In this article, we discuss two basic issues that effect many websites around the world; website structure and content building.
With more websites on the planet than ever before, finding the right website structure and having an appropriate architecture is paramount to a websites continual success. While it may seem like a common sense issue to have an easy navigation system and good interlinking in a website, many webmasters unfortunately fail to hit the target and although create beautifully well designed websites; these websites can be hard to navigate and hard to serve their given purpose
From Boutique (template) websites to large online databases and commerce sites, having an effective structure and navigation system is imperative.
In the case of small template websites (Boutique Sites) they are typically designed for displaying a companies business details and their core services. Simple in design and functionality, the idea is to direct users to a contact form, subscription page or services listed page by the company straight away.
The focus is on providing a direct targeted approach for the user, in terms of what they are looking to obtain. Each user should be able to find out exactly what there are searching for within one or two clicks.
As most website visitors browse a website homepage quite quickly, there should to be an immediate USP for them to dig deeper into your website. Generally, users will want to find information quickly and clearly without being confused by irrelevant distractions.
When a website visitor has progressed from the homepage, they need to be led to the next page that will either interest them or lead towards a point of action. If there is no such structure or focus, the chances are that the visitor will leave the website shortly after a couple of page views.
- Overall, the following tips are recommended for small business websites:
- Ensure that the website is fresh and simple
- Use a standardised set of colours
- Keep the overall style and font standardised
- Try not to over complicate the site with too many graphics
Adding Extra Content to Websites
In general terms of SEO, with one of the core principles being that “content is King,” an average rule of thumb would indicate that the more relevant content you have on your site and the greater number of relevant pages indexed would therefore lead to a greater web presence.
Given the nature of which each company website is made, there are certain limitations to the choice of pages created, the topics / themes of discussion and the amount of content that can be made.
For new and developing websites, it is wise to consider how you could develop your website to x3 its current size. If you have plenty of content, design ideas on hand then you are heading in the right direction. If you are struggling with ways to increase your website size you should re-consider your site structure and its associated content and navigation system.
One simple tip if you are struggling with the current amount of space on your site is to set up sub categories, folders and sub domains as this will allow you as a webmaster to create more defined, targeted content pages to attract particular niches to your website.
- 5 easy website content building techniques
- Set up a blog
- Have testimonials / Reviews section
- Case studies / Application Stories
- Online Newsletter
- Online Press Releases
Overall, in terms of content building and effective website structure, the core principle of keeping user interest and leading users to a point of action should always be a priority.
By-line: Stephen McAllister is the Marketing Manager at More Control Ltd who specialise in bespoke Automation Solutions and Automation products.
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