Plan Your Site Structure
Plan Your Site StructureA well thought-out site structure is the foundation of your website's success. Before you start creating pages on your website, plan out its structure.
Step 1: Plan Your Hierarchy
Your website’s “hierarchy” is simply the way its information is organized. The hierarchy is the basis for the menu and URL structure.
Here is an example of a website hierarchy:
Think about a filing cabinet
Paperwork is much easier to find when it is assigned a clearly labeled folder. The same rule applies to organizing the webpages within a website. Humans prefer simple, logical organization, and so do search engines.
Tips to help plan your hierarchy
- Keep it simple and logical: Each main category should be unique and distinct. Each subcategory should somehow relate to the main category under which it is located.
- Limit the number of main categories to seven: Too many categories equals clutter and confusion.
- It doesn’t have to be fancy: It’s perfectly acceptable to sketch out your website hierarchy by hand on a piece of paper—or even a napkin, for that matter.
Step 2: Create a Menu Structure
Sample Menu Templates
Step 3: Create a URL structure
The third element in developing strong site structure is your URL structure. Your URL structure will be organized according to your site hierarchy.
If we use the website hierarchy above, the URL structure would be:
- Mywebsite.gatech.edu/add-content
- Mywebsite.gatech.edu/add-content/pages
- Mywebsite.gatech.edu/add-content/pages/multipurpose
- Mywebsite.gatech.edu/add-content/pages/basic
- Mywebsite.gatech.edu/add-content/pages/vertical
- Mywebsite.gatech.edu/add-content/pages/horizontal, etc.
Additionally, your URLs should be human-readable, which will make your site visitors and search-engines happy.
College Website Information Architecture Template
College Website Information Architecture TemplateThe College IA is designed to put your college’s work – academic offerings and research – at the forefront of the website.
Adopting this structure will help ensure a cohesive, unified experience across Georgia Tech academic sites. Users who visit multiple sites, such as students comparing degree programs, will have an easier time finding information.
A streamlined, easy-to-navigate site will also make a positive impression upon prospective students, faculty, and the larger community.
Below is a guideline for a college website’s main menu
You are not required to use menu categories that do not apply to your college, and you may have categories that are unique to your college. For consistency-sake, however, it is recommended that you, at minimum, begin the main menu with “About,” and end with “News and Events.” Limit your menu to seven categories or fewer.
About
Purpose: To provide background about your college and logistical information
Examples of what to include: Letter/welcome from a dean/chair, general department contact information, buildings & facilities, directions, job opportunities, history.
Academics
Purpose: To highlight your academic programs.
Examples of what to include: Information about undergraduate, graduate, and postdoc programs, secondary concentrations, program requirements, classes, admission.
Schools
Purpose: To highlight the schools within your college.
Examples of what to include: A high level overview of your schools and links to their websites.
Research
Purpose: To highlight the latest research taking place in your college.
Examples of what to include: Highlights of faculty research, overviews of your department’s main research areas, publications, news related to research, cross-university collaborations, and research initiatives or partnerships.
What not to include: Items that are intended only for an internal audience, such as paperwork for research administration or safety procedures; this information should be included in resources.
News and Events
Purpose: To showcase what’s happening now in your department, announcements, and upcoming events.
School Website Information Architecture Template
School Website Information Architecture TemplateThe School IA is designed to showcase your academic programs, research, and student life.
By using this navigation, you are helping to provide a cohesive, unified experience across Georgia Tech academic sites. Users who visit multiple sites, such as students comparing degree programs, will have an easier time finding information.
Below is a guideline for a school website’s main menu
You are not required to use menu categories that do not apply to your school, and you may have categories that are unique to your school. For consistency’s sake, however, it is recommended that you, at minimum, begin the main menu with “About,” and end with “News and Events.” Limit your menu to seven categories or fewer.
About
Purpose: To provide background about your school and logistical information.
Examples of what to include: Welcome from a dean/chair, general department contact information, buildings and facilities, directions, job opportunities, and history.
Academics
Purpose: To highlight your academic programs.
Examples of what to include: Information about undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral programs, concentrations, program requirements, and admission.
Student Life
Purpose: To focus on academic and co-curricular elements of student life that are unique to your school or to Georgia Tech.
Examples of what to include: Student profiles, organizations, career development, community outreach, and life in Atlanta.
Research
Purpose: To highlight the latest research taking place in your school.
Examples of what to include: Highlights of faculty research, overviews of your school’s main research areas, publications, news related to research, collaborations, and research initiatives or partnerships.
What not to include: Items that are intended only for an internal audience, such as paperwork for research administration or safety procedures; this information should be included in the bottom footer menu under Resources.
People
Purpose: To highlight the faculty, researchers, and staff associated with the school.
News and Events
Purpose: To showcase what’s happening now in your school, announcements, and upcoming events.