Imagine yourself in a grocery store or bookstore. You want something and you're not sure where to look. If you don't find it after a first guess, you may retrace your steps, wander or even search for a salesperson to help you. If you're short on time and your need isn't that urgent, you might just leave.
Now consider the last time this happened to you on the Web. In the digital space of the Internet, the amount of information available is vast and movement between disparate pages and sites is nearly instantaneous. Therefore, tools for navigation and orientation become even more difficult and important, and we can slip quickly into confusion and disorientation.
These popular Web practices can help users more effectively navigate your site:
Be consistentConsistent page layout and graphic treatments are essential to building trust. With rare exceptions, changing key design elements distracts the user and can even cause users to question if they're still on your site.
Create a hierarchyBe sure to indicate which page elements are most important and allow less important items to blend in. The most likely user actions should be easiest to access.
Use common trigger keywordsUse the language of your users. While playful or branded terms can build brand image, they can obscure meaning.
Structure content for your user, not according to internal organizationOrganize and name content in a way that will quickly make sense to your user, not to your employees. Your visitors don't have the time to familiarize themselves with your business model, product naming conventions, etc. before they can make a decision.
Use breadcrumbsBecause visitors may land on any page of your site from a variety of sources, a trail of breadcrumbs — a single line of linked page titles that starts with the homepage and ends with the current page — will help users comprehend their current location and the scope of your site.