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