After a website goes live, the structure and content of page links directly impact user experience and search engine crawling. So what information should page links contain? The core principle is to help users quickly find what they need while meeting compliance and SEO requirements.
1. Basic Navigation Information
Every page's link system should first include a clear navigation structure:
- Global navigation bar links: Typically placed at the top of the page, including main sections such as Home, About Us, Products/Services, News, and Contact Us. These links should remain consistent across the entire site for easy user navigation.
- Breadcrumb navigation: Shows the user's current page location within the site hierarchy, e.g., "Home > News Center > Industry Trends." Breadcrumbs help users orient themselves, reduce bounce rates, and offer some SEO benefits.
- Footer navigation: Contains secondary but important links like Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Sitemap, and FAQ. These don't take up primary space but ensure users can access them quickly.
2. Compliance and Copyright Information
According to domestic laws and website operation standards, page links must include the following:
- ICP filing number link: Commercial websites must display the ICP filing number in the footer and link to the MIIT filing inquiry page. Non-commercial websites are also advised to show it.
- Privacy Policy: Explains how the website collects, uses, and protects user personal information. With the implementation of the Personal Information Protection Law, a privacy policy has become standard, typically linked in the footer or near registration forms.
- Copyright notice: e.g., "©2025 Company Name. All rights reserved," linked to a relevant legal statement page to enhance copyright awareness.
- Other legal statements: Such as disclaimers and terms of use, added based on the nature of the website's business.
3. User Assistance Information
To improve user experience, page links should also consider the following assistance information:
- Site search link/box: For content-rich websites, provide a search entry to help users quickly locate information. The search box can be embedded directly on the page, or a link to a search page can be set.
- Homepage link: Usually in the form of a logo or "Home" text, fixed in the top-left corner or header, following user habits.
- Contact information links: Such as a "Contact Us" page link, customer service phone number (though not a link, it can be placed), and online chat entry. Ensure these are in prominent positions for interested users to reach out promptly.
- Social media links: Links or QR codes for official accounts like WeChat, Weibo, and Douyin. However, avoid too many QR codes to prevent cluttering the main content.
- Related recommendations/popular content links: At the bottom of articles or product detail pages, recommend related content to increase page browsing depth and dwell time.
4. SEO Optimization Information
From an SEO perspective, the following page link information is also crucial:
- Sitemap link: Usually provided in the footer, pointing to an XML sitemap to help search engine crawlers discover all pages on the site. An HTML sitemap can also be provided for user reference.
- "More" or "View All" links: When a list exceeds one screen, use links to guide users to view the full list, avoiding infinite scrolling that makes SEO content hard to crawl.
- Previous/Next page links: On article or product detail pages, provide links to previous and next content to encourage continuous browsing and form an internal link network.
5. Information to Avoid
Not all information is suitable for page links. The following should be carefully considered or avoided:
- Excessive external links: Especially links to competitor or low-quality websites, which may dilute authority and pose security risks.
- User personal information links: Such as backend login or personal center pages, which should be protected by access controls and not exposed in public links.
- Frequently changing temporary links: For time-limited activities without fixed URLs, use standardized, permanent links.
- Link text with absolute or exaggerated content: e.g., "cheapest" or "number one," which may violate advertising laws and pose risks.
6. Flexible Adjustment and Testing
Different business websites have varying needs, so page link information should be adjusted flexibly. It is recommended to check before launch: whether navigation is complete, footer links are compliant, search functionality works, and important pages can be reached within three clicks. After launch, optimize link layout based on user feedback and data analysis. For example, if users frequently visit "Customer Cases," add that section to the navigation; if the contact page has low traffic, consider adding more entry points.
In summary, page link information should prioritize user needs while balancing compliance and SEO. Proper planning makes a website more usable and trustworthy after launch, laying a solid foundation for ongoing operations.
