How Mobile Navigation is Changing and How You Can Keep Up

Mobile has been big in 2015. Mobile is one of the most important areas in which to concentrate your efforts next year.

Browsing on mobile devices overtook desktop use in 2014. Mobile continues to grow in popularity, as does its influence upon shaping our browsing habits. Brands risk being left behind if they still haven’t optimised their websites for mobile.

But it it’s not enough to simply make your website responsive, and then leave it that. (We wish it was) Like the rest of the digital marketing world, the mobile dimension is constantly changing and moving forward. Mobile is consistently improving the user experience. Consumers now expect websites to keep up with the newer, slicker phone models being introduced onto the market. Users just want their online browsing to be simpler and easier.

In this post we discuss some of the most prominent recent changes in mobile navigation. It will keep you at the cutting edge of mobile digital marketing development. Additionally, it will help you to impress your users with a forward-thinking and easy to use website. We’ll share some extra tips and tricks to help you keep improving your mobile navigation. Ready to start?

Mobile navigation in 2015

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular and trends that have occurred in mobile navigation last year.

Hiding navigation

It’s becoming increasingly popular for websites to hide their navigation off-screen. They only reveal the menu when a user interacts with the website in some way – either by clicking or hovering.  A symbol in the top hand left side of the screen denotes the navigation, which then expands.

Why is this becoming popular?

Hiding the navigation is a quick and easy way to reduce the clutter on a website. The mobile navigation appears to be cleaner, simpler and more minimalistic.

Why do users like it?

A symbol denoting the navigation is simple and easy to understand for a user. Being presented with a straightforward and clean-looking website means they’ll be clear what they’re supposed to do. Therefore users are more likely to stick around for a while!

Hamburger menus

As part of this hidden navigation, hamburger menus are now common. You’ll have seen a hamburger menu on a mobile website before, even if you don’t recognise the name. A hamburger menu is a little symbol consisting of three horizontal lines, and expands when you hover over it. It’s clean and efficient and has come to be recognised as best practice in mobile navigation.

Why is this becoming popular?

It’s an established way to denote a hidden menu and is relatively straightforward in terms of design. Much like hiding the navigation in the first place, it helps to make your website appear cleaner and simpler.

Why do users like it?

Users almost universally recognised the hamburger menu now. It provides visitors with a quick and easy way to navigate around your website. In mobile, it’s all about convenience and ease.

There has been some debate about the efficacy of the hamburger menu and its impact on the user experience; although there is no real data to back this up.

Three steps to improve your mobile navigation

When it comes to mobile navigation simplicity and ease is the name of the game. Therefore, it’s a good idea to limit the number of layers of navigation you have. This boils down to one of the golden rules of digital marketing. Reduce the number of clicks it takes to give a user what they want. Three levels is probably a good guideline.

In addition, it’s not enough to have a simplistic and slick looking menu icon. Copywriting has an important role to play too. Again, it’s all about making things easy. Keep your copy clear, short and concise. It will work alongside your intuitive navigation to get your users where they need to be.

Consider using images in your navigation to visually demonstrate each category when you can (supermarkets do this particularly well).


How’s your mobile navigation looking?

Clever Marketing - Hampshire Digital AgencyLet us know if you need your local web design agency, Clever Marketing in Hampshire, to work on your mobile-friendly website for you. (We do SEO and PPC too – in fact, any digital marketing and lead generation you need? Speak with us first)

Call us now on 01276 402 381 or email info@cleverm.co.uk

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