|
Website Structure (continued)
Continuing the design and development of your website's structure
The home page of your website
The homepage is a visitors first impression of your website content. It should tell visitors what your site is about. The homepage should answer the questions Who, What, and Why about the sites purpose and theme. Be concise with your body copy and minimize the number of links. You should only be linking to your main website sections from your homepage.
The homepage of a websiteSitemapA home page should also provide links to a sitemap or table of contents which can guide visitors to the information they need. If your sitemap construction provides your visitors with an easy way to find the information they want quickly and easily, they will enjoy their visit. If they enjoy their visit and find that the time spent there was worthwhile, they'll come back and this will go a long way towards increasing website traffic.
Limit your text and linksA homepage should not contain a lot of text. 400 words should be about the limit you should shoot for. When you design your homepage remember that you are writing for the web . You should provide an overview of your site giving your target audience a clear idea of the content that is available and how to get there. This will also provide the search engines with something to go by when they index your site.Also, when implementing website links on your homepage don't present your visitors with a huge list of links to every single page on your site - that's why you have main and subsections. Your website navigation should begin with the homepage but the bulk of it should be on your interior pages. (see below)
Keep your homepage short and to the pointIt has been determined that most web users browse a website's homepage quickly. They look to see if there is any reason for them to go deeper into the site. They want effective user interaction without being confused by irrelevant distractions.A large percentage of those using the web never scroll down past the first screen full of information. So, keep that homepage short and to the point. Have your links prominently displayed and make sure a visitor knows what your site is about on the first screen they see.
The main sections of a websiteThe main sections of a website form the headings of specific bodies of data. In other words the main sections of a website form the gateway or entry point into particular areas of your site. For example if you are selling shoes your main sections might be mens shoes, ladies shoes and childrens shoes. The subsections would break down each category of shoes into color, size and style.
The main sections of a websiteDeveloping your navigation schemeYour main sections will form the backbone of your website navigation system. These will be the links that take your visitors deeper into your website. Select them with care, keeping in mind that your website structure will be shaped by them. These pages should provide one click access to the subsections.Links and themesThis tier of your website structure (i.e. main sections) is primarily a collection of links that provide access to the main content (i.e. subsections) of the site. Each main section should cover a specific subject or data base which is focused on a single topic. Your website theme should correspond to each main section of your website and it's subsection.
The subsections of a website
Once you have developed your website basic layout, and the main sections of your website, decide upon your navigation scheme and group that data into subsections. Each subsection should contain all of the important data relating to a particular main section. Keep the topical information organized into its specific category for easy retrieval.
The subsections of a websiteThe content and central message of your websiteThe subsections of a website form the body and central message of the site. This is where most of your content will reside.Accessing your subsectionsWhen a visitor decides to look further into your site it is into the subsections that they should be directed. Provide a navigation scheme that allows one click access to your subsections. Well organized and easily accessible subsections should always be your goal. |
