Increasing conversions 43% through usability testing and navigation redesign
Overview
A Fortune 500 print and communications company struggled with low conversion rates on their B2B website due to unclear navigation labels. By redesigning the main navigation, we improved the information architecture and usability, leading to a 43% increase in conversions.
Challenge
The company's product pages had low engagement rates, with users struggling to find relevant content due to vague navigation labels and a disorganized structure. The main navigation lacked consistency, some labels opened a mega menu with subcategories, while others linked directly to top-level pages, creating uncertainty about what to expect when clicking a navigation link.
The company used vague category labels that left users feeling uncertain about the type of content they could expect to find under certain categories.
Approach
1. Usability Testing
Our research budget was limited, so we conducted a Heuristic Evaluation to help identify areas of improvement and demonstrate the need for funding for usability testing. Once our budget was approved we:
Conducted usability testing with 15 participants with the authority to procure goods and services for their organization to identify friction points.
Analyzed and synthesized our findings into a usability report.
“I’m not sure what kind of content I’d find under ‘Find solutions tailored to your goals.’ Is this about specific products, services, or advice? It feels a little vague.”
2. Information Architecture & Navigation Testing
After exhausting our research budget on usability testing, we established a Usability Advocacy Council composed of volunteers from the company’s Account Management and Sales teams to help identify potential new category names. This group was chosen for their client-facing experience, which provided valuable insights into the types of information that current and prospective customers need when procuring services.
To refine the navigation structure, we:
Conducted card sorting exercises to understand how users naturally group content.
Revised the site’s navigation, introducing two new category labels, Solutions and Resources, to provide a clearer sense of what users could expect under each section.
Validated the new navigation labels through Tree testing, ensuring clarity and intuitive organization.
Initial sketches for the new navigation labels were developed based on the results of our testing.
3. Wireframing & Iterative Prototyping
Based on our Tree testing results, we created two new navigation labels, “Solutions” and “Resources”, to improve content discoverability. Additional steps were taken to enhance the main navigation’s mega menu, ensuring all navigation categories featured a dropdown menu for improved consistency.
To validate and refine our approach, we:
Designed mid-fidelity wireframes to test navigation flows before development.
Conducted Click tests to validate usability and confirm that the new navigation was intuitive.
Wireframe depicting the redesigned navigation menu with 'Solutions' and 'Resources' categories.
Outcome
The navigation redesign and usability improvements led to significant increases in user engagement and conversions:
Conversions increased by 43%, demonstrating the direct impact of improved navigation and information architecture.
Session duration increased by 14% YoY, indicating that users spent more time exploring the site.
Engagement rate improved by 10.4% YoY, showing a higher level of interaction and meaningful site engagement.
Total pageviews grew by 48.1% YoY, suggesting that users were discovering and interacting with more content than before.
By streamlining navigation, refining search functionality, and enhancing usability, we created a more intuitive and engaging user experience, directly leading to higher conversions and deeper site engagement.
Two new navigations labels, “Solutions” and “Resources” were created based on the results of our testing.
Key Takeaways
Clearer navigation directly impacts conversions.Users need intuitive pathways to find what they need quickly.
Testing before implementation saves time. Card Sorting and Tree testing helped refine navigation before launch.
Small changes = Big impact. A well-structured information architecture can drastically improve engagement.