Website tree structure: Definition, creation and advice

Definition of the tree structure of a website

En Web design, The tree structure of a website is often compared to the structure of a tree, where each element takes root from a central point, then extending into multiple branches. At the heart of this “tree” is The home page of the site. From there, the user can venture into various categories, which can then be subdivided into sub-categories, creating a clear and logical hierarchy.

This structured organization, similar to a summary for a book, is essential for coherent and strategic navigation. The main purpose of the tree is to guide the user through an optimized journey, allowing him to quickly and intuitively find the information he is looking for. Each website must carefully build its own architecture to ensure a smooth user experience, ensuring that information flows from the main core of the site and is organized into distinct branches.

In short, designing the tree structure of a website is like drawing a map of a territory. It must reflect not only the nature of the content offered, but also anticipate the needs and behaviors of visitors in order to offer them a pleasant and unobstructed journey through the various pages of the site.

Why develop a tree structure for your site?

A strategic vision to be prepared in advance

Long before the first line of code is written or the first pixel is drawn, the tree structure of a website comes to life. It is not a simple step to check off a list, but fundamental strategic thinking. Whether you are building a website from scratch or proceeding with a redesign of an existing site, sculpting a new tree is the perfect opportunity to improve, innovate and above all, anticipate the needs of your users.

A map for an optimal user experience

By placing the user experience (UX) at the heart of your strategy, a well-thought-out tree structure makes navigation intuitive and pleasant. Every visitor should be able to find the information they are looking for without a map or compass. The clear and logical structure of a site decreases friction, keeps the visitor engaged, and increases the chances of conversion, whether it's a purchase, a registration, or a simple contact.

A guide for Google search robots

The tentacles search engine crawlers, sometimes called “spiders”, weave the web of the web. With a rigorously structured tree structure, their work is facilitated. They can easily decipher the structure of your site, categorize its content and, ultimately, improve the visibility of your pages on search results.

A major asset for natural referencing (SEO)

The tree structure, much more than a simple structure, is a powerful lever SEO. It avoids the pitfalls of duplicate content, channels valuable SEO authority between pages, and ensures the wise use of keywords. It's not just about robots — it's a delicate ballet of interconnectivity that propels your content by first page of the search engines.

What software to make a tree?

Designing the tree structure of your website is an exercise that is both strategic and creative. To do this, a range of dedicated tools is available to you, adapting to each need, from the simplest to the most elaborate.

For mind-mapping enthusiasts :

• XMind : Beyond a simple mind-mapping software, XMind can easily be transformed into a valuable ally for sketching your trees.
• Mindmaps.app : A free option for those who are just starting out and want to get familiar with the concept of mind mapping.
• Coggle: An advanced alternative to visualize your ideas at a glance and structure your content fluidly.

When precision and professionalism are required :

• Microsoft Visio : Recognized for its refinement, this solution offers you a canvas for drawing detailed organization charts, perfect for complex trees.
• Lucidchart : Whether you are on the go or in the office, this online platform is the ideal tool for sketching and sharing your diagrams in real time.

A step towards realization :

• Moqups : If you already visualize the design of your site, Moqups allows you not only to plan its architecture, but also to draw the first sketches.
• FlowMapp : It facilitates the creation of visual sitemaps and the understanding of user journeys, while analyzing their browsing habits.

Simplicity at your fingertips :

• Google Drawings : For fans of intuitive and no-frills tools, this solution is a wise choice for clean trees.
• GlooMaps : A free and intuitive online platform. Very easy to use, it offers the possibility of adding colors at various levels for an attractive visual presentation.

For visionaries looking to bring their project to life, software from wireframe could be the key. They offer the possibility of developing animated prototypes, offering an avant-garde immersion in the final user experience.

But no matter what you choose, the key is to find the tool that fits your vision perfectly, while giving you the freedom and precision you need.

How to define the tree structure of a website?

Step 1: Anchor your foundations with clear goals

Before diving into the nitty-gritty, the first step is to refocus on The purpose of your site. What is its ultimate mission? What do you want your visitors to do while browsing? Is it to inform, sell, engage or perhaps to increase your reputation? The answer to these questions forms the foundations on which your tree will stand.

Afterwards, you can start thinking about the structure and browsing experience you want to create on your website. Aim for something simple, with a home page accompanied by other pages and a few subcategories if necessary, You don't have to scatter at the risk of losing the visitor.

Step 2: Keywords, the pulse of your content

Your site should resonate with your users. How? En cleverly selecting your keywords. Target the keywords on which each of the different pages of your site will be optimized and which correspond to your offer/services/products.

Tools such as Ubersuggest, SEMrush or Ahrefs are your allies in this quest. They will help you find relevant terms and assess the competitiveness around them.

The objective is to organize and optimize each page around relevant keywords that generate enough traffic to attract visitors and be well positioned on search engines.

Step 3: Sculpt your content

To best present your content, you need to design a logical and simplified organization between your pages (your main menu) and inside them (your logical blocks). This reflection is essential for the comfort of visitors and SEO: each page and each of their construction must have a user journey objective.

Remember, simplicity is king: opt for titles that are evocative and optimized for your headers and logic blocks, think about the location of your CTA while maintaining a certain balance. Your site is like a symphony where each section plays a role.

Step 4: Learn from the competition

There is no harm in Take a look at the competition. Sometimes, your competitors have identified nuances or elements that you did not consider. Analyze their approach, not to copy them, but to inspire you and possibly complement your own vision.

Step 5: Sketch your vision

It is time to put the pencil on the sheet. Imagine your site as a majestic tree. Each branch, each leaf has a reason for being. To draw it, nothing like mind mapping tools. And for fans of creative freedom, opt for a virtual whiteboard.

Step 6: Put your structure to the test

Once your structure is ready, you need to carry out navigation tests and ask for the opinions of your employees so that they can take a look at it. Indeed, you had your head in the handlebars throughout the creation of the tree structure of your website, you now have to make sure that theUX is good and that the site plan matches your goals.

Put yourself in the shoes of your users and browse your site. Is it intuitive? Do they quickly find what they are looking for? Does the main menu speak for themselves? Are the internal links positioned correctly? Are your services/solutions well promoted?

It is by comparing your plan to reality that you will refine it until you reach perfection. The purpose of these tests is also to see how many clicks the user accesses information in.

Step 7: Anticipate the future

Don't just think of your site in the present: you need to think about its future evolution, do we ever know your Funnel may no longer be optimal and cause a poor bounce rate? Or did you lose your SEO benefits following a new Google core update?

Consider its shape in 1 or 2 years. This setback will allow you to create a flexible structure, ready to evolve over time and with the requirements of indexing robots.

How to properly structure a website?

Build a solid internal network

Your website is a collection of interconnected pages. Think of it as a network where each page is a node and the links between them are the connections. Ce internal networking plays a crucial role in SEO and user experience.

• Contextual links: Integrate relevant hyperlinks into your content that lead to other pages on your site. They should offer added value, thus inviting visitors to explore your site further.

• Strategic links: Highlight your important pages by giving them a prominent place in your architecture and CTAs. A well-linked page is often seen as being of great importance to search engines.

Think about your sitemap or site map

A sitemap, or site map, is a map that lists all the pages on your site. It's a valuable tool for search engines because it tells them exactly what content is available.

• XML sitemaps for search engines : They help search engines index your site effectively. Be sure to submit it via Google Search Console.

• HTML sitemaps for users : They allow visitors to get an overview of the content on your site, especially if they are lost or looking for a specific page.

Think about the depth of your pages

Each page on your site should be accessible in three clicks or less from the home page. If your users have to dig deep to find what they're looking for, they're likely to leave feeling frustrated. In addition, Google gives more importance to pages that are easy to access, which can positively influence your SEO.

• Use clear navigation : Well-organized dropdown menus can help users quickly find what they're looking for.

• Highlight important content : If a page is essential for your visitors or for your business, make sure it is easily accessible.

Make it easier for your visitors to navigate

A well-designed site guides visitors where they want to go effortlessly with responsive design. But also with:

• A main menu: It's your main navigation tool. Make sure it's intuitive, organized, and tailored to the needs of your users.

• A breadcrumb thread: This navigation system, which traces the user's path on your site, is essential for UX and SEO. It provides a simple way for users to go back in time or understand where they are.

• Visible CTAs : Buttons like “Learn More,” “Buy Now,” or “Contact Us” should be visible and intuitive.

• Clear categories: If you have a blog, structure it with categories to help visitors and search engines understand your various topics for example.

Also, your site should be displayed correctly on all devices, whether it's a desktop, tablet, or smartphone.

Create an optimized URL structure

The URL should reflect your tree structure. A clear and descriptive URL is beneficial both for the user and for SEO.

• Avoid jargons : Use relevant keywords that describe the content of the page.

• Stay consistent : If you use hyphens to separate words in a URL, use hyphens for all of your URLs. Avoid using special characters or spaces.

Advice: Keep your URLs short, legible, and include your target keywords.

Example of a website tree

Tree structure of an e-commerce site

Let's take the example of a fictional website for an online store of electronic products: “ElectroShop”. Assuming that the user lands on the home page of the site, the site tree could be as follows:

• Home page : It introduces the business, what it offers, highlights featured articles, and shares customer reviews. On this page, a horizontal menu provides access to the various product categories. By moving the mouse over these categories, the sub-categories appear. A button located at the top right leads to the buyer account page.

• Category page : These pages are accessible from the main menu. They have a sub-menu to list the sub-categories. For example:
  
  • Mobile phones: Smartphones, Classic phones, Phone accessories.
  • Computers: Laptops, Desktops, Tablets, Computer Accessories.
  • Audio: Headphones, Speakers, Other Audio Accessories

• Product page : It details the specifications of the item with photos. A purchase button leads to the payment page.

• About page : It tells the story of the company, introduces the team and the values of the company.

• blog : It offers articles related to the field and other related topics.

• Contact page : It offers a contact form, location details with a map, as well as opening hours.

Simply put, the home page is the starting point, while essential pages such as categories lead to other sections like “Products,” “About,” “Blog,” and “Contact.”

Tree structure of a showcase site

In The example of a showcase site, the objective is not online sales. Rather, it's about inspiring trust by demonstrating your skills to encourage visitors to make contact. A possible tree structure for a showcase site would be as follows:

A horizontal navigation menu is immediately visible upon arrival on the home page. It allows you to answer 3 main questions (+1 as a bonus) through the proposed courses:

• What? These are the service pages that make it possible to answer this question by showing and explaining what the company does;

• Why? These are the issues pages that make it possible to answer this question by focusing on the problems of the target and that the company solves;

• Who? This is the page that should describe who is behind the business;

• For whom? This is the bonus page or pages that, if you offer specialized positioning, are important to show who you are talking to.

Within this menu, a tab also leads to the blog, highlighting the company's expertise. A button leading to the contact form is omnipresent on all pages, optimizing conversion opportunities.