Treat Your Ecommerce Website Like a Brick-and-Mortar Store
We’ve worked with a wide range of ecommerce sites and clients over the years, and one principle consistently delivers results: treat your website as if it were a physical, brick-and-mortar store.
Beyond all the technical jargon, this mindset simply means committing to continuous improvement. Just as you would refresh window displays, reorganize shelves, or improve in-store signage, your website should always be evolving. Make pages more attractive, add richer and more helpful product details, and look for small opportunities to improve conversion rate optimization (CRO).
Even moving the CRO needle by a tiny fraction each week can have a significant impact over time. Those incremental improvements compound, and sales do increase as a result.
One area that deserves particular attention is navigation. How easily customers can find what they’re looking for can make or break a sale—and it’s one of the most important elements of any ecommerce site.
Read on to learn why navigation matters so much, and how to get it right.
Creating an effective navigation system for your eCommerce website is crucial for ensuring a seamless user experience and maximizing sales. Here’s a guide to help you optimize your eCommerce website navigation:
Keep It Simple and Clear
- Limit Categories: Avoid overwhelming visitors with too many options. Focus on the main categories that represent your product range.
- Logical Order: Arrange categories and subcategories in a logical order that makes sense to your target audience.
Use Standard Navigation Patterns
- Top-Level Navigation: Use a horizontal menu for primary categories (e.g., Home, Shop, Categories, Brands, Deals).
- Secondary Navigation: Consider a vertical sidebar or dropdown menus for subcategories or additional options.
Implement Search Functionality
- Prominence: Place the search bar prominently, typically at the top of each page.
- Autocomplete & Suggestions: Implement features like autocomplete and search suggestions to help users find products faster.
Include Breadcrumbs
- Purpose: Breadcrumbs show users their current location within the site’s hierarchy, making navigation back easier.
- Format: Typically displayed near the top of the page, above the main content area.
Optimize for Mobile Devices
- Responsive Design: Ensure navigation is user-friendly on smaller screens.
- Hamburger Menu: Use a collapsible menu (hamburger icon) for mobile navigation to save screen space.
Facilitate Filtering and Sorting
- Filter Options: Allow users to filter products by attributes (e.g., price range, size, color).
- Sorting Options: Offer sorting by relevance, price, popularity, etc.
Promote Special Offers and Deals
- Highlight Special Sections: Create dedicated sections for sales, new arrivals, and featured products in the navigation menu.
Provide Contact and Support Information
- Customer Service: Include links to customer support, FAQs, and contact information in the footer or header for easy access.
Ensure Accessibility
- Navigation Labels: Use clear and descriptive labels for categories and links.
- Keyboard Navigation: Ensure users can navigate using keyboard shortcuts for accessibility.
Monitor and Improve
- Analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics to track user behavior and navigation patterns.
- Feedback: Gather feedback from users to identify navigation pain points and areas for improvement.
Additional Tips:
- Loading Speed: Ensure navigation elements load quickly to enhance user experience.
- Consistency: Maintain consistent navigation across all pages of your site.
- A/B Testing: Experiment with different navigation layouts to determine what works best for your audience.
By following these guidelines, you can create an eCommerce website navigation that enhances user experience, boosts engagement, and ultimately drives conversions.