You’d never head out on a road trip without a map—or, more likely, your car’s GPS system. The same concept applies when hunting for a product or service on the web. If a site doesn’t provide you with a well-planned, easily navigable interface, you’re likely to feel just as frustrated as you would on a desolate stretch of interstate without a road sign in sight. Frustrated, and highly unlikely to get to where you want to go.

The importance of effective website navigation has skyrocketed along with the widespread  use of search engines. Earlier this year, eCommerce analysts estimated that only 25% of online consumers begin the shopping process at a site’s home page, with a large majority landing directly on other pages via Google, Yahoo, or a shopping comparison site. With shoppers dropping in at multiple locations throughout your site, it’s critical that you present them with a cohesive, context-independent navigational structure that shows how the page fits into the grand scheme of things.