The structure of your site is a core consideration when you are developing your SEO strategy.
Site structure defines how your website content is organised, linked and presented to your customer and helps search engines like Google understand which is the most important information on your website. It includes things like your categories and tags, internal links, navigation and breadcrumbs.
By getting it right, your customer will find their way around your website more easily and access the information they need and Google will understand which pages deserve the most attention.
In this short article, we will explain more about site structure and why it is important so you can optimise your SEO strategy and get the results you deserve.
You can think of site structure like your wardrobe. It helps you keep everything organised so that you can find it more easily. This is easier when you first launch your business website. But as your site grows and you add more content, it’s especially important to avoid the clutter and find what you are looking for.
After all, if you are looking for that particular lucky shirt for your meeting, it’s going to be easier to find it if your hangers are neatly arranged than if you have a disorganised pile of them stacking up.
Unless you optimise your site structure, your content will get lost and you won’t get the results your business needs.
1. Google can understand your website more easily
Effective site structure helps Googlebot crawl your website, follow the internal and external links and understand what your site is all about. This helps Google find your content and deliver it to the right customers.
2. You deliver a better user experience
Customers can find their way around your website more easily when you get your site structure right. This delivers a better user experience and makes it more likely that they will engage with your content, subscribe to your email list and buy your products or services. A happy customer is a happy business!
3. You won’t compete against yourself
If your site structure is poor, you could end up competing with yourself on the same topics. This will harm your Google rankings and prevent you from getting results, even if you are doing everything else right. By fixing this, you’ll tell Google what content you think is most important and be more likely to stand out online.
Here are some quick and easy ways to improve your site structure.
1. Remove old content
Keep everything on your website fresh. If something is outdated or no longer relevant, remove it then redirect your URLs so you can still benefit from any links.
2. Check your categories
Make sure your categories are approximately the same size. None should be more than twice the size of the others. This will make it easier for you, your customers and Google to find what you need. You can consider merging some, splitting others and reorganising as needed.
3. Fix your internal links
Internal links should help direct users to the content they want to find, keep them on your website, reduce your bounce rate and add extra information. By ensuring they point to the right place, you’ll boost your conversions and continue to grow your business.
Site structure can be a complex part of an effective SEO strategy. If you need support, reach out to the team at Accentuate. We can help you optimise your SEO strategy and attract more of your ideal customers.
Contact us to find out more.
