Website builder project blog: What you MUST know to plan an ideal website structure?

Maybe you miss the fact that instead of the visual design, website structure should be the first factor to be planned when creating a website. To know the reason why, the definition of website structure, as well as how to choose a suitable website model, please do not miss the following blog of WebSass!

To define a website's structure,

Essentially, website structure refers to the arrangement of how your sites are linked, or in other words, how your major pages lead to deeper pages. Web structure connects all your web pages with a navigational system of menus, internal linking, and content.

Thus, finishing website structure first will help to avoid the sudden mess in the production process when the creator has to rebuild from scratch to add in the new section.

Why is it imperative to plan a website structure?

Nobody would build a house without a plan, and a website is no exception. Through proper website organization, UX designers can solve bigger concerns in UI design.

Besides, carefully planning a structure for the website helps to improve the user experience, SEO, internal linking, and overall usability. A finding from Goodfirm shows that 34.6 percent of online visitors will skip a site without a solid content structure. This explains why you need to structure the website logically to attract and retain visitors.

What elements are included in a website's structure?

Website creators should have a grasp on all essential sectors of an average website before making a detailed plan for it. There are 3 main essential elements as follow:

Header

Content section

Page footer

Header: Located at the top of the website, composes of the following sections:

- Site ID: This is the web name. It is possibly a business logo / short slogan.

- Scan columns: Contains components such as advanced search box, menu, product introduction & featured articles, contact information, banner ads.

- Search bar: Includes a keyword input box and a search button to help users easily find information.

- Navigation menu bar: Located inside the header, contains links to other pages on the web (About Page, Products, Contact, About,...).

- Cart: The cart icon is usually located in the right corner of the website, containing information about products and payment amounts for products/services customers have ordered.

Content section

The place that contains all the important information of the website. Web content usually includes: Page title, Breadcrumb navigation, Main content container, Paging navigation, Information bar, Social network linking buttons.

Page footer

This is the last part of the website structure, visible on all pages; often contains business information, contact, table of contents, web copyright, ...

Different types of website structures,

Not all websites share the same format. So if you want to avoid the boring imitation, you could consult some website structures as recommended below:

Hierarchical model

Sequential (aka Linear) model

Matrix model

Database model

Hierarchical model

This is the most widely-used type of website architecture. To depict this type, it starts from the homepage, branching out into different categories and pages based on importance levels.

Because it is so flexible, this layout is appropriate for a wide range of websites, from personal service websites to online portfolios. CNN.com and BBC.co.uk are excellent examples of hierarchical models because on these sites, content types are ordered respectively based on importance levels.

Sequential (aka Linear) model

When directing users through a sequence, such as onboarding or new account creation, sequential models are popular since the user is guided through the process step by step.

This straightforward, low-maintenance design is suitable for sites with few pages and content, such as wikiHow.com.

With the search bar displayed on the homepage, visitors are supposed to type their desired information before being taken to the next page of relevant blogs.

Matrix model

This is known as one of the oldest models of site structures. A website structure based on the matrix model is designed to allow users to navigate without being restricted by tight categories, and it does not have a strict user journey in mind. This may seem chaotic, but for visitors, it provides unlimited flexibility and many access points to all information on the website.

One popular site that uses matrix models is Wikipedia with a variety of content connected to one another and all information appearing right on the homepage.

Database model

Last but not least, the most dynamic approach to the website structure is the database model. A visitor to a site that follows this paradigm will typically be required to provide their personal information, questions, or preferences. The website will then show users with relevant materials stored in the webpage's database, such as personal details or product pages. You could utilize this model so that consumers can create their own experience using search tools.

To create a website structure like this, designers should use a bottom-up approach, which is investigating a page's metadata and adhering to strong information architecture and taxonomic best practices. Codezeroyachts.com and its posts and pages are a great example of a database model.

How to Choose the Best Structure for Your Website?

Among the 4 types of the aforementioned structures, which one is most suited to your website? To come to the conclusion, you’ll also need to consider some factors below:

User journey: Because websites are designed to serve people, it is critical to examine how they may experience or interact with your site, as well as their expectations of how your website should function. You could identify this journey by interviewing them.

Content: The type and volume of content on your website will also have a big impact on the structure of your website. An e-commerce site's structure will be distinct from that of an academic site.

Context: The context of a website is determined by its economic aims, the cultural setting in which it operates, and the resources available. It is a crucial factor to notice when you design your website.

Conclusion

Choosing the appropriate website structure is very important because any type of website depends on the underlying structure. Before making a decision, you need to carefully consider the goals of the business, as well as establish trial and error fixing.

After reading this article, hopefully, you have grasped the core elements to build a website layout. When you're done with the layout, don't forget to visit Websass to experience our dynamic website templates!