{"id":159865,"date":"2023-05-23T00:20:38","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T05:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=159865"},"modified":"2024-03-18T10:37:49","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T15:37:49","slug":"website-structure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Structure Your Website Architecture for&nbsp;SEO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">A website\u2019s information architecture relates to how information on your site is structured, interlinked, and designed. A well-structured website is crucial for SEO as it helps search engines discover, index, and rank the website effectively.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how to structure your website in an organized, hierarchical way to give it the best chance of ranking well in Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Start with the basics\" data-section=\"basics\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Start with the basics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, an ecommerce website architecture diagram may look like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1812\" height=\"770\" class=\"wp-image-159896\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image24-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"Example of what a basic website architecture looks like, via Ahrefs' blog\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image24-3-1.jpg 1812w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image24-3-1-680x289.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image24-3-1-768x326.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image24-3-1-1536x653.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1812px) 100vw, 1812px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It may look complicated, but an easier way to think of it to compare your website folder structure to the folder system on a computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"373\" class=\"wp-image-159897\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image18-6.png\" alt=\"Site architecture visualized as computer file system analogy, via OSX Finder\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image18-6.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image18-6-680x127.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image18-6-768x143.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image18-6-1536x287.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Clicking in and out of folders takes time. But creating an organized, hierarchical structure with well-labeled names makes it easier to find what you\u2019re looking for.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same principles apply when planning your SEO site architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The architecture of your website needs to be logical to allow Google and human visitors to navigate it easily.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good place to start is to add pages that many websites usually have in common to your navigation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>About page<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Blog<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contact page<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About page<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1508\" class=\"wp-image-159899\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image15-7.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' About page, via ahrefs.com\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image15-7.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image15-7-563x425.png 563w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image15-7-768x579.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image15-7-1536x1159.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>About<\/strong> page is your chance to tell your brand\u2019s story. On this page, it\u2019s a good idea to include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A brief description of your website\u2019s purpose.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A photo of your&nbsp;team.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Any social proof, such as reviews or quotes from customers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Locations of your office(s).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want inspiration, check out Ahrefs\u2019 recently redesigned <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/about\">About page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Blog section<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1972\" height=\"1282\" class=\"wp-image-159901\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image5-8.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' blog\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image5-8.png 1972w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image5-8-654x425.png 654w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image5-8-768x499.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image5-8-1536x999.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1972px) 100vw, 1972px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The blog usually houses your most regularly updated content. You can plan your blog website structure in multiple ways by using categories and tags to organize your&nbsp;posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The blog is a key part of Ahrefs\u2019 content. So if you\u2019re interested, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/\">blog<\/a> to see how we structure it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact page<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most websites also have a <strong>Contact<\/strong> page\u2014again, you\u2019ll most likely need this page as a core part of your website structure. It\u2019s also good practice to include your NAP (name, address, and phone number) on this&nbsp;page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">State the website\u2019s primary purpose, service, or product<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Indicating the main purpose of your website within your website navigation structure is also a good&nbsp;idea.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you provide a specific service, then you can mention this. If you sell a certain product category, then mention this as&nbsp;well.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, we can see below that this website has indicated its services and products within the main navigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"909\" class=\"wp-image-159902\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image21-4.jpg\" alt=\"Example of services and products featured in the navigation, via Posh Pups Kew\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image21-4.jpg 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image21-4-680x309.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image21-4-768x349.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image21-4-1536x698.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are not sure of the exact keywords to use, you can use Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> to do some <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">keyword research<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sketch out a simple website architecture plan (and build it&nbsp;out)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve got the basic pages sorted, you can visualize it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Visualizing your website page structure is important if you work with a team, as it enables you to sense-check your design with colleagues before it goes live. You can create a site structure diagram in many free design tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a simple website architecture example I\u2019ve created using a mindmap tool called MindMeister.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a larger website, you may find a tool like this useful (it\u2019s great for building more complex websites).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I like using this tool, as it\u2019s user-friendly. But you can also use Excel or a pen and a large sheet of paper (if you are old school).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1528\" height=\"508\" class=\"wp-image-159906\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image14-8.png\" alt=\"Example of basic website architecture, via mindmeister.com\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image14-8.png 1528w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image14-8-680x226.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image14-8-768x255.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1528px) 100vw, 1528px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>What can we learn from this website\u2019s structure?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>There\u2019s a simple hierarchy of pages <\/strong>\u2013 For example, \u201cCat sitting\u201d is under \u201cServices.\u201d This hierarchical website structure implies that cat sitting is a service provided by this website.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Similar types of content are grouped <\/strong>\u2013 Blog posts #1 and #2 are contained in the blog. This is logical.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The most critical pages are on the first level <\/strong>\u2013 For most businesses, this will at least include an About page and a Contact page.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Flat architecture vs. deep architecture&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve covered the basics, let\u2019s consider what different types of site architecture look&nbsp;like.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Flat website architecture<\/strong> makes it possible to access each page on your website with a minimal number of clicks.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Deep architecture <\/strong>is where it will take many clicks to access the pages on your&nbsp;site.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Visualized, these structures look like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1114\" class=\"wp-image-159907\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image16-5.png\" alt=\"Flat vs. deep website structure, via Ahrefs Blog\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image16-5.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image16-5-610x425.png 610w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image16-5-768x535.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image16-5-1536x1069.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see the difference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For simple sites, a flat architecture may be all that is needed. For more complex sites, you may need a deeper architecture.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll need to pay close attention to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/internal-links-for-seo\/\">internal linking<\/a> for a deep site architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bottom line is that you don\u2019t want to hide your most important content deep in the website where no one can find it. Your most important pages should be easily accessible through well-placed, descriptive internal links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make your site structure SEO-friendly with keyword research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve sketched out the structure of your website, you\u2019re ready to start improving it using <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">keyword research<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to use keyword research at this stage to understand what keywords your customers are searching for that are related to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For this example, let\u2019s pretend we are building a website about \u201ccats,\u201d and we provide a service of \u201ccat sitting\u201d for our customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>, let\u2019s plug in the phrase \u201ccat sitting\u201d into the search bar and head over to the <strong>Matching terms<\/strong> report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1248\" height=\"1224\" class=\"wp-image-159909\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-6.png\" alt=\"Matching terms report with highlighted terms, via Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-6.png 1248w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-6-433x425.png 433w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-6-768x753.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1248px) 100vw, 1248px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>From the report, we can see that there are two location-based searches, as well as the keyword phrase \u201ccat sitting rates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s add these keywords to our website architecture example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1776\" height=\"666\" class=\"wp-image-159905\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image20-6.png\" alt=\"Example of building out website architecture, via mindmeister.com\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image20-6.png 1776w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image20-6-680x255.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image20-6-768x288.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image20-6-1536x576.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1776px) 100vw, 1776px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I\u2019ve added \u201cRates\u201d below \u201cCat sitting\u201d because once you\u2019ve seen the service, you\u2019ll want to check the&nbsp;price.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I\u2019ve also added \u201cSan Diego\u201d and \u201cSan Francisco\u201d into a new \u201cLocations\u201d menu to keep the site architecture relatively flat.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to take this further, you can use <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> to analyze groups of keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s now say we wanted to add a new section to the site on \u201ccat care.\u201d To do this, enter the keyword and head to the <strong>Matching terms<\/strong> report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1356\" height=\"1422\" class=\"wp-image-159913\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image9-9.png\" alt=\"Keyword research groups using the Matching terms report, via Ahrefs' Site Explorer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image9-9.png 1356w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image9-9-405x425.png 405w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image9-9-768x805.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1356px) 100vw, 1356px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking down the left-hand column, we see that \u201csphynx\u201d is listed. Expanding this section shows us how we could structure our website architecture based on what people are searching for this particular cat&nbsp;breed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s add this section to our website structure diagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"469\" class=\"wp-image-159916\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image22-6.png\" alt=\"Site structure illustration with new menu added, via mindmeister.com\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image22-6.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image22-6-680x160.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image22-6-768x180.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image22-6-1536x360.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In this example, you can rinse and repeat this method for different breeds of cats\u2014or you can also use it for any other keyword. Keep adding other pages with keyword potential to make your site architecture SEO-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get inspiration from competitors&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve completed your <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">keyword research<\/a>, it\u2019s worth looking at your competitors\u2019 website architecture for inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The simplest way to perform a site structure analysis on\u200b\u200b a competitor\u2019s website is to plug their domain into Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a> and then click on the <strong>Site structure<\/strong> report in the left-hand navigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of me spying on a competitor\u2019s site structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1172\" height=\"1098\" class=\"wp-image-159917\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image4-9.png\" alt=\"Example of spying on a competitor's site structure using Site Explorer, via Ahrefs' Site Explorer\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image4-9.png 1172w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image4-9-454x425.png 454w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image4-9-768x720.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1172px) 100vw, 1172px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Going a step further, let\u2019s see another more advanced method I use to spy on my competitors\u2019 website structures that already rank well for certain keywords I want to rank&nbsp;for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> and enter your keyword (e.g., cat sitting), and hit search<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scroll down to the<strong> SERP overview<\/strong> and click on a competitor in the&nbsp;list<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click on the downward-facing chevron and click on <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer\u2019s<\/a> <strong>overview<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the search bar, change <strong>Exact URL<\/strong> to<strong> Domain<\/strong> and hit search<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Then click on <strong>Site structure<\/strong> in the left-hand column<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click on the chevron next to the domain to show the full&nbsp;path<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1574\" height=\"1082\" class=\"wp-image-159919\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image19-6.png\" alt=\"Analysis of a competitor's site structure using a keyword, via Ahrefs' Site Explorer\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image19-6.png 1574w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image19-6-618x425.png 618w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image19-6-768x528.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image19-6-1536x1056.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1574px) 100vw, 1574px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you like a competitor\u2019s site structure, you can hit the \u201cExport\u201d button in the top right-hand corner to analyze it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using the knowledge we\u2019ve gained about these competitors, let\u2019s make some alterations to our site architecture plan based on what keywords we want to target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m going to add an \u201cFAQ\u201d page and combine my \u201cServices\u201d and \u201cCat Sitter\u201d categories and change it to \u201cBook a Cat Sitter\u201d to make it more structurally competitive with a website that\u2019s already ranking on the first&nbsp;page.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"576\" class=\"wp-image-159923\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image23-4.png\" alt=\"Website architecture with added structure, via mindmeister.com\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image23-4.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image23-4-680x196.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image23-4-768x221.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image23-4-1536x443.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Spying on competitors\u2019 site structures is a powerful process that we can repeat with any competitor to improve how we structure our site architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Add these elements to the pages\" data-section=\"add-these-elements-to-pages\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Add these elements improve your website content architecture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If we define site architecture as the total design and build of the site, we need to take into account a few more structural elements for it to perform well in search engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ve looked at designing the website hierarchy structure, but what about ensuring the necessary on-site functionality is&nbsp;there?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what I think you should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Add title tags and meta descriptions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1588\" height=\"354\" class=\"wp-image-159925\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-6.png\" alt=\"Title tag and meta description, via google.com\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-6.png 1588w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-6-680x152.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-6-768x171.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-6-1536x342.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1588px) 100vw, 1588px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve read any SEO articles before, you\u2019ve probably seen <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/glossary\/title-tag\">title tags <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/glossary\/meta-description\">meta descriptions<\/a> being mentioned. You\u2019ll need to include these on every page, so it\u2019s worth being aware of&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The title tag is positioned above the meta description in the Google results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/title-tag-seo\/\">How to Craft the Perfect SEO Title&nbsp;Tag<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/meta-description\/\">How to Write the Perfect Meta Description<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use breadcrumbs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"389\" class=\"wp-image-159926\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-8.png\" alt=\"Breadcrumbs example, via etsy.com\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-8.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-8-680x132.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-8-768x149.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-8-1536x299.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/glossary\/breadcrumb-navigation\">Breadcrumbs<\/a> are not a replacement for your website\u2019s main navigation, but they\u2019re great at visualizing the hierarchy between pages and your website folder structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From a user perspective, breadcrumbs are helpful in two use&nbsp;cases:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They help you navigate the website when you land on a deep&nbsp;page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They act as a helpful shortcut to get back to the main category page.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use descriptive SEO-friendly URLs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1372\" height=\"78\" class=\"wp-image-159928\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image11-7.png\" alt=\"Descriptive keyword and targeted URL, via Google Chrome Search\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image11-7.png 1372w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image11-7-680x39.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image11-7-768x44.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1372px) 100vw, 1372px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve established your site structure, it\u2019s important to use descriptive URLs to enable search engines to understand what your website is about. Keyword-optimized URLs are crucial when planning your site architecture for&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out our guide below for more information on creating SEO-friendly URLs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-friendly-urls\/\">How to Create SEO-Friendly URLs (Step-by-Step)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use a table of contents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1682\" height=\"802\" class=\"wp-image-159930\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-9.png\" alt=\"Table of content, via Ahrefs Blog\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-9.png 1682w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-9-680x324.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-9-768x366.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-9-1536x732.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1682px) 100vw, 1682px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Table of contents (ToCs) allow your visitors to navigate your content easily. ToCs are useful for navigating a page, and I recommend adding one to your blog post\u2019s template.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use internal linking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3tbDkc3k48E<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Internal linking is an important part of your website architecture, as it helps search engines understand the relationship between pages on your site and helps visitors navigate it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out our guide below for more information on internal linking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/internal-links-for-seo\/\">Internal Links for SEO: An Actionable Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use related links<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1996\" height=\"1336\" class=\"wp-image-159932\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image7-7.png\" alt=\"Related links example, via Ahrefs Blog\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image7-7.png 1996w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image7-7-635x425.png 635w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image7-7-768x514.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image7-7-1536x1028.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1996px) 100vw, 1996px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A more recent addition to the Ahrefs Blog is related links. These are at the bottom of our blog content under \u201cKeep Learning.\u201d Related links are a relatively low-effort way to improve your internal linking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since internal links are a critical way search engines discover content, they form an important part of the invisible website information architecture that connects pages on your website. They can also help you silo your site structure by only linking pages about the same topic to each&nbsp;other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use author bios<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1178\" height=\"580\" class=\"wp-image-159934\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image10-8.jpg\" alt=\"Author bio, via Ahrefs Blog\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image10-8.jpg 1178w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image10-8-680x335.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image10-8-768x378.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1178px) 100vw, 1178px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ahrefs\u2019 blog makes use of author bios, and they help to provide trust with Google and visitors. Author bios typically include social links. They can also provide credibility if used correctly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This helps both Google and visitors to see that it\u2019s (most likely) a real person behind the article. If you have a team, it makes sense to use author bios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Get the technical bits right\" data-section=\"get-technical-bits-right\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Get the technical website architecture right<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/technical-seo\/\">Technical SEO<\/a> is one of, if not the<em>,<\/em> most important parts of SEO. There are a number of factors that you need to consider when building and designing a website\u2019s architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some of the most important things to consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use sitewide HTTPS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise that your website should use <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/glossary\/https\">HTTPS<\/a>. Google made <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2014\/08\/https-as-ranking-signal\">HTTPS a ranking signal all the way back in 2014<\/a>. As a result, it\u2019s now rare to find an HTTP-only website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Add a sitemap.xml file and submit it to Google Search Console<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve created your website and are happy with its structure, it\u2019s worth creating and submitting your sitemap.xml file(s) within Google Search Console.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s where the sitemap.xml file should be located on your website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/example.com\/sitemap.xml\"><code>https:\/\/example.com\/sitemap.xml<\/code><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out Google\u2019s guide below for more information on building and submitting a sitemap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/crawling-indexing\/sitemaps\/build-sitemap\">Build and Submit a Sitemap<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-sitemap\/\">How to Create an XML Sitemap (And Submit It to Google)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Add a robots.txt file<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A robots.txt file tells search engines where they can and can\u2019t go on your site. It\u2019s another file that you must have in your website architecture.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And here\u2019s where the robots.txt file should be located on your website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/yourdomain.com\/robots.txt\"><code>https:\/\/yourdomain.com\/robots.txt<\/code><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out our guide below for more information on robots.txt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/robots-txt\/\">Robots.txt and Everything You Need to&nbsp;Know<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use &lt;a&gt;&nbsp;links<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to ensure your links are easily crawlable for Google. Here are a few examples of what is acceptable and what isn\u2019t for Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recommended<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><code>&lt;a href=\"https:\/\/yourdomain.com\"&gt;<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>&lt;a href=\"\/products\/category\/dresses\"&gt;<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Not recommended<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><code>&lt;a routerLink=\"products\/category\"&gt;<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>&lt;span href=\"https:\/\/yourdomain.com\"&gt;<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>&lt;a onclick=\"goto('https:\/\/yourdomain.com')\"&gt;<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See Google\u2019s guide below for more information on links\u2019 best practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/crawling-indexing\/links-crawlable\">Links Best Practices for Google<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make&nbsp;your site architecture mobile-friendly, use responsive design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1148\" class=\"wp-image-159935\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-11.png\" alt=\"Responsive design illustration, via Ahrefs Blog\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-11.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-11-592x425.png 592w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-11-768x551.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-11-1536x1102.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Google recommends using <a href=\"https:\/\/web.dev\/learn\/design\/\">responsive design<\/a> to create a mobile-friendly website. A responsive design means your webpages will look good on all devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out our guide below for more information on mobile SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/mobile-seo\/\">Mobile SEO: 10 Optimization Tips to Build a Mobile-Friendly Website<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use canonical tags<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/glossary\/canonical-tag\">Canonical tags<\/a> are a snippet of HTML code that defines the main version for duplicate, near-duplicate, and similar pages\u2014and yes, you\u2019ll need to include them on your website\u2019s pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"674\" class=\"wp-image-159936\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image8-8.png\" alt=\"Canonical tag illustration, via Ahrefs Blog\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image8-8.png 900w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image8-8-568x425.png 568w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image8-8-768x575.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what the snippet of HTML looks&nbsp;like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><code>&lt;link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/yourwebsite.com\/blog\/\"&gt;<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out our guide below for more information on canonical tags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/canonical-tags\/\">Canonical Tags: A Simple Guide for Beginners<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use structured data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Structured data is a standardized way to provide information about a webpage. It helps search engines like Google to better understand what your content is&nbsp;about.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a good idea to ensure you have structured data in your page templates from the start, as Google uses it to enable search result enhancements, which can mean you get more focus on your result on the&nbsp;SERP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what structured data enhancements can look like in Google:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Article<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"800\" class=\"wp-image-159938\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image17-4.png\" alt=\"Article structured data illustration, via google.com\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image17-4.png 1400w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image17-4-680x389.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image17-4-768x439.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQs<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"956\" height=\"970\" class=\"wp-image-159940\" style=\"width: 478px; height: 485px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image1-11.png\" alt=\"Example of FAQs structured data, via google.com\n\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image1-11.png 956w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image1-11-419x425.png 419w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image1-11-768x779.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 956px) 100vw, 956px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The way these enhancements are presented is generally more prominent than a standard organic result, often making it worth implementing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/schema-markup\/\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/structured-data\/\">What Is Structured Data? Why Should You Implement It?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/appearance\/structured-data\/search-gallery\">List of Structured Data Enhancements That Google Supports<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Run a website structure audit report<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve decided on your site\u2019s architecture and set it live, it\u2019s tempting to leave&nbsp;it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it\u2019s worth doing a periodic review using a tool like <strong>Site Structure<\/strong> in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a> or Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-audit\">Site Audit<\/a> to ensure your site\u2019s architecture is still in good order.&nbsp;You can use these tools to perform in-depth website structure analysis and identify areas of your site that need improvement for&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting your website\u2019s architecture right from the start takes time and requires a lot of research. But if you design it with SEO in mind, it will pay dividends for your website in the long&nbsp;run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using tools like Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a> helps give you a competitive edge on the SERPs, as you can see what\u2019s already working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Got questions? Ping me <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/chris_at_b449\">on Twitter<\/a>. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here\u2019s how to structure your website in an organized, hierarchical way to give it the best chance of ranking well in Google. For example, an ecommerce website architecture diagram may look like&nbsp;this: It may look complicated, but an easier way<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":178,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[437],"class_list":["post-159865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Structure Your Website Architecture for SEO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An organized website structure gives the site the best chance of ranking well on Google. We&#039;ll show you how.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Structure Your Website Architecture for SEO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Embrace your inner planner.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-23T05:20:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-03-18T15:37:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image24-3-1.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Chris Haines\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Embrace your inner planner.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@chris_at_b449\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Chris Haines\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9afb394ccc6e0e19c199d26984a8b0b2\"},\"headline\":\"How to Structure Your Website Architecture for&nbsp;SEO\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-23T05:20:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-03-18T15:37:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/\"},\"wordCount\":2645,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/how-to-structure-your-website-architecture-by-chris-haines-general-seo.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"General SEO\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/\",\"name\":\"How to Structure Your Website Architecture for SEO\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-structure\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image24-3-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-23T05:20:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-03-18T15:37:49+00:00\",\"description\":\"An organized website structure gives the site the best chance of ranking well on Google. 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