Question

Topic: Website Critique

Worried About My Left Hand Navigation Categories

Posted by vicky on 1/6/2013 at 8:46 AM ET 250 Points
I have recently launched my website and wanted to get some feedback on the categories on the left hand side navigation. i am worried that there are too many clicks to get you to the products. I would really like to get some feedback on what you think about this sort of category classification.<br />Thank You.<br />
www.somethingniceforkids.com.au
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 1/6/2013 at 9:17 AM Accepted
    My quick impression - too many diverse categories to quickly figure out things. I'd start by figuring out who specifically is buying things from you now (assuming they are good customers), and make it easier to get more of these customers in the future by simplifying your message around their needs. The "Shop now and save receive..." rotating message is taking up too much prime space and is taking the focus away from your products.
  • Posted by Billd724 on 1/6/2013 at 10:14 AM Accepted
    Vicky - I agree with Jay's comments about too many categories. That forces a visitor to have to 'think'. Not what you want!

    It may help if you think about what a passenger getting off a train in a strange station is feeling -- lost! They don't know where to go. Suddenly, they see a sign that says "This way for trains to London" and another "This way for trains to Paris". Ahh. Now I see where I want to go!

    Think in terms of where does your visitor want to go . . . then break it down . . . broadly at first and progressively more specific. Make the 'trip' as brainless and painless as possible and you'll see those sales you're seeking!
  • Posted by Moriarty on 1/6/2013 at 12:58 PM Accepted
    Vicky,

    I want to approach this from another angle. Where are your visitors coming from? If you had your products clearly identified on a page, it would mean they wouldn't have to find you through your left hand navigation - they would arrive straight from the search results.

    Because then anything further only needs to be clearly marked. Remember your visitor doesn't want choice, they want what they have in mind to buy. If they find it, they might then think of buying something else - and that is the point when your navigation bar becomes more useful.

    An example:

    view-source:https://www.somethingniceforkids.com.au/shop/item/redwhite-flower-headband/whats-new

    What is the description on the page?

    "Product Description

    Beautiful white and red headband. The stylish, classic range of Embellish'd hair accessories are handmade - from bows, to headbands, to non-slip clips that are assured to stay in the finest of hair."

    Which isn't that enthralling. Nor is it that good for SEO ( ie finding it on the search engines). Your image has no title either, which affects how your page is indexed by the search engines too.

    I hope this helps, what are your thoughts? Moriarty xx
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 1/6/2013 at 1:39 PM Accepted
    I suggest you cut the 19 down to 7, as follows, with each ">" icon representing a drop down option:


    1. Baby showers > Boy >, Girl >, Twins and more >

    2. New Baby > Boy >, Girl >, Twins and more >

    3. Kids 0 - 10 years > Boys > Girls > Hair> Footwear > Costumes > Accessories >

    4. Family occasions > Baptisms>, Weddings> Religious events>

    5. Children's parties > Birthdays > Decorations > Stationery> Seasonal >

    6. Bedrooms/Nursery > Eat >, Play>, Dress up>

    7. What's New > Unique Childrens Gifts >, Sale/special offers>

    With an "About/Contact" tab.
  • Posted on 1/6/2013 at 1:57 PM Accepted
    I agree that there are too many options in that left-hand column, but I have a larger concern: How do people find your site? What were they searching for that led them to your site? If you knew that, you could create a series of landing pages that give each person exactly what they want.

    As it is, if someone is looking for a baby gift and lands on your homepage, they are bombarded with more options for things they do not want than things they might want.

    This is a good example of an appropriate place for landing pages.
  • Posted by vicky on 1/6/2013 at 6:26 PM Author
    Thank you very much for contributing to this query, I will be making significant changes based on your feedback. I didn't really see that the diverse categories as a barrier. but reviewing your feedback it surely needs some significant work. As too with the landing pages, I just need to find out how this can be linked in with the SEO which at moment is drawing close to 5K visits per month into the site, and sadly enough, most of it is going to the home page at the stage.

    For the landing pages, I am not 100% entirely sure what an effective landing page, would look like. if you have any suggested links that i can go to that would be super appreciated.

    thanks again.

  • Posted by Moriarty on 1/6/2013 at 7:07 PM Member
    Vicky,
    a few tips about landing pages.

    What you need is to dedicate one page to one product. Headline, text, meta data, everything on that page heads towards the red and white headband (or any other product). 500 words of text as a rule.

    There is a lot the search engines will get out of that - and written for your visitors, it will please them too.

    Okay: this is a lot of work just for one page, and you have a lot of products. A little 80-20 thinking needs to be taken into account. What are your best products - there will be ten that sit far and above all the others. Concentrate on those first, and work your way out from there. That way your efforts will be focused on those parts that really count. You are in business to sell them after all, so concentrate on those that ... sell?

    Concentrate also on your best clients. These too will be through your sales records. Tune your wording (copy) to them so that you sell more to them. Believe me, you will see real results for changing ten pages. With that experience you can broaden out to other pages.

    With those pages clearly written to the search terms that come in from the search engines* you will have some five star landing pages. They will stand out in the search results like red flowers. Then if they want more, they will look to your navigation bar. But they won't look at it first.

    To your success,

    Moriarty

    (*and answering those questions is one of the easiest ways to write copy, by the way!)
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 1/7/2013 at 9:53 AM Member
    Here's a link to a page about well-designed landing pages: https://unbounce.com/landing-page-examples/your-landing-page-sucks/

    Here's another: https://searchenginewatch.com/article/2161567/Killer-Landing-Pages-3-Exampl...
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