Navigation matters: 5 best practices for e-commerce websites

Check out these e-commerce navigation practices that will help you improve the customers’ experience and conversion rate of your e-commerce website design.

by Jessica Richards - Business Development Manager
Navigation matters: 5 best practices for e-commerce websites

Navigation matters: 5 best practices for e-commerce websites

Regardless of how your e-commerce store is being accessed, whether via desktops, tablets or smartphones, it should have an easy-to-navigate website design. Yes, navigation matters. Around 94% of users say that navigation is the most important website feature for them.

In case you are wondering, “how to optimise my e-commerce website’s navigation,” this is your guide. With the help of a leading Melbourne Web Design Company, let’s break down a few practices. These practices will help you streamline the navigation and user experience of your e-commerce website.

1. Include relevant labels

In most cases, the top level of e-commerce websites include product category labels. These labels describe a broad range of products. Avoid getting complicated here. Allow users to scan navigation labels and understand what these labels represent. You can hire a professional to carry out a navigation audit of your e-commerce website design.

2. Use a prominent search bar

Having a prominent search bar on your homepage can create a difference when it comes to streamlining your website navigation. Place it at the top of the page towards the centre with a proper call-to-action (CTA). Make sure it invites visitors to find what they are looking for. Don’t integrate the search bar in the navigation menu. Also, avoid surrounding it with different page elements.

3. Limit the number of menu items

Some e-commerce stores include too many links on their homepage; that’s a bad idea. Limiting the number of links or menu items is great for search engines. This is because it helps you double the amount of authority passing from the homepage. Plus, fewer navigation items are good for visitors as these aren’t overwhelming. A good rule of thumb is to limit the number of menu items to seven and words to five.

4. Create drop-down menus the correct way

You have parent categories for the top navigation bar; what about subcategories? Successful e-commerce websites solve this problem by using drop-down menus. These menus display all the subcategories at once. When website visitors click a parent category, subcategories display on the drop-down menu. In other words, no need for scrolling, tapping or clicking the page.

5. Make the logo clickable

Most e-commerce stores have a logo in the top left corner. It has become an industry standard. Make sure it is clickable and leads to the homepage. According to a study, centred logos can hurt website navigation. When you compare to the top-left corner, getting back to the homepage becomes six times harder when you place your logo in the centre of a webpage.

In conclusion

You know, navigation is a fundamental part of any e-commerce website design. When it’s smooth and simple, the website delivers a good buying experience, encourages buying decisions and boosts the average order value. The thing is, it will take concise planning to ensure a user-friendly navigational structure.
Hope you found these e-commerce website navigation techniques helpful. For more help, get in touch with a creative Melbourne Web Design Company today.

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