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