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How to Plan Website Navigation for a Small Business Site

Learn how to plan website navigation that helps visitors find pages quickly and supports your business goals.

Apr 10, 20265 min read

Keep navigation simple

Good website navigation is simple and clear. Visitors should find any page within 2 clicks. Avoid deep hierarchies and confusing labels.

A flat navigation structure works well for most small business websites. List your main pages in the primary navigation and group related pages logically.

Use descriptive labels

Navigation labels should clearly describe what the visitor will find on the page. Avoid clever or vague labels that require interpretation.

Services is clearer than Solutions. Contact is clearer than Let's Talk. When in doubt, use the simplest label.

  • Use familiar terms like Services, About, Contact
  • Avoid jargon or internal terminology
  • Keep labels short (1 to 3 words)
  • Make sure each label clearly describes the page content

Prioritize your most important pages

Your most important pages should be most visible in the navigation. If services are your priority, make sure the Services link is prominent.

Do not bury important pages in dropdown menus or sub-navigation. If a page matters, give it a visible spot.

Include contact information in the header

Your phone number or a contact link should be visible in the header of every page. Visitors should never have to search for how to reach you.

Consider adding a prominent call to action button in the header alongside your navigation links.

Website planning disclaimer

SiteBuildHub helps plan websites. Results depend on your offer, market, traffic, copy, design, trust, and follow-up. No guarantee of leads, rankings, sales, or conversions is made or implied.

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