How To Structure Your Website Menu For Conversions

Good website navigation isn’t just about design – it’s about helping your target market find what they need and take action, fast.

Done well, your business wins with more leads, more enquiries, and more conversions.

Done poorly, and you risk creating confusion and losing visitors to your competitors.

When someone lands on your website, they’re usually looking for something specific:

• Service or product information
• Pricing details
• Contact information
• Your experience
• Proof you can deliver the results they’re after

If they can’t find it in under 5 seconds, chances are they’ll head to a competitor’s site instead.

Here are 7 simple tips to make sure your website navigation works for you – not against you:

1. Keep your menu simple

Stick to 5-7 top-level menu items. 

These should be your most important or most visited pages. 

Too many options cause friction and overwhelm.

2. Use clear labels

Fancy names like “How We Help” or “Solutions Lab” might sound clever, but simple labels like “Services” or “Pricing” convert better.

3. Show visitors where they are

Highlight the current page in your menu so users can quickly orient themselves.

It’s a small detail that significantly reduces frustration.

4. Make your logo clickable

Most users expect clicking the logo will take them back to your homepage.

Even if you have a “Home” link in your menu, making the logo clickable is best practice – and avoids frustrating those who expect it.

5. Offer a search option

If your site is content-heavy, add a search option.

Some people prefer to search rather than click through menus.

At SGD, we added a search function not only to help potential clients find our content but also to help our team quickly locate and share helpful resources.

To see how this works, try searching in our menu for “AI SEO”.

6. Position your primary offer early

Your main service should be placed near the beginning of the menu.

This makes it easy for your audience to find your core offering – and it’s great for both SEO and conversions.

7. Compare with competitors

Visit the websites of your top 3 competitors and ask yourself:

• Is their menu clear?
• Is their site easy to navigate?
• How does it compare to yours?

Your audience is making these comparisons too – make sure your navigation is at least as strong, if not better.

Your website menu is like Netflix

Although Netflix has over 7,000 titles, they don’t overwhelm you with every option at once. 

Instead, it curates the content and guides you toward what’s next.

Your website should do the same: make it easy for visitors to find what they need and keep them moving forward – without making them think too hard.

Because if you confuse them, you’ll lose them.

If you’re unsure how your navigation stacks up, open your site and ask:

“Can a first-time visitor find our most important page in under 5 seconds?”

If the answer is no, it’s time for a review.

Need help improving your website navigation?

We’ve helped Australian organisations like RSL Victoria, CyberCX and Merricks Capital simplify their menus, improve user experience, and drive more conversions.

Book a Website Strategy Workshop and we can do the same for you.