Have you ever walked into a departmental store looking for something specific, but failed to find what you wanted because everything was scattered everywhere?
Frustrating, right?
Well, the same applies to your website.
Having a structured website is crucial for your SEO strategy.
How?
Let’s go back to the example I used at the very beginning.
A structured website is like a well-organised physical store, where customers find what they want instantly and frequent it due to the same reason.
Similarly, you should plan the structure of your website in a way that helps search engine crawlers crawl, index, and rank your content easily.
Besides, I am sure you would agree that a well-structured website not only helps the spiders or crawlers to crawl but also helps users to find what they are looking for instantly.
So, let me walk you through some important tips and strategies on how to plan website structure for your website in such a way that it is out and out SEO-friendly and user-friendly.
But let’s first learn about what website structure is.
Key Takeaway For You
| In order to ensure that your website ranks high on search engines, it is essential to have a structured website. This means that your website should be organised in such a way that users can easily navigate and find what they are looking for. Additionally, a well-structured website helps search engine crawlers to crawl, index, and rank your content easily, leading to higher search engine rankings. A poorly structured website can negatively impact your SEO strategy and result in lower rankings, orphan pages, and a negative user experience. The two schools of thought when it comes to website structure are the flat architecture and siloed architecture. While both are effective, it is important to understand the differences between them and choose the one that best suits your website’s needs. Siloed architecture, in particular, can help improve relevance and create a clear hierarchy, resulting in higher search engine rankings. |
What is website structure and how poorly structured websites can be a blow to SEO
Website structure is the organisation and hierarchy of a website’s content, which includes its pages, links, and navigation.
As said above, a well-structured website helps search engines crawl, index, and rank the site efficiently.
On the other hand, a poorly structured website can be a blow to SEO. This is because search engines may struggle to understand the content on the site, leading to indexing issues, poor crawlability, and even orphan pages.
Also, a confusing or cluttered website structure can make it difficult for users to find what they’re looking for, leading to a poor user experience and potentially higher bounce rates.
Let me help you understand it with an example.
Which image given below helps you find pistachios instantly.
Image 1
Image 2
I have no doubt you will choose Image 2.
Mostly because, different dry fruits are kept in different compartments, which makes it easier for you to find pistachio. On the other hand, it is difficult to find pistachio in the first image as all dry fruits are put together in a bowl.
Here are some of the problems you may face when you have a poorly structured website:
Image Courtesy – Click Here
1. Difficulty in crawling
Search engine bots use website structure to navigate through pages, and if the website is not structured properly, the bots may find it difficult to crawl through the site’s pages.
Difficulty in crawling means bots will find it difficult to index too.
2. Impact the site’s ranking
Poor website structure can negatively affect a site’s search engine rankings. A site with a disorganized structure may not be considered relevant to search engines, resulting in lower rankings.
3. Orphan pages
A badly structured website can create orphan pages, which are pages that are not linked to other pages on the site.
Orphan pages can result from a lack of clear navigation or a poorly organised website structure.
Search engines may have difficulty finding orphan pages, as they are not linked to other pages on the site, resulting in lower search engine rankings and less traffic to the site.
Also, visitors to the site may miss important content if orphan pages are not easily accessible through navigation.
4. Difficult to find what you want
A badly structured website can make it difficult for users to find what they want, as they may need to click through multiple pages to get the information they need.
Poor website structure can result in a confusing navigation structure or disorganized content, leading to frustration and a negative user experience.
This can lead to high bounce rates, where users quickly leave the site, as they are unable to find what they need quickly and easily.
Most importantly, badly structured websites are definitely not good for crawlers because like the users crawler will also have a difficult time searching for what they need.
If a disorganised website can confuse crawlers as well as users, how can you plan an SEO-friendly website?
After all, before the users, you need to impress the bots or crawlers.
How to plan website structure?
There is no doubt that a well-structured site can boost your SERP rankings. But how do you actually structure websites?
There are two schools of thought when it comes to website structure. You can opt for any of them because both are excellent. But to make an informed decision, you must know the difference between the two.
Siloed Architecture
Image courtesy – Click Here
A siloed architecture of a website refers to a structure where content is organised into distinct sections or silos based on topic or theme.
Each silo represents a specific area of the website and contains related content. This approach helps to organise content in a logical and intuitive manner, making it easier for crawlers to find what they want.
Additionally, siloed architecture can help search engines understand the website’s structure and relevance, resulting in higher search engine rankings.
Siloed architecture can have a positive impact on SEO in several ways:
1. Improved relevance
By organising content into silos based on topic or theme, the website can demonstrate a clear focus and relevance to specific topics or keywords. This can improve search engine rankings for those topics or keywords.
2. Clear hierarchy
Siloed architecture creates a clear hierarchy of pages, making it easier for search engine bots to crawl the site and understand the relationships between pages.
3. Internal linking
Siloed architecture encourages internal linking between pages within a silo, which can help to distribute link equity and improve the ranking potential of individual pages.
4. User experience
Siloed architecture can improve user experience by making it easier for visitors to find the information they need, leading to higher engagement and lower bounce rates.
Topic Cluster Model
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Topic Cluster Model is invented by HubSpot. The American Developer and Marketer of software products pointed out that in siloed structure it is difficult to reach the subtopics from a main topic page as it happens after many clicks.
To make sure that all pages of the website are well connected and easy to find, HubSpot came up with the topic cluster model.
The Topic Cluster Model aims to organise content based on overarching topics or themes, with related subtopics linking back to a central “pillar” page.
This approach acknowledges that search engines have become more sophisticated in understanding the relationships between topics and users. They expect a more connected, holistic approach to content.
Some of the benefits of this model are:
1. Improved relevance
The Topic Cluster Model focuses on topics rather than individual keywords. This can demonstrate relevance to a broader range of search queries, increasing the visibility of the site in search results.
2. Better user experience
The Topic Cluster Model can help visitors to find related content more easily, boosting engagement and lowering bounce rates.
3. More chances to rank for high-volume keywords
When the crawlers will understand your content better, they will index it successfully. This also means they can better relate that content to the pertinent search queries and show it to your target audience, increasing your chances of conversion.
In the Topic Cluster Model, all your posts will be linked to a pillar page. On this page you will be addressing all possible related subtopics and developing them into content clusters, using high-volume broader keywords.
For crawlers, this would show that you have provided exhaustive information on a topic that is going to satisfy the needs of the users.
4. Improves E-E-A-T
The E-E-A-T acronym stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. It is equally important for your SEO and users.
And pillar posts and topic cluster shows that you have all the E-E-A-T ingredients.
Experience
Pillar content is the best way to show that you have the experience to talk about a certain topic. Adding your personal experience or story can help you achieve this.
After all, who would you trust, someone who has used the product or someone who hasn’t but told you about the product without using it?
Expertise
Google prioritises content that is created by experts. By offering extensive and exhaustive information you will showcase your expertise to Google.
Authoritativeness
A well-written pillar post and the content cluster around it boost the authority of your website. When you cover a topic exhaustively you show Google as well as your users that you have authority over the topic.
Trustworthiness
When you create high quality content and build your authority, you show that your users can trust you. Also, they spend a lot of time on your website, signalling Google that your website is relevant.
5. Encourages quality content
The Topic Cluster Model encourages the creation of in-depth, comprehensive content that covers a range of related topics, rather than thin, keyword-stuffed pages.
6. Simplifies site architecture
The Topic Cluster Model simplifies the site architecture by reducing the number of pages required to cover a topic comprehensively, making it easier for search engines to crawl and understand the site.
Tips for a well-structured site
Check these tips for a better-structured website:
- Improve your internal linking strategies
- Don’t forget to Optimise your site’s URL
- Opt for a flat site architecture
- Provide an easy-to-follow navigation menu
- Create XML and HTML site map
- Lure with breadcrumbs
Wrapping it up
Now that you know about Siloed and Topic Cluster Model, it is up to you which one you go for. Whichever you choose, keep in mind E-E-A-T and create the structure and content accordingly.
Personally, I prefer Topic Cluster Model as I have found it more useful. Share your thoughts about siloed and Topic Cluster Model in your comment below.
FAQs
How do I make my website well-structured?
Here’s how you can structure your website:
Step 1 – Establish a Simple Hierarchy
Step 2 – Create “Pillar” Pages
Step 3 – Organize Subpages into Logical Categories
Step 4 – Use Internal Links
Step 5 – Include Relevant Keywords
Step 6 – Optimize URL Structure
Step 7 – Provide a Clear and easy-to-use Navigation menu
