The tree structure: a fundamental step in website creation

A man creating a website.

Establishing a website plan is an important task, but difficult to do. Organizing content and prioritizing takes time and requires teamwork.

Despite the good quality of the presentation of a website, your goal could not be achieved without well -made navigation That said, the tree structure should not be overlooked when creating your website . To be able to create a good structure of your site, read until the end.

What is a website tree?

A website tree diagram that is used to organize its content. It is presented in the form of a diagram structuring the pages into sections. It also defines the different navigation levels . Thanks to this plan, visitors will be able to easily access the page that interests them.

When creating a website, the tree structure is the first step to design. Once set up, it allows the team to have an overview of the site. They then need to check the pages and produce graphic models and prototypes.

What should a website tree contain?

The first challenge that a company must face is the listing of the content to be organized. The site navigation system is based on various supports. Here are examples:

  • main navigation menu : may contain a secondary menu appearing at the first view of the main menu.
  • secondary navigation menu : this is the child menu of the item selected in the main menu. It can also be a completely different menu.
  • internal search engine : having one or more search links
  • sidebar : used to promote horizontal navigation from products or article suggestions,
  • footer : giving access to the main categories of the site or to key pages.

It should be emphasized that a tree structure makes it possible to establish an effective navigation system for all situations.

What is the use of a website tree?

The tree has several functions for a website.

Improved natural indexing

In SEO , the tree structure plays a first role, both in the pages hierarchy and on the global level. Indeed, search engines , especially Google , use algorithms to analyze the pages of a website. It is in this case that the tree structure is necessary, because the hierarchy of the site guides Google algorithm. If the architecture is consistent, the search engine will quickly include the operation of your site and the content it offers. Consequently, it will give these pages good indexing and optimal positioning compared to a given request.

A site with a clear structure therefore ranks higher on pages in search results.

Guide for visitors

Certainly, organizing a huge amount of information is difficult. However, its management can be improved little by little by setting up the tree structure . If the site is well structured, visitors can easily navigate from one page to another. In this case, they will be able to easily find what they came to look for on the site. Note that when a visitor spends less time on a site, the chances of generating conversions increase.

How to design the tree structure of your website?

First of all, the tree structure of a website is based on the identification of one or more personas . This involves determining the typical profile of people who will probably be interested in navigating on your site. Then, to offer them a friendly experience, the company must put itself in the place of these potential visitors. Depending on their behavior, you will list , hierarchize and classify your content in a logical order.

List the contents of your site

First, the elements you want to appear on your website must be listed . To do this, you must be as comprehensive as possible. That is, collect everything you want to put on your site in a folder. Then, organize them by theme or ideas, not by pages. primary content type up front . Once the inventory is completed, you may have a clearer view of the site hierarchy .

Analyze your competitors’ tree

The tree structure of your competitors is often a great source of inspiration, which contains very useful information. Analysis of their website will allow you to check an idea that you have probably forgotten during your inventory. In addition, this will give you ideas to organize your content well.

Organize and classify your content

To bring the content of your site to life, there are two modes of reasoning to follow.

  • The bottom-up approach : It consists of focusing on each type of content identified. Then, we must combine elements of the same type to reason in a general way.
  • The top-down approach : It consists of initially defining the first level of hierarchy, then going down slowly. The overall vision must always be maintained.

These two approaches are complementary. However, care must be taken to be consistent in the prioritization of content. For your information, the first rule to follow for a good organization is not to exceed three levels . Obviously, the home page must be level 1. The second rule is that the visitor must be able to find what they are looking for in 3 clicks.

Formalize the tree structure and put it to the test

The last step in designing the tree is its formalization . It's best to write down initial thoughts on paper . Once the general structure is established, you can edit it via software .

As soon as the tree structure is formalized, it should be tested and put it to the test in the face of reality. For this, the best technique is to define scenarios and identify the navigation of the website for each of them.

The design of the tree structure of a website is an important phase, because it is the skeleton of your site. You must indeed well structure and prioritize your content to direct visitors from one page to another targeted. In addition, with a well -organized site plan, search engines will more easily include your content.

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