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I'm creating website with the following things:

  • Blog
  • Programs / activities / events
  • Podcast
  • Newsletter

All of these things seem like they could be classified as "outreach". However, I really dont want to add another dropdown for all of this because I read dropdowns aren't the best. And although these things important, I don't want to list them all separately because it'll clutter my navigation.

Would it make for a bad user experience if I created a page called "Outreach" with a sub menu that linked to all these things?

Example:
site.com/outreach/podcast
site.com/outreach/newsletter

The only downside I could see is that it would be kind of awkward telling people how to get to those pages. I feel like I'd just expect to go to site.com/podcast.

Or is there alternative?

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If space allows always show navigation options. Visibility is always better then discoverability.

Besides, when you show navigation options you construct 'the space made of information' in the heads of the visitors. When you say Blog, Programs / activities / events, Podcast, Newsletter (maybe not in this order) I immediately think about music school, theater or some creative community website. The same way when I say sink, 'dishwasher' and fridge one might think about kitchen.

I think that Outreach is very back label for all of it. I be that no one will think that podcast is located there, people will just think that you do not have podcast.

Each link (and label) is a promise. Podcast link promises podcast. Outreach link promises nothing, people do not land to the website looking for an Outreach.

If you do not have real estate to have all the options on the surface, use drop-down menu. They are not that bad of implemented correctly (think taps on touch devices).

Alternatively, you can land visitors to subcategory page. E.g. Programs menu item can lead to Programs page giving overview of different program types (bachelor, master, micro-degree) and providing further navigation options.

Just do not us Outreach for that.

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    That helped me a lot. Thanks. Looking at a link as a promise really put things into perspective for me. I also didn't think about how trying to push everything under generic labels was really hiding the content.
    – JustBlossom
    Sep 26, 2019 at 0:27

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