Website Structure Analysis: How to Visualize Your New Website

December 17, 2024

Improve Your Website Performance and Discoverability With Website Structure Analysis

Your website’s structure is the backbone of a great user experience.  In fact, a study revealed that 94% of first impressions are design-related, meaning that if your site’s layout isn’t intuitive and easy to navigate, users will quickly look elsewhere. To get ahead of the game, you should take a look at website structure analysis. 

“A well-planned website structure not only makes it easier for visitors to find what they’re looking for, but it also boosts your credibility and improves SEO performance,” said Curtis Priest, CEO of Pixelcarve. 

In this blog, we’ll provide an overview of what website structure is, how to visualize it, and what tools we recommend to do so.

What is Website Structure?

Website structure is the framework that organizes all pages on a site and directs how users move from one page to another. It’s a strategic design that impacts user experience and SEO. Different structures work for different goals.

These structures include:

  • Linear: This straightforward design leads users from one page to the next in a specific order. Ideal for smaller sites, it creates a clear path to guide users through information and towards a specific action, like making a purchase or submitting a request.
  • Hierarchical: A classic structure, often compared to a tree, that branches from a homepage down through categories to individual pages. This layout suits e-commerce and portfolio sites, offering a structured, intuitive navigation that allows users to dig deeper as needed.
  • Matrix: Also known as webbed, this structure provides open navigation without a fixed path, perfect for larger sites. It allows users to explore freely through strong internal linking—think of news or e-commerce platforms like Amazon, where browsing can be unpredictable yet seamless.
  • Database: Powered by dynamic content, this structure leverages a database to organize and retrieve information quickly, catering content to the user’s needs or actions. Common on sites like online banking platforms, it supports personalization and quick access.

Choosing the right structure requires collaboration across SEO, UX, and content teams to create a site that is both user- and search-friendly. Each structure brings unique benefits, so assess your site’s goals and audience to determine the best fit.

An infographic maps out the types of website structures explained above.

How to Visualize Your Website Structure

Visualizing your website’s structure helps improve navigation, organize content, and ensure search engines can index your pages effectively. Here’s what you can do.

  1. Use Browser Inspect Tools

For a more technical view, use your browser’s built-in “Inspect” tool to explore the structure of your existing website. Right-click on any element of a webpage, select “Inspect,” and the tool will show you how that specific content is structured in HTML. 

This is a great way to see the technical side of your site’s current structure and how each component is represented under the hood. It helps you understand where you might need to tweak or reorganize your content.

  1. Develop a Technical Site Map

A technical sitemap is essential for helping search engines crawl and understand your website’s structure.  First, choose the URLs you want search engines to focus on. If the same content is accessible via multiple URLs, pick the canonical URL—the one you prefer to be displayed in search results.

You can also use a content management system (CMS) like WordPress to automatically generate a sitemap for you. To check if your CMS has done this, search for how it handles sitemap generation

Tip: WordPress plugins like Yoast SEO can also automatically generate your sitemap for you. Make sure to submit this XML link to Google—it improves your site’s discoverability and performance.

If you have a large site with dozens or hundreds of URLs, it’s best to use automated tools to generate your sitemap. Many website software solutions, such as databases, can extract URLs directly and export them into a sitemap file on your server. 

Learn more about web design and development:
How to Maintain a Website That’s Fully Optimized for SEODiscovering the Real Website Maintenance Cost for Small BusinessesGetting Started With Web Development for Small Businesses
  1. Use a Visual Site Map

Once you’ve mapped out your structure and reviewed the technical aspects, use a visual sitemap to bring everything to life. Visual sitemaps provide a clear, graphical representation of how your site’s pages interconnect—working like a website hierarchy diagram. 

Tools like DynoMapper allow you to create interactive, visual sitemaps that not only display the structure but also integrate key data such as SEO metrics.

What is the difference between a technical site map and a visual site map?
Technical sitemaps focus on SEO and search engines, while visual sitemaps are all about making website planning clear and intuitive for humans. Both play important roles, but each serves a very different purpose.

Visualize Your Website Structure With These Tools

These tools offer unique approaches to website structure analysis, each with strengths tailored to different project types—whether it’s rapid sitemap creation, in-depth SEO tracking, or comprehensive content auditing and keyword tracking.

Octopus.do

Octopus.do is a fast and intuitive tool for planning and visualizing website architecture. It allows users to create visual sitemaps with ease, whether starting from scratch or crawling an existing URL. The tool offers AI-powered generation, enabling rapid sitemap creation, and it’s built for efficiency.

Key features include:

  • Visual sitemap builder: This allows users to create colorful, easy-to-navigate sitemaps that improve website planning.
  • Prototyping with wireframes: You can visualize each section with low-fidelity wireframes, helping teams understand layout and structure.
  • Collaboration: Octopus.do provides an interactive platform for teams to collaborate in real-time on the website’s architecture.

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PowerMapper

PowerMapper is a powerful, one-click site mapping tool designed to simplify the process of visualizing website structure. It automatically builds a sitemap of any existing website and allows users to integrate data from Google Analytics to display SEO metrics and visitor information. This makes it perfect for large organizations and high-traffic websites.

Key features include:

  • Visual, HTML, and XML sitemaps: PowerMapper generates various types of sitemaps to suit your needs.
  • SEO metrics integration: Combine data from tools like Google Analytics for a holistic view of your website’s performance.
  • Customizable map styles: Users can choose from a variety of map styles to visualize the site structure and export them in formats like Excel.

Dyno Mapper

Dyno Mapper offers a more comprehensive suite for website discovery, planning, and optimization. With interactive visual sitemaps, content inventory, and daily keyword tracking, this tool provides an in-depth analysis of a website’s structure and content performance. It’s ideal for planning, auditing, and tracking site optimization efforts.

Key features include:

  • Interactive visual sitemaps: Quickly create dynamic sitemaps that allow for easy visualization of site architecture.
  • Content auditing and planning: Inventory all site assets (pages, images, files, etc.) and perform audits to optimize content and plan future tasks.
  • Daily keyword tracking: Automatically track keyword performance across major search engines and devices.
  • Website accessibility testing: Built-in tools ensure your site is compliant with WCAG/ADA standards, identifying any issues related to accessibility.

Take Your Website Structure to the Next Level

Ready to transform your website’s structure and create an engaging, user-friendly experience?

At Pixelcarve, our team of award-winning designers and developers are experts in building visually stunning, high-performance websites that captivate users and drive results. Whether you’re planning a new site or optimizing an existing one, we’re here to help bring your vision to life.

Contact us today to start visualizing your website’s future with Pixelcarve.