Site navigation audit. How to make your webiste user-friendly?

What does "site navigation" mean?

Site navigation is the process by which visitors find their way around your site. It’s not just about what content you have, it’s about how easy it is for visitors to find it. Visitors are more likely to leave your site if they can’t get what they’re looking for quickly and easily. Navigation should be intuitive and should be built into the design of the site so that it doesn’t take away from the content being viewed. If you keep in mind what people want and expect when visiting a website, then you’ll know where to place buttons, menus and other elements.

Why site navigation is important?

Your site navigation is the backbone of your site and has a huge impact on user experience. So what does that mean? Well, it means that if you neglect your site’s navigation you’re going to see a decrease in engagement. People won’t be able to find what they need, won’t be able to find their way back, and will get frustrated and leave. Obviously, it will have an impact on website traffic, decrease in clicks and conversions, increase in bounce rate, decrease in ranking.

A site navigation audit is a way for you to evaluate the accessibility and usability of your website. It can help you identify any confusing points on your site and make changes where necessary. You’ll want to think about how people are going to use your site and what their goals are, so that you can craft an experience that meets them in those places with helpful content.

General rules for navigation

First of all, think about your users.

Who is the audience?

Your audience is the people who you want to visit your website, purchase your product. The best way to know who your target audience is, is by conducting a site navigation audit. This audit will help you know what your audience wants and needs in order to be successful when they arrive on your site. It’s important that you create a site that’s designed for these people and not yourself, or a group of people with similar interests.

What elements should you include in the design?

Designing a site navigation audit for your website is about more than just what design elements you use. It’s about how well those elements are put together and how they work together. A good site navigation audit will include all the following: menu, categories or sections of the website, user experience, internal linking, content layout, potential error messages, keyboard shortcuts, coding.

What are the sites that are performing best?

During the audit, you need to find out which of your sites work best. Which pages have the most visitors? Which ones are getting more conversions? Which ones are not converting well and should be scrapped? You also want to make sure that site navigation is working properly and that people can find what they are looking for easily. You may think it’s time for a redesign or update but in reality, what is lacking might just be a few minor tweaks or changes.

Mobile devices and apps

Next what you should do is evaluate your website on various mobile devices and apps. If your site doesn’t display well on a phone, then it won’t be usable at all. This includes making sure menus are easy to navigate and that the site architecture makes sense for the visitor who is using a mobile device or app.

Is it possible to reorganize the pages on your website without affecting SEO rankings?

If you do change the structure of your site, there are many factors that will affect the website’s rankings in search engines. However, with proper technical planning and execution, a reorganization can be done successfully while still maintaining or improving your ranking status.

How to navigate correctly?

Menu

The menu on your website is what will take visitors from one area of your site to another. You want the navigation on your site to be easy for people to read, use and understand. Keep the most important links near the top of the page. Group related items together. Use submenus when necessary. Provide ways for users to quickly get back to the homepage or other areas of your site with top level menus.

Should it be category-based or alphabetical? While it’s a matter of personal preference, a category-based navigation system is generally more intuitive and easier for users to navigate. It also allows you to categorize your content by topic, which can help you optimize your site SEO. If you do choose an alphabetical navigation system, make sure it has keywords or other markings on each page that tie back to the homepage.

Tip: The most common recommendation is to use the breadcrumbs menu. It can be a valuable asset, helping site visitors find their way back to the home page or previous pages of content. Sometimes you might want them to act as a menu system, linking to different sections of your website. Other times, breadcrumbs may be used as a navigational aide, showing people where they are within the site and how to go back one step in the process.

Categories, filters, tags, footer

Categories, filters, tags, and a footer are all important aspects of a website’s navigation. These tools help users find information on the site quickly. Categories should be easy to identify and filter or sort by. Filters can help users narrow their search while tags can be used for more specific searches. Finally, a footer is essential for providing links to other pages on the site as well as contact information, social media profiles, and copyright information.

Content

The homepage is the most important page on your website, as it’s where visitors are most likely to find what they’re looking for. It should be divided into sections and provide a clear pathway from less important pages to more important ones. Be sure the navigation bar is easy to spot, so that users know where they are and how many clicks it will take them back to the homepage. Provide links to popular subpages in order of popularity and usefulness, include tabs at the top of each page with a list of all subpages.

Internal linking

Internal linking is a powerful tool for improving the user experience on your website. It is a way of linking content on one page or post with other pages or posts that are related. This allows users to go back and forth between relevant content without having to search for it. The most important thing about link structure is to use links sparingly so as not to overwhelm readers with too many navigation options. You should also be careful not to put too many links on one page, since this can confuse readers, who might have difficulty finding what they’re looking for.

URL tracking parameters

In tracking parameters, a defined piece of code is added to the end of a URL that can be parsed by a backend system to share information. Reporting parameters provide granularity to the information by adding levels of specificity. A parameter allows for the attachment of a label to data, so that that information can be shared between systems, and also parsed in such a way that humans can understand it.

Responsiveness

Responsive design is crucial for any website looking to grow its user base. This is because a large number of internet users are accessing the web via their smartphones and tablets. In some ways, responsive design is the most important consideration when it comes to your site’s user experience.

In conclusion

To conclude, site navigation audit is the most important thing you can do for your site. If a user can’t find what they’re looking for on your website, they’ll likely click away and never come back. So it’s important that you do everything in your power to make sure that their experience on your website is both intuitive and pleasant.