Site Map

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After identifying your target audience, it is time to research your site content. Before you hurry into your research, you might want to spend some time creating a site map for your website. This site map will guide you through the completing the writing and flow of the website. It will identify the different parts and sections of the site and shows clearly how they are linked to one another.

There are two main ways to go about doing it:

1. Tree-branched structure
2. Spider structure

Tree-branched structure

For the tree-branched structure, the top part of the map will contain the main content, followed by the more specific content further down at the bottom. The advantage of the tree-branched structure over the spider structure is that you can gauge how many web pages are under each topic or subtopic, such that there will be a balance in your layout.

Spider structure

As the name suggests, the site map branches out like a spider and its legs. The spider structure starts with the main topic, branches out to several subtopics, and further branches out to smaller topics. It is slightly easier to manage than the tree-branched structure, but web designers tend to focus too much on a certain section and neglect others. An imbalance in content will make your website less effective in conveying its message.

While you are researching, you can then add to your site map and create an even more extensive website. This site map will also help to layout your site index, which is usually done at the completion of the website.

Now that you are ready, go on to research for your content.