Web navigation menu is one of the important elements of a good Web design. Since online visitors are always looking for information, your navigation menu helps them find the info they need at the soonest possible time.

Though a simple menu will do, many Web designers are experimenting with different techniques to enhance online experience. There is a comprehensive analysis and numerous examples at Smashing Magazine about the current trends on navigation menus.

Among these items, I find the use of vertical tabs very appealing but quite risky since most online users are not yet acquainted with this style.

But if you’re just starting with your site, do not forget the basic elements of a web navigation menu. For instance, try to use conventional yet creative icons like shopping cart so it will not be hard for customers to look for the appropriate links.

In like manner, use basic terms such as “About Us”, Products/Services, Sitemap, FAQ, and “Contact Us” to avoid any confusion and frustration on the customers’ end. If you terms exclusive to your industry then do not hesitate to use it. The idea here is to help all your online visitors get the right information as few clicks as possible.

With so many companies offering affordable and high quality Web design services, some entrepreneurs rush to set up their online store without clear goals and web strategy. If this seems to be you, better STOP now or suffer the consequences later.

Here are some questions you should answer before getting in touch with your friendly Web designer:

1. What do you want to achieve with your Website? Is it for informational purposes only? A marketing tool to promote your products or services? A marketing tool to drive online customers to your brick-and-mortar business? Or a full-service online store?
2. Who are your target customers?
3. Who are your competitors? Spy on their activities, marketing campaigns and Web designs
4. Are you familiar with Internet marketing methods such as search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), e-mail marketing, PPC, and other techniques? Though many companies offer Internet marketing services, basic knowledge of these things help plan a good website.
5. How much is your budget for both Web development and basic online marketing?
6. What is your measure of success or ROI? Is it conversion, leads generated, traffic generated or online sales? This is connected with your overall goal raised in the first question.

For many entrepreneurs engaged in online business, the biggest concerns are improving search engine rankings and conversion rate. Indeed, it would be very difficult to generate sales and sustain your business without these factors. Unfortunately, some forget about the importance of a good Web design.

Strictly believing that more traffic would result to better sales, they tend to forget that a website must be user-friendly to foster loyalty and return visits.

In the words of Stoney deGeyter at Search Engine Guide, “SEO and SEM without good usability is like inviting people out to eat at a rat and roach infested restaurant. You may bring people in, but you won’t make them happy.” He then expounded on this idea and made this conclusion:

By fixing usability issues you can sell more while without having to spend a lot of money always trying to bring in a lot of new traffic. A little goes a long way. Once you are able to increase your conversion rates, every dollar you spend on marketing and SEO will be more effective and have a much bigger impact on your profit margins.

If truth be told, SEO and Web usability are interdependent of each other. But before you let in anybody to your house, make sure it is presentable and comfortable. So, which comes first? I guess you already know the answer. For more tips on how to improve your Website, check our Web development and Website Related archives.

Whether you are the Web designer or the client, your end goal is the same – improve Web user experience. Given the multitude of competitors online, you have to make sure every online visitor enjoys and stays as long as possible to your site. Of course, the key is to understand the needs your target market. Still, here are some general tips to improve your site:

1. Simplify. Make things a lot simpler for your visitors by automating some of the processes and providing relevant tools. It will help your visitors focus on their tasks. Below is one of the calculators provided by financial rate information company Bankrate.com to help their online visitors.



2. Create a habit. Human beings are creatures of habit that’s why most of us find it very hard to change. Knowing this human tendency, your Web site should also train users to do any task in similar manner. Repetition is a very important aspect here. Your checkout, for example, must follow the same process and click the same commands to avoid confusion or frustration.
3. Include Printing Options. Since many online users are comfortable reading articles and making their notes on paper, there should be an option for them to print the articles they want properly. This is important for a site with many articles or blog posts such as newspapers. Every article in The New York Times has print, save, e-mail, and share options for the benefit of their readers.

Eye tracking, the process of measuring eye movements to test how people read websites, is not a new concept. More importantly, the results of these tests provided a strong guideline for a creative and effective Web design.

Unfortunately, many Web sites have either failed to understand this concept or ignored it for the sake of creativity. I hope this post will help you understand its significance.

The F-Shaped Pattern
The multiple tests conducted by Web usability guru Jakob Nielsen show that majority of users follow a dominant reading pattern resembling the letter F. Here are some samples from Nielsen and its interpretations:

Users first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area. This initial element forms the F’s top bar.

Next, users move down the page a bit and then read across in a second horizontal movement that typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement. This additional element forms the F’s lower bar.

Finally, users scan the content’s left side in a vertical movement. Sometimes this is a fairly slow and systematic scan that appears as a solid stripe on an eyetracking heatmap. Other times users move faster, creating a spottier heatmap. This last element forms the F’s stem.

It basically means that the attention span of online readers is very short so they only scan your contents. So, it is very important to put the key elements of your Web site like logo design and company information within the said pattern to get grab attention quickly. Using bullet points and sub-heads are also very helpful.

You can visit our Web design portfolio to see good examples of high quality and professional-looking designs.

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