Section Planning is the First Step in Website Building
Many businesses rush to design and code when building a website, but overlook the crucial step of section planning. The section structure determines whether users can quickly find information and also affects how search engines crawl and understand the site. Before starting website development, it's recommended to organize the following content.
Define the Core Goal of the Website
First, ask yourself: Is this website primarily for brand display, product promotion, online sales, or customer service? Different goals require different section focuses.
- Brand display type: Focus on sections like company introduction, corporate culture, and honors and qualifications.
- Product promotion type: Sections like product center, case studies, and service processes need detailed planning.
- Online sales type: Additionally, e-commerce-related sections like shopping cart, order tracking, and member center are needed.
Once the core goal is determined, design the sections around it.
Organize Basic Business Information
Before building the site, prepare the basic information that will populate the corresponding sections:
- Company Introduction: Includes company overview, development history, organizational structure, honors and qualifications, etc.
- Products/Services: List all product lines or service items. Each product needs images, descriptions, specifications, etc.
- Case Studies: Collect typical customer cases or successful projects, and prepare images, videos, and text descriptions.
- News & Updates: Prepare materials like company news, industry insights, and media coverage.
- Contact Information: Phone, email, address, online chat, map location, etc.
The earlier these contents are prepared, the smoother the website building process will be.
Design Sections Based on User Needs
User browsing paths determine the priority of sections. Common user questions include: Who are you? What do you offer? How do you do it? Where are you? Therefore, website sections are typically arranged in the following logic:
- Homepage: Showcases core business, important updates, and quick links.
- About Us: Helps users quickly understand the company.
- Products/Services: Provides detailed information about products or services.
- Case Studies/Solutions: Demonstrates capability and reputation.
- News & Updates: Keeps content fresh and builds trust.
- Contact Us: Makes it easy for users to reach out.
If the business has other unique sections, such as "Technical Support" or "Download Center," they can be added as needed.
Consider Content Update Frequency
Not all sections need frequent updates. For example, "About Us" and "Contact Us" usually change little, while "News & Updates" and "Case Studies" can be updated regularly. When planning sections, it's advisable to distinguish:
- Static sections: Content is relatively fixed, created once and used long-term.
- Dynamic sections: Require ongoing maintenance, such as news, blogs, FAQs, etc.
For dynamic sections, plan the content sources and update mechanisms in advance.
Leave Room for Expansion
After the website goes live, the business may evolve, and sections may need adjustments. It's recommended to leave room for expansion during section planning, such as designing collapsible sub-sections in the navigation menu or reserving recommendation spots on the homepage. This way, adding new content later won't disrupt the overall structure.
Incorporate Basic SEO Optimization
When planning sections, consider search engine optimization appropriately:
- Each section page should have a unique title and description.
- Use terms that users commonly search for in section names.
- Avoid overly deep directory levels; generally, no more than three levels is recommended.
But don't create sections solely for SEO; section names should first and foremost be understandable to users.
Final Checklist
Before officially building the site, confirm readiness with the following checklist:
- Have you organized the core business information?
- Is the main goal of the website clear?
- Have you listed all necessary sections?
- Have you prepared initial content for each section?
- Have you considered content update mechanisms?
- Have you left room for expansion?
If the answer to all the above questions is "yes," then section planning is essentially complete, and you can proceed to the next steps of design and development.