termed as a "Z scan". | | | | - The navigation menu must be clean-cut |
| As soon as a page loads, most people | | | | and uniform. |
| scan from the top-left, across to the | | | | - Do not make the user scroll down the |
| top-right of the page, then down to the | | | | page to see the navigation menu. |
| lower-left, and eventually across to the | | | | - If you have too many links, use |
| lower-right of the page. So, it makes | | | | drop-down menus or create a site map. |
| the most sense to locate your navigation | | | | - The navigation structure should be |
| menu in the area where the user is going | | | | flexible enough to allow the inclusion |
| to first look. | | | | of a additional links at a later date. |
| Smaller sites usually only require a | | | | - Use short, clear and concise words in |
| static menu on either the side or top of | | | | your links so your customers know |
| the page. However, website that contains | | | | exactly what type of information that |
| 10 - 15 topics on different pages may | | | | page will contain. |
| require a drop-down menu. These menus | | | | - Make sure every page has a link back |
| may use DHTM, JavaScript, or some other | | | | to your homepage. This can be achieved |
| programming language. When the user's | | | | by providing a "Home" link in the |
| mouse moves over a main topic category, | | | | navigation structure, and / or linking |
| boxes containing subcategories will | | | | your logo image to the homepage. |
| drop-down, allowing the user to quickly | | | | - For larger sites, breadcrumb trails |
| find the information they are looking | | | | can be used to let the user know what |
| for. I f this type of menu is used, it | | | | section of the website they are in. |
| is best to also include text-based | | | | |