Setting up a website is not that difficult to do. However, you do need to make sure that your site is easy to navigate or you will likely not have too many repeat readers. When you are setting up a website, it cannot be stressed enough how important a site map is to your overall design. If you set up a website and fail to include a site map, you are decreasing your opportunities to have your site found easily by search engines as well.
Setting up a Website – Your Site Map
You might think that a site map is a bit redundant. After all, your site has tabs and other easy to navigate buttons that you included in your original website setup.
However, there are some reasons why your site map should be included when you are setting up a website including:
A) Navigation — Stop and consider what role your site map plays. It is a road map for users to navigate your website. You can take all the time in the world when setting up a website, but if your readers cannot find their way around, and navigate the pages, they can easily get lost. A site map allows your readers to “find” themselves no matter where they are on your website.
B) Themes — The overall theme of your website can be determined easily when a reader clicks on your site map. When setting up a website, you almost always have a quick theme in mind. If you take the time when setting up a website to set up a site map, a new visitor can click on your site map and quickly understand what the theory behind your website is.
C) Optimization — When you are setting up a website, you need to keep in mind how Google and other search engines read the content of your website. Spiders crawl all new websites and they “track” the links on it. When setting up your website and including a site map, you will have all of the links to your pages in one spot. This will result in the spiders who are crawling your site to quickly and easily identify all of the pages. When you are setting up a website, make sure that your front page includes a link to your site map.
D) Organization — Anyone who has ever taken the time necessary for setting up a website understands how easy it is to be confused as to what the best structure if for the site. Sub-pages can quickly get out of hand if you do not have a site map. Site maps allow you to identify exactly what section each page should go in and provides you a birds-eye view of what your site looks like to others. Not only will it not take you long to create a site map when you are setting up a website, but you can also save time when you are adding new content.
Summary
You may think that a site map is irrelevant and a duplication of your efforts when you are setting up a website. However, don’t overlook the obvious benefits of a site map on your website, it can help you gain and keep readers, rank higher in search engines and make your website more appealing.
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