The Seven Sins

Failing to make certain that your home page provides a simple and intuitive navigation system.

Internet surfers are notoriously impatient. Viewers who log on to your site want to see at a glance what the site has to offer, what selections are available, and what has to be done to find the information they want. If your site- navigation system doesn’t provide quick answers to these questions, many will quickly bid you adieu.

Every page must provide an intuitive way to reach any other page on your site. Make no mistake: Internet viewers simply will not invest the time and effort needed to plow through a confusing maze of menus.

The most popular navigation systems consist of menus laid out vertically on the left side or horizontally across the top of each page. Whatever system you choose, it must be consistent. At a minimum, every page on your site must contain a "return to home page" link.

You’ve probably visited sites that seem to be made up of nothing but menus. You keep clicking and clicking without ever arriving at the information you’re trying to find. This discouraging situation is often the result of too few choices at each menu level.

Remember: If you allow your viewer to get confused or lost, you’ve probably lost a potential customer. Your navigation system must provide your visitors with enough information to make easy and effective choices—no more, no less.