The navigation path of your website must fit neatly with your users’ decision making process. Whether it’s purchasing a product, signing up for the newsletter or asking them to share your article, the goal is the same: get their commitment! For example, in order to purchase something, a typical customer’s process consists of: recognising their need of a product, researching that product, comparing with alternatives and, finally, commitment to purchase. A shopping platform should smoothly guide the user through these steps.
There are several very effective ways to assess your site’s navigation and see if you can make improvements to translate into more conversions:
- Know your customer, know what it will take for them to commit, then build each step of the path as a convincing and persuasive point.
- Try to predict what their possible objections or hesitations are, and address these along the way.
- Ensure that each step of the path is clear and concise, and that the path’s progression makes logical sense.
- Make sure to include clear calls to action, strategically placed where commitment level is likely to be high.
There are plenty of successful e-commerce sites that already have solid, intuitive navigation. Learn from them! For instance, Airbnb’s mobile version lets customers search for, compare, and book rooms in the city of their choice. Its smart yet simple interface and navigation on mobile devices makes it easy to plan a trip right from your phone.
1. Airbnb’s landing page has a clear value proposition, basic information on the brand, and a big call to action early on to search for listings.
2. Searching for a city and date range leads to the products landing page, which already shows the user many lodging options. Intuitive filters and recognition of a customer’s past search habits can better tailor the results to what that specific customer is likely to search for.
3. Clicking on the search result of a product will generate detailed information: features and benefits of a product, cost, and availability. This information alleviates the general objections or concerns a customer has with that listing, and helps them compare options.
4. Clear and easy ‘Instant Book’ option, which allows the guest to tell the host about him or herself as well as confirm the booking. The checkout process is made fast and simpleby saving a customer’s credit card and contact information.
5. Managing or changing reservations is also very simple, and users can contact their hosts ahead of time if they wish to do so. SMS notifications allow users to get updates on their bookings quickly, without having to use the app.
Airbnb is just one great example of a site whose navigation entices users to make transactions. If you're looking to increase conversion rates through your site's navigation, it's important to first start looking at user behavior on your site. Salt & Fuessel can help!
Salt & Fuessel is a digital agency with a proven track record in web strategy, and can help set up intuitive navigation based on real time user feedback and testing. This ensures that your website is optimised and tailored to real users who are interested in your brand.
Check out Salt & Fuessel's past client projects, which span a diverse range of industries, and get in touch to see how we can make your site a success. Don’t hesitate to contact us today!
