How To Organize a Website
Organize Links on a Website
If you have spent any time trying to figure out how to organize
a website, you know how frustrating it can be. This is especially
true when you are trying to find a method that works
well for your website visitors while still effectively optimizing for the search engines.
The organization method that I teach is not always an option, particularly
in situations when you are selling thousands of products. I think you will find that it is a method that can be
beneficial for the average website owner running an online business.
For maximum exposure in the search engines, you would not use
a pop-up window to view full size product images. This is even more
critical when you could optimize new pages for the products you
sell, using additional niche key phrases.
Organize Your Website Into Categories
The best way I have found to organize a website involves dividing products,
services, and articles into categories. Each category has an individual
page, each of which you would optimize for a specific category with
thumbnails of each product, along with a brief description of the
product. Clicking a "buy now" button to add a product to the cart
from this page should be possible. Each thumbnail image is linked
to a new page. The image text title should also be linked to the
new page.
This new page is not a pop-up window and contains full navigation,
just like all of your other pages. You optimize that page specifically
for the individual product. It has a full size image of the product,
along with a very thorough description of the product.
Visitors should be able to click a button on this page to add
the product to their cart so they can make a purchase from either
page. There should also be a text link for your visitors to return
to the category page.
You do NOT know WHICH page your visitor is going to enter the
site on, so it is vital they have the opportunity to make a purchase
from either page.
The following example is not perfect, as these pages are still
waiting for quality content from the client. This example site,
along with the SEO will be completely redone when the client provides
content. However, this may help you understand how to organize a
website using this method of dividing categories and product pages.
First, go to the following site:
Motorcycles Etc
In the text navigation on the left side of the page, look for
a section named, Gift Shop for Bikers. In that section there
are several categories listed.
Click on the
Harley Davidson Clocks category.
Notice on this category page that there are several thumbnails,
and the ability to make a purchase. In a perfect world, these images
would also have brief descriptions found under the thumbnails. If
you click on a thumbnail, it will take you to a full version page,
with the opportunity to return to the category page.
For example:
Harley Davidson Fire Ride Wall Clock
Again, in a perfect world, this full version page would have
far more content!
How to Organize a Website for Non Tangible Products
Organizing Informational Websites and Services
What about dividing content when you are not selling a tangible
product?
What if you provide services or information?
You can still use a similar method to organize your website,
but instead of thumbnail images, you are using text links. An example
of this method can be found on my site.
Look at how I organize the text navigation at the bottom of this
page. You will see a section titled Articles. Within that section
you will see categories of articles.
Click on the first one, titled, "Marketing".
Web Marketing Tutorials
Located within this category page you will see a full listing
of articles. There is also a short description of each article.
The title of the article is linked to a full version page.
Notice that each of those full articles is located on a "real
page" with full navigation and their own specific key niche optimization.
How to Organize a Website for Article Categories
To view the entire method used above, start from the top to study
the above structure and work your way down. This is how I have divided
categories within a main category and then individual articles.
This could just as easily be products, but I would be using thumbnails
in addition to text links to the individual categories and articles.
Located below is a partial listing without the descriptions to give you an
idea of how you can use an outlines style to display links on your category
pages.
Published Articles Directory
If you check the top level text above each primary category
in the text navigation of my website, you will find that my entire site
structure is organized using this style. You can view the full
layout and how everything works together by viewing my
site map.
For what it is worth, I have completed each and every page, ONE
PAGE AT A TIME.
I WILL SEE YOU AT THE TOP!
Mississippi Web Designer and SEO Training Specialist
Owner GNC Web Creations and Mississippi Photo Gallery
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Link to How To Organize a Website
by J. Walker of GNC Web Creations
If you feel that this article, about how to organize a website
has been helpful to you and that it may also be helpful to others,
consider adding it as a resource link on your site!
How To Organize a Website
http://www.gnc-web-creations.com/organize-website.htm
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