Your website navigation is the digital roadmap for your business. If it’s cluttered or confusing, potential customers in Brisbane and across Australia will leave your site faster than a barista can pull a shot of espresso.
Optimising your navigation isn't just about making things look tidy; it’s about reducing friction, improving your Google rankings, and guiding visitors toward your most profitable services. In this guide, we’ll show you how to build a menu that works for your customers and your bottom line.
Prerequisites
Before you start, ensure you have:- Access to your website's CMS (Content Management System) like WordPress, Shopify, or Squarespace.
- Google Analytics (or similar) installed to see which pages are currently popular.
- A list of your core services or products.
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Step 1: Audit Your Current Traffic
Before changing anything, look at the data. Open Google Analytics and navigate to the 'Pages and screens' report. Identify which pages your visitors are actually visiting and which ones are being ignored. If you have a 'Resources' link that no one clicks, it might be taking up valuable real estate that could be better used for a 'Book Now' button. What you should see: A list of URLs ranked by views. Pay close attention to the 'Bounce Rate' of your top-level pages.Step 2: Map Your Information Architecture (IA)
Grab a piece of paper or use a digital tool like Miro. Draw out a hierarchy of your pages. Your goal is a 'flat' structure, meaning a user should be able to find any piece of information within three clicks from the homepage. Group related services together under broad headings (e.g., 'Residential Plumbing' and 'Commercial Plumbing' under a single 'Services' tab).Step 3: Prioritise the 'Serial Position Effect'
Psychology tells us that users remember the first and last items in a list best. Place your most important items (like 'Services' or 'Shop') at the beginning of your menu, and your most important action (like 'Contact' or 'Get a Quote') at the far right. Items in the middle are often overlooked, so place secondary information like 'About Us' or 'Blog' there.Step 4: Use Descriptive, Keyword-Rich Labels
Avoid being too 'clever' with your labels. Instead of 'Our Philosophy', use 'About Us'. Instead of 'Solutions', use 'Services'. For an Australian business, being direct is always better for UX. Furthermore, using keywords like 'Brisbane Law Firm' or 'Plumbing Services' in your footer navigation can provide a slight SEO boost by helping Google understand your site's context.Step 5: Implement a 'Sticky' Header
A sticky header stays at the top of the screen as the user scrolls down. This is particularly important for long-form landing pages. It ensures that the 'Contact Us' button is always one second away, significantly increasing your conversion rate for mobile users who don't want to scroll all the way back up.Step 6: Optimise for Mobile (The 'Hamburger' Menu)
Most of your Australian customers will likely visit your site via a smartphone. Ensure your menu collapses into a 'hamburger' icon (the three horizontal lines) on smaller screens. Test this by resizing your browser window on your desktop or checking your site on your phone. The links should be large enough to tap easily with a thumb—avoid tiny text links that lead to 'fat finger' errors.Step 7: Limit the Number of Menu Items
Aim for no more than seven top-level menu items. Any more than this and 'choice paralysis' kicks in. If you have a complex site, use a 'Mega Menu' (a large dropdown that appears when hovering) to categorise sub-pages, but keep the top-level bar clean and focused.Step 8: Standardise Your Navigation Placement
Don't reinvent the wheel. Users expect the logo to be on the top left (and for it to link back to the homepage) and the navigation to be across the top or in a sidebar. Placing your menu in an unconventional spot might look 'artsy', but it usually results in higher bounce rates as users struggle to find their way around.Step 9: Add a Search Bar
If you have more than 20 pages or an e-commerce store, a search bar is essential. Place it in the top right corner. This serves as a safety net for users who can't immediately find what they are looking for in your structured menu.Step 10: Optimise Your Footer Navigation
Your footer is the 'safety net' of your website. It’s the perfect place for links that are important but don't need to be in the main header, such as your ABN, Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, and links to your social media profiles. It should also repeat your main contact details (phone and address) for local SEO purposes.Pro Tip: Use 'Breadcrumbs' on your internal pages. These are the small text paths (e.g., Home > Services > Residential) found at the top of pages. They help users understand where they are and help Google crawl your site more effectively.
Common Mistake: Avoid using 'Drop-down' menus that trigger on hover for mobile devices. Since there is no 'hover' on a touchscreen, these menus often fail to open or require double-tapping, which frustrates users.
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Troubleshooting
- My menu looks messy on mobile: Check your font size. Often, reducing the font size by 2px or increasing the line height can fix overlapping text.
- Users aren't clicking my 'Contact' button: Check the contrast. Your primary Call to Action (CTA) should be a button colour that stands out from the rest of the menu (e.g., a bright orange button on a white/blue menu).
- The dropdown menu disappears too fast: This is usually a CSS 'padding' issue. Ensure there is no empty space between the top-level link and the dropdown box, or the mouse will 'leave' the trigger area.
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Next Steps
Now that your navigation is streamlined, it's time to look at the content on those pages.- Review your 'Services' pages to ensure they have clear headings.
- Check your page loading speed, as complex menus can sometimes slow down a site.
- If you're finding this technical setup a bit overwhelming, we're here to help. Our team can perform a full UX audit of your site to ensure you aren't losing leads.
Need a professional hand to audit your website's performance? Contact the team at Local Marketing Group today.