Enhance Your Navigation with Megamenus
Does your utility website include lots of webpages with a lot of categories and subcategories? Are your site visitors frustrated because they can’t find what they need with your navigation? A megamenu might be the solution that your utility website needs.
A megamenu is a navigation menu that displays all the pages at once in a dropdown that could include multiple columns and sections. These could be displayed vertically or horizontally. A site visitor doesn’t have to click on subpages to try to locate the specific page they are looking for.
There are benefits to using a megamenu, but it’s not useful for every site. It will depend on many factors, so figure out what works for your utility’s website. It’s all about what fits you best.
When to Use a Megamenu on Your Website
User experience is the best way of understanding what your site would best benefit from. Ask yourself if using a megamenu would enhance the experience for your site visitors.
If your site doesn’t have that many pages, a simple dropdown navigation would be best. But a website for an electric cooperative, broadband provider or other utility organization that has a great deal of pages would benefit from using a megamenu by displaying all the options at once.
They can still be arranged within relevant categories to keep the sections organized and easy to scan through. This way, the webpages aren’t hidden from your site visitor, and they can see all their options at once. This also prevents a simple dropdown from getting too long and going below the fold of your website. This will look busy, and you don’t want your site visitor to have to scroll down just to see all the menu options.
The type of content on your website will also determine which menu would work best for your site. If you have specific pages that your visitors will be going to most often, it’s best to keep the navigation simple. This way, they don’t get overwhelmed with too many options. If you have a lot of information, it will be beneficial to add a megamenu, so that they can explore throughout your site.
Benefits to Using a Megamenu
One of the biggest benefits is that no page will be hidden from your site visitors. They will all be seen on your menu without having to scroll or click on subpages. A user will be able to see nested second level pages at a glance and select what they need right away. They don’t need to remember where a certain page is located, since they will see them all at once.
Another benefit to using a megamenu is that the navigation will be well organized. The pages can be grouped into relevant categories and subpages, but still be all visible. This helps guide the site visitors eye to what they are looking for. Helping them find what they need quickly, means they have a great experience using your site.
Best Practices
Even if using a megamenu, make sure to keep the navigation simple. Group the pages within categories and keep them within their relevant sections. Make sure each page is only in one location, so as not to confuse your site visitors.
Make sure each page title is descriptive so that a site visitor knows exactly what to expect when they click on that page. This keeps them from getting frustrated if they can’t find what they need. Don’t use jargon for page titles. Keep it simple and intuitive.
Conclusion
Utilizing a megamenu can be remarkably effective if used correctly. Determine what is best for your site and see how your navigation will be improved. This will create a memorable experience for anyone visiting your site.
