Site Navigation That Helps People Find Answers

Make the structure visible

Navigation shows readers how a website's subjects fit together. It also provides links through which crawlers can discover pages. A simple set of topic hubs is often easier to use than a crowded menu listing every article. Labels should describe destinations in familiar language, and important pages should be reachable through normal links rather than search alone.

Design for more than a mouse

Menus must work on phones, with a keyboard, and without relying entirely on hover. Keep focus visible, expose expanded states, and give controls appropriate labels. Breadcrumbs can help visitors understand where an article belongs. Check for dead ends and orphan pages as the library grows, and keep the same basic navigation across the site.

A checklist you can use

• Use clear topic labels.
• Provide keyboard and touch access.
• Link articles from relevant category hubs.
• Check broken links and unreachable pages.