How To Choose Your Navigation Links For Your Website

First things first…navigation = menu of links on a website.

This is how you have your website organized.

Top navigation are the links at the top, and are typically more curated and specific with 4-6 options.

Bottom navigation are the links in the footer of a website. These can have more of a directory or index feel with more links out to specific pages and even sections on those pages.

Like with any portion of a website, you have to think about how it is going to be used and where it falls in the user experience.

When someone first gets to a website, they want only a few options to see if they can direct themselves to the general area they want to go – enter the TOP navigation.

When someone has scrolled through an entire page and comes to the end of their exploring, they are either looking for their next path or trying to narrow down their search because they didn’t find what they were looking for. Bottom navigations typically have links to social profiles along with index links.

It can seem straightforward (which is great if it is!) but there does need to be some strategy behind your choices. Your navigation is a key part of your SEO strategy, so having links that are popular keywords people are *actually* searching for is important.

For Example: Yes, photographers call them “portraits” but when is the last time someone searched “portrait photographer near me”? They aren’t likely doing that. They’re searching “family photographer” or “senior photographer,” so if you want to appear in those searches, you have to use that language.

That’s not to mean that you shouldn’t use your industry language throughout your website, but it’s just being strategic about when and where.

When it comes to your navigation links, I like to keep them as straightforward as possible. They are the roadmap to your website and how people will self-select their pathway. You have to consider not only what information they’re actively searching for but also about what information is necessary to bring them to a purchase, or at least filling out the contact form.

Here are some common navigation options.

HOME

I don’t typically include this in my top nav because I like to keep the links simple and uncluttered. You still need a way to get back home so I typically just link the logo. If you need another link to make things symmetrical, you can always add it back in.

SERVICES

I am a huge fan of having a page for each service with all of the information needed about that service. This helps visitors automatically segment themselves and enters them into a space where you can guide them through the information you want them to know in the order you want them to know it.

HOT TAKE: I don’t agree with “Pricing” or “Investment” pages.

If you were looking for information on a service, chances are you are going to go straight for the price…which is fair. We aren’t trying to hide prices. We just want to have the opportunity to build the value behind the price first. When someone sees the prices we want them to think “wow, that is a good deal.”

The amount of information given prior to introducing pricing will vary based on the level of buyers consideration (higher ticket items need more of a sell than lower priced items)

Either way, I still think it’s incredibly important to leverage the information someone WANTS with the information you know they NEED. 

ABOUT / MEET

This is probably my favorite page on a website. It’s where you can really show some personality and introduce yourself and your team members. This page should be fun but still catered towards your audience’s interests. 

I’ve also liked switching the ABOUT for MEET [INSERT NAME] or MEET THE TEAM as a more approachable variation.

I typically opt for putting this at the beginning of navigation options because if you’re reading from left to right, it will act as a “start here” spot, and it will keep the service page links in the center of the page, first line of view.

CONTACT

While I prefer the strategy of having specific forms at the end of each service page, you still need to have somewhere for people to easily contact you without having to go searching through your website.

It’s like when you’re frustrated on a customer service call listening to all of the options and you just keep pressing 0 hoping to talk to a person.

While these people may not be your most *qualified* leads (because you can assume they didn’t scroll through all of the information you meticulously laid out for them), they are still leads.

BLOG

I prefer this link be named “blog” rather than something like “journal” simply because I don’t know if people understand what that is. I’ve been confused by that one myself before!

You can get creative with so many areas on your website but the navigation isn’t one of them.

Keep it simple and straightforward, like a map in Disney World (by the way, have y’all used their new interactive park map? It’s amazing.)