The rest of a website should be organized around a coherent navigation model. It is difficult to know in advance exactly which structure will best match the expectations of new users.
Start by reviewing the organization's goals and the tasks the website must support. Then compare the advantages and limitations of different structures.
The sitemap and information architecture should reflect the site's functions, priorities and expected user journeys. Avoid copying another company's navigation without considering whether the same structure makes sense for your own audience.
This article reviews several factors that can make navigation easier to understand and manage.
It is difficult to view a familiar website through a new user's eyes, which is why usability testing is valuable. The initial information architecture also matters because it can either make future changes easier or constrain them.
#1 Number of options
One of the simplest ideas to understand—and one of the hardest to implement—is moderation in menus, links and other navigation tools. Too few choices can hide useful content; too many can overwhelm users.
Prioritize pages that users commonly need or that are central to the business. Secondary pages can be organized in the footer or contextual navigation, grouped under understandable categories.
Search can also be useful on content-heavy websites, especially active blogs where it is impossible to expose every article in the main navigation.
Contextual internal links should help readers reach relevant pages without forcing them back to a central index after every article.
#2 Jargon and originality
Online businesses often try to stand out through creative language and unconventional interfaces, but originality can become a usability problem when users no longer understand the labels.
Language is primarily a communication tool. A clever internal term is not helpful if a visitor cannot tell what a link or page name means. The same applies to unexplained acronyms.
Unfamiliar labels can also reduce organic discoverability when they replace the words users actually search for. Prefer clear, conventional terminology for important navigation and explain specialized terms where necessary.
If unusual navigation language is strategically important to the brand, test it before and after implementation and compare user behavior rather than relying only on internal preferences.
#3 Consistency
Users quickly learn the patterns of a website. If primary navigation behaves differently on every page, it can create confusion and unnecessary cognitive load. Change the global pattern only when there is a clear reason.
Calls to action are also part of consistency. A CTA directs the user toward a particular action—for example, viewing About or Contact information, starting an order or opening a service page.
Some important actions should remain predictable across the website, while individual pages may require additional contextual CTAs. On a conversion page, the primary action should be especially clear.
Consistency should still serve usability. If users visit for only a short task, simplicity and speed may be more important than preserving an elaborate interaction pattern.
Mobile devices
A large share of website traffic comes from mobile devices. Navigation should therefore be designed for small screens rather than simply shrinking the desktop menu.
A hamburger or similar compact menu can be useful, while text, imagery and layout should prioritize the information users actually need on a smaller display.
For products with a dedicated mobile application, app navigation may be structured differently from the website, but the terminology and core user journeys should remain understandable and consistent.