A strong website makes all the difference. Anyone with an internet connection and access to a search bar can tell you that. If you want to have the best website design you possibly can, you will need to start with a solid website architecture. Your website is like a house that holds all of the information that you want your visitors to see. Like a house, you must begin with a solid architectural design. The website architecture allows your website to flow and your visitors to get to where they want to go.

What is Website Architecture?

Website architecture is the structure and organization of a website. It outlines how your pages, hierarchy, internal linking, etc., fit together to create a website that suits your needs. A strong website structure makes it easier for users and search engines to find information on your site. The easier it is for those search engines to crawl or find information on your website, the more likely you are to have successful SEO efforts and rankings. Beginning with a strong website architecture will set the tone for your website, determine how well it performs, and determine how easily it can scale later.

Why Web Architecture Matters

- Performance: Thoughtfully designed and well-organized web architecture can greatly enhance your website’s performance. Website data is managed and delivered at an optimized rate when the structure is clear and concise.

- Scalability: It’s important that your website architecture supports your growth. Sudden surges in traffic can slow down a poorly built website and can limit your capabilities as a business. A scalable website architecture is also a great way to keep the cost down as resources are used more efficiently.

- Maintainability: A comprehensive website architecture will make your website easier to maintain and update, which is especially important for websites with extensive content. The addition of new features can be added to your website without disrupting the existing system.

- User Experience: Reducing the friction across your website navigation will enhance the overall user experience (UX) of your website. Consider if you’d be happy navigating your website if you were your own customer and apply those learnings to your website architecture strategy. A solid UX is crucial for a well-performing website.

10 Website Architecture Best Practices

Choose the Right Structure

Plan and Research. Don’t be afraid to follow the greats. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to your website architecture structure. In fact, modeling your website after big names in your industry can help your users feel more familiar with your website.

Consistency

Ensure the navigation, user flow, and content are all consistent across your website to minimize your bounce rate and keep users on your website. Following tried and true design principles will allow your website visitors to have an enjoyable experience and be able to navigate your website with ease.

Simple URLs and Navigation

For both search engine optimization (SEO) and UX purposes, keep your URL structures and top navigation simple. Google uses your site’s URLs and initial navigation to understand the structure when crawling your website.

The Fewer Clicks the Better

The ideal number of clicks for your website visitors to get to what they’re looking for should be between 3-4 per website session, even if your website has a million pages. A well-organized top navigation should help achieve this.

Use Internal Linking

Just as simple URLs are imperative for UX and SEO, internal linking can both keep users on your website longer with easier navigation and help search engines properly determine your site structure and index your website.

Use HTML and XML Sitemaps

A sitemap is just that, a map of your website and all of the crawlable pages available for search engines and users to view. An HTML sitemap is user-facing and should match the rest of your website architecture and design flow. An XML sitemap is viewed in plain-text format and is primarily used by search engine crawlers. Both are important not only for user experience and navigation, but also to improve your website’s SEO effort.

Be Mobile-Friendly

Mobile-first indexing gets more and more popular with time as users continue to prioritize mobile experiences over desktop experiences. Google prioritizes mobile-first indexing, so it’s crucial that your website architecture and design is optimized to be mobile-responsive.

Use Breadcrumbs

Derived from “Hansel & Gretel”, using “breadcrumbs” to help your users retain a clear view of where they are on your website can decrease your bounce rate and enhance your UX by reducing clicks and making site navigation easier.

Organize Your Content

Keeping your website content categorized and organized - especially if it’s on the more dense side - can help your users move through your website without getting overwhelmed and can lead to a more increased conversion rate. Group your content into categories, tags, or hubs!

Site Hierarchy

Think about organizing your web pages following a top-down structure. Showcasing your top pages first with users able to easily access the “child pages” will level up your website architecture and enhance your UX across the board.

Where To Go From Here

The best approach you can take to optimizing your website’s architecture is to place yourself in your target audience’s shoes. Navigate your own site with their experience at top of mind and be honest about the results. Remember, simplicity, consistency, and a thoughtful structure can go a long way.

What website architecture is right for you will be dependent on your specific needs, you may want to consider reaching out to experienced website designers and developers. At Camber Creative our world-class team of designers and technical experts will guide you through the process of creating a website and setting up its architecture. We even offer support and maintenance after your site is up and running. Feel free to reach out today, the consultation is free!