When building a corporate website, many managers focus on page design but overlook a fundamental issue: does the site structure clearly communicate your business? Structure is the skeleton, and business introduction is the flesh and blood. When the two are well integrated, visitors can quickly grasp what you do and the value you offer. Let's break this down into three steps.
Step 1: Sort Out Your Business Before Designing the Structure
The website structure isn't something you invent out of thin air—it's the result of a thorough business review. Start by creating a business inventory: list all the products, services, and solutions your company provides, and note the target customers, key selling points, and transaction methods (e.g., standard products vs. custom projects) for each. At this stage, don't think about the website; just do a business audit.
During this process, you'll discover that some offerings are core, some are supplementary, and some may be outdated. This helps you decide which businesses should appear in the primary navigation, which belong on secondary pages, and which might not be displayed at all. For example, a software development company with custom development as its core business and maintenance as an additional service should make "Custom Development" more prominent in the navigation than "Maintenance."
Step 2: Plan Your Sections to Clarify Business Hierarchy
Once your business is sorted, you can plan the site sections. A common approach is to organize sections by business type, but keep the hierarchy shallow—ideally within three levels. The primary navigation should cover your main businesses, secondary pages provide details, and tertiary pages can host case studies or credentials.
Here's a hypothetical example: A corporate training company offers public courses, in-house training, and consulting. The primary navigation could feature "Public Courses," "In-House Training," and "Consulting," with each section further subdivided by course topics or service processes. This way, visitors see the full business landscape at a glance without digging through layers.
Also, beware of the "everything at once" trap. Some websites spread all businesses across the homepage, leading to information overload and making it hard for visitors to remember key points. A better approach is to highlight core businesses on the homepage and showcase others in their respective sections.
Step 3: Present Content to Make Business Introductions Vivid
After finalizing the sections, consider how to write business introductions for each page. Here are some practical tips:
- Use customer language, not jargon. Business introductions are for potential clients, not peers. For example, "end-to-end digital solutions" is less clear than "helping businesses move offline operations online."
- Describe value through scenarios. Don't just list features; explain the problems your business solves. For instance, when introducing accounting software, write "Ideal for SMEs, automatically generates reports, and saves monthly reconciliation time."
- Include case studies or data for support. If you have real cases, place them on business pages, but ensure privacy and authenticity. Clearly label hypothetical examples as "illustrative."
- Add a call to action on every business page. Buttons like "Contact Us" or "Get a Quote" guide visitors on what to do next after reading.
Common Issue: How to Handle a Wide Range of Businesses?
Some companies have many business lines, making it impossible to fit all in the primary navigation. In such cases, use a "core business + more businesses" model: showcase core businesses in the primary navigation, and place a "More Businesses" link in the footer or sidebar. This leads to a summary page that lists all businesses by category. This ensures core businesses stand out while not neglecting others.
Additionally, if businesses are closely related, consider merging them into one section. For example, if "Products" and "Services" are inseparable, combine them under "Solutions," with sub-sections for products and services within the page.
Final Step: Verify Business Introductions Before Launch
Before going live, cross-check your business inventory to ensure every business has a corresponding introduction page with accurate and up-to-date content. Also, simulate a visitor's perspective: starting from the homepage, can you find a specific business introduction within three clicks? If the click path is too long, the structure needs adjustment.
Aligning website structure with business introduction is essentially about making the site serve your business. Rather than chasing flashy design, focus on clearly explaining your business. This way, your website becomes an effective lead-generation tool.
