Managed navigation using term store in SharePoint 2013

In SharePoint 2013 another feature we must like is the Friendly URL's. This is main feature in terms of SEO as well. If your site has the custom navigation needs to be implemented then one way is to implement from the site settings –> Navigation and add/edit/remove the links whatever you want to show up on the site. Another way with SharePoint 2013 is to manage the navigation via Term Store. You can create a term set and terms [Links] in it to show these terms as links on SharePoint site. For example, if you want to map your /pages/default.aspx with /home then it is possible with this new feature.

Prerequisites:

• This needs Managed Metadata Service running in the SharePoint environment. For this, go to Central Administration –> Application Management –> Manage Services on Server –> Start the "Manage metadata service" if it is not already running.
• Once you started the service, go to Application Management –> Manage Service Applications –> Click on the "Manage Metadata Service Application" –> Properties [From ribbon] –> and check the checkbox which reads "This service application is the default storage location for column specific term sets". Otherwise you will see the below error while creating the term sets "Failed to create term set. A default managed metadata service connection hasn't been specified."

Now, go ahead and create the managed navigation to our SharePoint site. Follow steps below.

1. Go to Site Settings of the SharePoint 2013 site.
2. Under Look and Feel section, click on Navigation link.
3. Under Global Navigation section, select the option "Managed Navigation: The navigation items will be represented using a Managed Metadata term set".
4. Under managed navigation term set section, you will see options to create the navigation. See below
   
5. From the button which is available there click on it to create an empty term set or you can use Term Store Management Tool.
6. Create Term Set and add how many terms you required. Once added the term click on the term and you can see multiple tabs.
7. Here click on the Navigation tab and fill all the details. In the node type select what type of navigation item it is, just a link or header text or link to another item in the SharePoint. You can map/link any SharePoint url to this navigation item like page, image path, folder url or anything.
   

Save your changes and see the site to see your new managed navigation which is driven through term store. Cool!