I spend a fair amount of time on LinkedIn Answers; it helps me monitor the zeitgeist and expands my perspective around a buncha topics. Here’s a recent question (and my answer) regarding high-level navigation choices. It’s a “basics” item, but those are sometimes the ones where we need the most reminding:
Steve Meade asked:
What are the best titles to use for website navigation? Is there something better than the standard “about us”, “services”, “resources”, etc? If you try to be more creative does that just confuse people?
And I answered:
I agree that user conventions should be leveraged, but ultimately if these are the primary navigational choices on your site, then your site it not doing much for your business.
You sell bikes? How about “Road Bikes” “Mountain Bikes” and “Accessories” as your top level links.
You do consulting work? How about “MnA Consulting” “HR Consulting” and “Brand Consulting” as your nav choices.
Trust me: anyone who is looking for your “about us” or “contact us” content will find it — even it it’s in tiny type in the header or footer. What they WON’T find easily is the message/differentiation of your company, and placing those ideas into the navigational/information structure of your site is the first and most critical step to designing a site that benefits your business.
So yes, stick with the standard options for these “maintenance” links, but invest serious time and energy into communicating your business model or meeting primary user goals directly in the navigation.
In large part, retailers might translate this advice pretty simply as “put the things you sell right out there in the front window.” Indeed. And yet how many of us are doing this most effectively?
See the whole QnA here.
