Good website navigation should keep your website’s home page and internal pages well connected to one another.
Its task is to guide visitors from one page to the next in a manner that makes sense to the visitor while building up your brand.
Navigating with an end in mind
People use search engines often with an end in mind. If one search engine result doesn’t give them anything close to what they’re looking for, they could easily move on to the site that is listed next.
It is not enough that you only focus on the home page.
Relevant and niche content should remain consistent throughout the website, organized in a manner similar to how your target market thinks.
Here are 2 important tips on how good website navigation can convert visitors to buyers.
1. Your target market follows a purchase-decision process
The modern consumer might be a little fickle, more demanding, less patient, or more discriminating. No matter how complex they seem, every one of them definitely follows the purchase-decision process.
Before deciding to buy anything, the consumer goes through 5 stages:
• Need recognition
They could have a real or perceived need. Either way, they already have a substantial amount of interest invested in their need.• Information gathering
They want to know more about their need, like product attributes and variants. Depending on the market segment and type of product, figure out which of these details are most relevant to them, and highlight those. Is it the physical attributes like shape and color? Or is it the functional attributes like speed and wattage?• Considering options
They would like to know who else offers what they need. Most of them are smart-buyers, and they will select the one that gives them the most value for money. This doesn’t mean they’ll go for the cheapest offer. Opinions of friends and family could be taken into account.• Purchase decision
Getting them to this stage means that the past web pages have been informative and pleasant for them. So don’t bring out the animation blings all of a sudden to get them to click “Buy Me!”• Post-purchase behaviour
After their purchase, make sure you show your appreciation. Send them a thank you email or simply give them a venue to complain or give their suggestions. Tell them you care about their purchase. The point is to get them to come back and tell the rest of the world about you.
This process is your key on how to arrange information on your website to make sure that you and your visitors are literally and figuratively on the same page. It is a good idea to already provide a section that compares your products with your competitors’ and highlights your advantages.
2. Keep fluff to a minimum
Your visitors know what they’re looking for and they want to find it quickly.
They consider most animations, pop-ups, and flashing gifts as annoyances that slow them down.
Although it is good to have space about your company, make sure you don’t overdo talking about yourself.
Keep everything relevant. Focus on your customers.