Site Structure
Definition
The way pages on a website are organised and linked together, forming a hierarchy from homepage to individual content.
What is Site Structure?
Site structure refers to how your website's pages are organised and connected. It's the hierarchy that starts at your homepage and branches out to categories, subcategories, and individual pages.
A clear structure helps both visitors and search engines understand your website. Visitors can navigate intuitively, and search engines can crawl and index your content effectively.
Common Site Structures
Flat Structure
Every page is one or two clicks from the homepage. Good for small sites (under 20 pages) but becomes chaotic as you grow.
Hierarchical Structure
Pages organised in a clear tree from general to specific. Most websites use this approach: Homepage > Category > Subcategory > Individual page.
Silo Structure
Content grouped into distinct topic clusters with strong internal linking within each silo. Popular for SEO-focused sites.
Why Structure Matters for SEO
Google uses internal links to discover pages and understand their importance. Pages with more internal links pointing to them are seen as more significant. A logical structure naturally distributes this "link equity" to your most important content.
Best Practices
- Keep important pages within 3 clicks of the homepage
- Use consistent URL patterns that reflect your hierarchy
- Ensure every page is reachable through at least one internal link
- Create category pages that make sense to users, not just to you
- Review and update structure as your site grows
Signs Your Structure Needs Work
- Orphan pages (pages with no internal links pointing to them)
- Inconsistent URL patterns
- Deep pages that take 5+ clicks to reach
- Duplicate or overlapping categories