The Pitfalls and Concerns of Website Page Structure
Every website needs structure so that your visitors can easily navigate through it by clicking from one page to another. Search engine bots also scan your site’s structure to index the content to accurately reflect it into the search results. This means that a good site structure makes it easier for bots to access and properly index your content.
However, there are several pitfalls that people can fall into when structuring a website:
Having Too Many Pages without Direction
Offering too many options can be overwhelming for user and create confusion during browsing. Some designers believe that all pages should be accessible in three clicks, but this is more of a myth. The primary goal should be simpler navigation — fewer clicks don’t make users happier, but the ease of navigation does.
Every click must take the user a step closer to their goal, and every page of your website should have a clear purpose. Ideally, the design elements need to be combined together to create a funnel towards a clear message to the visitors.
Not Encouraging Users to Complete the Desired Action
If you want your users to take a certain action, you need to provide a compelling reason for them to do it. Maybe the page will provide valuable information, but will the user get what they want after viewing it? Every call to action should be aligned with your value proposition. CTA buttons should be compelling enough to attract your users’ attention and convince them to perform the desired action. A great CTA is visually appealing, clear, action-oriented, and easy to understand.
Putting Sales Ahead of Your Users’ Needs
Don’t forget that it’s all about your users. The fundamental measure of a website’s performance lies with the people who determine its success: the visitors. You have to put your users’ interests and needs ahead of your own when you plan your website structure. Place what is the most important to them at the top of your page and ensure relevant content is easily discoverable.
Doing SEO after Designing the Website
Some site owners don’t think about search engine optimization until after having their website designed and deployed. As such, websites have a great design, but fail to reach higher ranks in search engine results. Instead, SEO should be an integral part of website design and must be planned out before setting up your website. Ultimately, you want search engines to easily scan your website and understand your content properly.
Good page structure is a result of careful thinking and accurate organization. Avoiding these pitfalls is a good starting point in getting the structure of your pages right.
