Why Conduct a Section Review?
Website sections are like a book's table of contents—a clear table of contents helps readers quickly find what they're looking for. For a corporate website, the section structure directly impacts user experience, search engine crawling, and future content maintenance. If you don't carefully review your section setup before building, you may face costly adjustments after launch. Therefore, investing time in a section review before building is well worth it.
What Does the Section Checklist Include?
The following checklist applies to most corporate websites; you can adjust it based on your specific situation:
1. Do the Sections Cover Key User Needs?
First, clarify: Who is the website for? Customers, partners, job seekers, or investors? Different groups care about different content. For example, customers want to see products and services, while job seekers look for career opportunities. Check that each section addresses common questions from a particular audience, avoiding a structure that only reflects the company's perspective but fails to engage visitors.
2. Is the Section Hierarchy Clear?
Generally, it's advisable to keep primary sections to 5–7. Too many primary sections make the menu crowded; too few lead to content being piled together. Secondary sections should not be too deep—users should ideally find what they need within three clicks. Check for sections with minimal content or overlapping content between two sections.
3. Are Section Names Easy to Understand?
Section names should clearly indicate what's inside. Avoid overly technical or vague terms. For instance, 'Comprehensive Info' is less clear than 'News & Updates.' If 'Solutions' is not specific, consider using 'Services' instead. It's recommended to have someone unfamiliar with your company glance at the section names and be able to guess the content.
4. Is the SEO Foundation Considered?
Section structure affects how search engines understand your site. It's advisable to assign a core keyword to each primary section, with subpages under that section revolving around the keyword. Check whether section names naturally include keywords, whether URLs are concise, and ensure each section has a content update plan—avoid creating empty sections.
5. Is There Room for Future Content Expansion?
A website isn't built once and forgotten; it requires ongoing content updates. Section setup should accommodate future additions. For example, if your business expands and you need to add new services, is there a suitable place? Avoid cramming everything into 'About Us'; consider reserving sections like 'Insights' or 'Case Studies.'
6. Is Mobile Display Considered?
Many users access websites via mobile devices. If you have many sections, can the mobile menu display them user-friendly? Check whether section names are appropriately short and whether multi-level menus are necessary. On mobile, it's best to minimize multi-level menus and use flat or collapsible layouts.
How to Conduct a Section Review?
Follow these steps:
- List all sections you think are necessary on a piece of paper.
- Put yourself in the user's shoes and simulate visiting the site to see if you can quickly find the needed information.
- Compare section setups of similar industry websites, but don't copy them—adapt to your business.
- Talk to sales and customer service colleagues; they know the most common customer questions.
- After a draft, create a simple mind map to check logical clarity.
Common Section Setup Mistakes
- Too many, overly detailed sections: For example, splitting products into dozens of sections by model makes it hard for users to find key information.
- Empty sections: Some sections are created but never updated; it's better to merge them temporarily.
- Overly creative names: Using terms like 'Explore' or 'Discover' instead of 'News' is not straightforward and confuses users.
- Ignoring future maintenance: Not planning for content updates during building leads to operational difficulties later.
Conclusion
A section review before building your site takes just a few days but can save you from major redesign headaches later. Make section planning a key part of your website development process, discuss it with your team, and consider advice from professional web design companies. Finally, remember that section structures are not set in stone; adjusting them as your business evolves is normal.
