An Easy-To-Navigate Site Will Boost Sales - Revised
Can your visitors find what they're looking for on your web site
with one or two clicks? Easy navigation is essential to keep
visitors at your site and turn them into buyers. Follow these 13
steps to make your web pages easy to navigate and compel
prospective buyers to explore your web site.
1. Provide plenty of links on your home page, giving an overview
of your web site's content and providing choices for your
visitors.
2. Put clear navigation options at the top or left of your
pages, so visitors see them right away. Users may not scroll
through lengthy pages. In addition, add a "Go Back to Top"
button at the end of long pages.
3. Provide links to your home page, main sections, order forms,
contact page, and products page on every page. Potential buyers
may not read your pages in the sequence you would like them to.
4. Use simple terms for your navigation buttons and links that
visitors will recognize such as "home," "order," and "contact."
5. Make navigation simple and consistent throughout your web
site. Keep the style and location of your navigation buttons and
links the same on every page.
6. Use standard underlined hyperlinks for recognition. The
standard color for non-visited links is blue. (After visitors
click on the link, the link color changes.)
7. Include a sitemap (table of contents) if your site has more
than 20 pages.
8. Put your URL (e.g., www.yourname.com) and email address on
every page.
9. Turn links into benefit-oriented headlines and include action
verbs to motivate potential buyers to click on your links. For
example, Ten ways to increase your web sales immediately. Sign
up now to get this $29 report F*REE.
10. Describe your graphics and navigation buttons in ALT tags
(alternative text describing your images for visitors who browse
your site with the images turned off). ALT tags can also improve
your search engine rankings.
11. Avoid "splash" or "entry" pages (home pages with animation)
visitors have to click on to enter the site that don't indicate
what your site is about.
12. Avoid frames, drop-down menus, and pop-up windows. They may
confuse visitors.
13. Make sure all links work.
Make it easy and logical for potential buyers to get to the
information they're looking for. Apply these steps now and watch
your sales increase!