A while ago I took a quick look at Amazon.com navigation menus evolution and a few really interesting questions popped up after I published the post. I am going to discuss them here weekly, so please share your thoughts and opinions.
The first question to discuss is the preferred ordering criteria of the long category list in the menus. Assuming all the categories have no logical relation (they are of the same topic layer, so can’t be grouped semantically), we are basically offered two options: to list them alphabetically or based on user choice / popularity.
Alphabetical Ordering
The most important thing about alphabetical ordering is that it makes the list predictable. A user sees what he expects and where he expects to see.
Alphabetical ordering is most often used when:
- there is not better way to order the items (no logical relations between the items listed, no hierarchy: e.g. from small to large, etc);
- you have to organize a huge list of data:
Alphabet is best used when you have enormous amount of data. For example words in a dictionary or names in a telephone. As usually everybody is familiar with the Alphabet, categorizing by Alphabet is recommendable when not all the audience is familiar with different kind of groupings or categories you could use instead.
As most of us have already memorized the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, the organization of information by alphabet works when the audience or readership encompasses a broad spectrum of society that might not understand classification by another form such as category or location.
Ordering by Popularity
In this case categories are ordered based on users’ priorities. This method seems to cater for the need of the majority allowing them to find what they want quicker. The common example of this type of ordering is listing countries – when we are always recommended to put the U.S. on the top of the list, with the rest of the countries below it in alphabetical order.
In this case users are given what they want to see (but for some the list might appear to be randomized):
(Note: I have no confirmation that Amazon is using category popularity as the ordering factor)
So what’s your take? Do you prefer alphabetical order to ordering by priority?
Hey Ann,
Its great that you have taken my question this much seriously.
Let people decide what really they want.I have been reading your blogs from past few months. What I came to know is that you do have profound knowledge not only on SEO but also usability. More over you are a good observer.
I think it depends on the product you are selling, the number of products, your bounce rate for certain categories, etc. If your site is an information based site with a long list of menu items alphabetical order might be preferable
I think alphabetical order is natural and the best.
If possible, depends on the content, you can give to the users possibility to decide how they want to navigate – just simple link ‘change order : popularity / alphabetical’ – but not in menu. It’s best way for SEO (few more pages with unique content) and for usability.
Alphabetical… usually.
A combination of the two can be nice – your one or two big things at the top in large obvious text, and the rest further down in alphabetical order.
I think, that depend mainly on nr of categories. If I have 6 categories, it is better by popularity. Nevertheless for 10 up categories (typically eshops), may be better alphabetical ordering.
If I want to prefer some categories, I use pictures in main text. IMHO it is better for usability, but mainly for visitors.
When I see eye-tracking maps, mostly visitors see main text and first categories.
I think that you should also consider labeling predictability.
If your users are not 100% able to imagine the content of your menu nor the way you are labeling its options, then alphabetical order won’t help them, since they will scan all the options anyway.
In your first example you have a very large list of items, called in a simple and predictable way.
But in the second one, few ones will be able to guess how many options will appear when clicking “Movie, Music & Games” or that “Blue Ray” will be a single category in stead of being included into a “Movies” category.