Five Tips on How to Map a Website

The sitemap is an essential part of any website, but it is often overlooked when starting a new project. Web designers and programmers spend hours repairing broken code and filling pages, while web designers and programmers focus on aesthetic schemes. This often overlooks the functionality of the site, which makes the website less enjoyable to navigate. Luckily, there are tools available to help you map out the pages on your site. Here are five tips to get you started.

Firstly, decide which parts of the site you would like to highlight. This is usually the most difficult part, but it’s still the most vital. Identifying which content is most important will make the task of creating the UI easier. By determining the type of content on your website, you can start the curation process. Secondly, if you are designing the UI, a sitemap is a warm-up for the rest of the design process. Finally, keep in mind that there will be several versioned sitemaps before the final one is published. Ideally, you should have at least 85% accuracy.

When planning a sitemap, consider the number of pages you want to include. The primary navigation should convey the top-down hierarchy. Adding a second level should work for most websites with 50 pages or less. For larger sites, a third level structure is recommended. For smaller sites, a second level site map will suffice. If the website is over 50 pages, however, you should consider consolidating and drilling down to the sections within each section. The main goal of a site map is to make it easy to navigate and understand.

The site map can be helpful in many ways. It helps the creator decide which pages to create on the site. By doing this, he can match each page to the idea. The site map should be placed in the header or upper left corner of the website. Remember to not alter the site map until you have been online for a while. When you have a few months, you can tweak it and make it easier to navigate the whole site.

The site map can be a powerful design tool. Not only does it show where visitors can find certain sections of the site, but it also allows them to quickly locate specific information on the site. The site map should include no more than 10 elements, and you should be careful to organize the layout of the website. If the site is less than 50 pages, a second level structure will suffice. For sites with more than 50 pages, a third level structure is needed.

The primary navigation should clearly convey a top-down hierarchy. It should be a single line with a few sub-levels for navigation. You should also include secondary navigation to drill down into each section. The secondary menu should have at least three levels of content. Those who are not sure of how to map a website should consult an expert to help them make a plan. It’s important to use a site map, so that users can easily navigate your site and find the information they need.

The site map is not just about the navigation. 

It also serves as an additional tool. It helps users navigate the site more efficiently. For instance, it helps them identify which pages are related to each other. Its primary navigation should communicate this hierarchy, and it should include a list of the sections, not just individual pages. The secondary navigation should also have a reference number, which indicates the content of a section. When creating a website, it is important to distinguish the categories of content.

The primary navigation should convey a top-down hierarchy. A secondary navigation should drill down into each section, and should have at least 10 elements. A second-level site map should be enough for most websites under 50 pages. If the website has more than 50 pages, it should have three levels, and then a fourth level structure. If the content of a page is divided into multiple categories, it should be separated using labels, a reference number, or both.