Every one of us has visited hundreds of websites that gave us the ick from the very first seconds we landed on them. It looks like a mess, with way too many blocks and non-connected topics and your eyes are running everywhere trying to decide where to start reading from. What did you do after you realised you joined a messy website? You most probably left before you could read anything meaningful.
Some of those websites might have the exact information you were searching, and more, but for an obvious reason, you skipped and looked elsewhere. In this article we teach you how to avoid driving away your visitors by giving them exactly the structure they expect without surprising (and scaring) them.
What website structure is and why it matters
Website structure is basically how your website’s pages are organized and connected. Think of it like a roadmap or a skeleton, it shows how visitors navigate from one page to another.
Let’s explore the 3 main types of website structures. It is quite straight-forward
- Hierarchical (Tree Structure) – most common
- Homepage → Main sections → Subpages
- Example: Home > Services > Web Design > Portfolio
- Great for businesses, portfolios, e-commerce sites
- Sequential (Step-by-Step)
- Guides users through a process
- Example: Home > Start Here > Customize > Checkout > Thank You
- Common in tutorials, online courses, onboarding flows
- Matrix (Web-Like / Non-Linear)
- Users can navigate freely between pages
- Example: blogs, knowledge bases, wikis
A website can contain elements from two structures. For example, most professional websites combine hierarchical and sequential elements. You can define your website structures by understanding your website type first. We wrote a full guide on defining your website type (internal link to our article).
What also helps is to also think about what an ideal customer journey would look like from your perspective. Guide your visitors through the main questions they want an answer to before the decide to be your supporter, be it subscribing to your blog, or buying your product or service.
Why Website Structure Matters
The structure of a website isn’t just a nice-to-have for people obsessed with order.
Think of it this way. If your visitor doesn’t have to spend her brainpower to figure out how to consume your content, then she can offer more attention to getting convinced by what you write.
A good website structure makes it:
- Easy to navigate, therefore keeps eyeballs looking at your website for longer
- User-friendly, meaning it can be consumed by a wider audience with a varied set of skills and backgrounds
- SEO-friendly (search engines index your content more proactively)
- Ensures your website goal is supported and obvious on every page
Key Components of a Website Structure
When planning your website, consider key components that are the building blocks that make your site organized and usable. Below, we cover the most important components in detail. Let’s dive into it together.
1. Homepage
- Role: The central hub; first impression of your site. Your visitor will decide if they want to explore what you offer further, based on the main page alone. Make sure the first impression counts.
- Key Elements:
- Value proposition (what you do/offer) as early as possible. The visitor will link anything they ready further to this important piece of information.
- Main call-to-action (CTA). This is directly linked to your site goal. This can be a sign-up form, or a button to start searching through the webshop.
- Navigation to main sections. Gives the visitors a brief intro into what each section of your site has to offer with a direct way to get there. They could also get there via your header menu, however there they have no context beside the name of the page.
- Highlights of key content (services, products, or portfolio). Only include the most important points you want your visitors to remember. Leave the details for the separate pages.
Tip: Everything on the homepage should support your primary website goal. Read more about setting your website goal in our dedicated article on this topic (internal link)
2. Primary Navigation (Top-Level Menu also often called the header)
- Role: Guides users to through the main sections of your site.
- Key Elements:
- Make 4–7 main categories (too many overwhelms users). Similarly to a restaurant with a 10-page menu, your visitors will take more time choosing where to go next than getting convinced that you can solve their problem. Keep it simple.
- Use clear, descriptive labels like “Services” instead of “What We Do”. Again, stick to what the users expect and know best, which will allow them to decide on next steps faster.
- Keep a logical order: usually most important items first, also in line with your website goal
3. Secondary Navigation (Subpages / Dropdowns)
- Role: Organizes detailed content pages under each main category. The general rule of thump is to have maximum 2 levels of depth to avoid too much complexity. If you think about another level below secondary navigation, you should rethink your hierarchical structure.
- Key Elements:
- Subpages for services, products, or content categories
- Drop-down menus or sidebars, typically done automatically via website builders
- Breadcrumbs (shows users their location: Home > Services > SEO). This can help with larger, content driven websites that go deep into topics. Visitors can also use the breadcrumbs to easily navigate this complexity.
4. Footer Navigation
- Role: Provides links to secondary or utility pages, which can be a must, depending on the industry you are active in.
- Key Elements:
- Legal pages: Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Disclaimers, and other industry specific policy pages
- Contact info or map
- Social media links
- Secondary navigation links (less critical content that can be found if the visitor is seriously looking for it)
5. Content Pages
- Role: Delivers the actual information, products, or services.
- Types:
- About Page: Mission, story, team
- Services / Products Pages: Detailed info for each service/product
- Portfolio / Case Studies: Showcasing work
- Blog / Resources: Educational or thought-leadership content
- Contact Page: Form, email, phone, location
- Any other page that makes sense for your specific situation and directly supports your website goal
Tip: Each content page should support the main goal with CTAs. Different visitors may have different journeys until they decide to convert. You should give them the opportunity to convert fast from any page they are on at that moment.
6. Internal Linking
- Role: Connects related pages, guides users, improves SEO, and most importantly, speeds up conversion
- Key Elements:
- Links from blog posts to services/products
- Related content recommendations
- Navigation breadcrumbs
Tip: try to have at least 3 internal links per page for a healthy progression of the user journey
7. URL Structure
Now let’s address another structural task for your site. You site URL structure. It is less visible, but it can have an immense effect, here is why:
- Role: Shows a clearer hierarchy and improves SEO
- Best Practices:
- Use descriptive, readable URLs: /services/web-design
- Reflect hierarchy: /services/web-design/portfolio
- Do not use more than 3 words in your URL
- Avoid long strings or meaningless IDs: /page?id=123
8. Call-to-Action (CTA) Placement
Some visitors are ready to go for it and convert early, and you need to give them that opportunity in the first seconds by placing your CTA early on. Others will explore further before they are convinced. Make sure you come back to the CTA again later in the page.
- Role: Drives users toward your main website goal.
- Examples:
- Buttons: “Book a Consultation,” “Buy Now”
- Forms: Newsletter sign-up
- Links: Guide users to important content
a top-level page, with Web Design and SEO as subpages.
Tips for Building a Strong Structure
- Plan before building: Sketch a sitemap before creating pages.
- Keep it shallow, not deep: Users should reach any page in 3 clicks or less
- Prioritize your main goal: All major pages should push toward your primary action
- Use consistent naming: Keep page names clear and simple.
- Check user paths: Make sure visitors can get from A → B → C without confusion.
- Use clear, descriptive URLs: Example: /services/web-design instead of /page?id=123
- Think mobile first: hierarchy should work for responsive menus
- Plan for growth: leave room to add new categories or content without breaking navigation
- Test and adjust: Use analytics to see where visitors drop off and refine your structure.
Once you have a visual grip on your website structure it should be easier to prioritise what to build first and what you can leave for later. Keep challenging the structure visual if it is too complex, and ask yourself: Do I really need this? Can my visitors do without this information? The simplest structure will remove any friction for your readers to be converted into customers in no time. You are now ready to draft a simple website structure