Do you know what this is?

This is a site map. A site map is a detailed visual representation of all of the content on your website, showing how it is arranged. It’s absolutely essential that you have a site map. You may be wondering why: after all, your website likely has navigation built into its structure, generally in a bar at the top of the screen, as well as on the right side.

However, even the most complete navigation bars can capture only a fraction of what’s on a website. You will undoubtedly have content that doesn’t fit into any of the sections delineated by the navigation. Additionally, the navigation alone doesn’t indicate what content on your website cross-references other content. A site map reveals where this content resides on your website, and how the various types of content relate to each other.

There are three tremendously important things you need to know about site maps:

1. Site Maps Help You Make Better Business Decisions

   A website is the digital representation of your business. Thinking through what types of content you want to share on your site, the importance of that content, and the positioning of each piece should be in alignment with the way you’re planning to grow your business. We’ve found that many business owners, after going through the process of creating a site map, rely heavily upon what they’ve learned to make decisions that help them grow faster. The process of creating a site map forces you to think about the content you need to provide to today’s customer, but you also begin to think about your growth. This practice helps you when you’re considering a potential product line or new service offering, thinking through ‘where does this fit on the website.’ This process is a great gateway to understanding ‘where does this fit in my business?’ You want to map out your site for today and for future plans so you are not rebuilding the structure completely tomorrow.

2. Site Maps Help Your Visitors Find What They’re Looking For

   It’s impossible to predict with 100% certainty the questions your website visitors will have. But one thing is for sure: they are not going to spend a lot of time searching! Today’s informed digital customers look to the footer of a website for a sitemap. This tool can be a great help to the informed visitor so they can quickly find what they are looking for on your website.

3. Site Maps Are Essential for Your Success Today & Tomorrow

   As a business owner, you want to grow. The best site maps organize the content you’re sharing today while providing the framework for content you’re going to want to add in the future. Bear in mind that Google continually refines its search algorithms, meaning you’re going to need to add new and different types of content in order to maintain your search engine rankings. A good site map will help you determine where to add that new content. Planning ahead allows you to be efficient, and to avoid having to completely overhaul your website – always an expensive proposition – before you’re ready to do so!

Building great websites is complicated. Having a great sitemap can help.

Web design and development can seem like a very overwhelming prospect. Sitemaps provide the foundation you need on your journey. Our friendly, personable team of world-class web design and development professionals make it simple to transform the website you have into the powerful sales tool you want. Give us a call today at 914-949-6092 to find out more.