Website architecture may not be the most glamourous aspect of web design, but it plays a crucial role in determining the success of a website. One popular approach to organizing a website’s structure is known as siloing, which involves dividing the site’s content into themed categories or “silos.” Siloing can improve the user experience, boost search engine optimization (SEO), and ultimately drive more traffic to your website.
So, how exactly does siloing work? Imagine your website as a house. Each silo represents a room in the house, with each room dedicated to a specific topic or category of content. For example, if you have an e-commerce website selling clothing, you might have silos for men’s clothing, women’s clothing, and children’s clothing. Within each silo, you would then have subcategories like shirts, pants, and accessories.
Siloing helps to create a clear and logical structure for your website, making it easier for users to navigate and find what they’re looking for. When visitors can quickly and easily find relevant information, they are more likely to stay on your website for longer periods, decreasing bounce rates and increasing conversions.
But it’s not just users who benefit from siloing; search engines love it too. When a search engine crawls a siloed website, it can easily understand the content’s relevance and themes. This improves the website’s overall search visibility and helps search engines rank it higher in relevant search results.
An important aspect of siloing is the internal linking structure. Each silo should have interconnected pages that link to each other within the same silo. This helps to reinforce the theme and topical relevance of the content within each silo. Additionally, linking between silos should be minimal or non-existent, as this can dilute the silo structure and confuse search engines.
When it comes to creating a siloed website, there are a few best practices to keep in mind. Firstly, conduct thorough keyword research to identify the main topics or categories that your website should focus on. These will become the foundation for your silos. Additionally, ensure that each silo has enough relevant content to warrant a separate category. Thin or shallow silos can negatively impact the user experience and SEO.
Another important factor to consider is the URL structure. Each silo should have its own dedicated URL path, making it clear to both users and search engines that it represents a distinct section of the website. For example, a URL like “example.com/mens-clothing” clearly indicates that it belongs to the men’s clothing silo.
In summary, website architecture and the practice of siloing are vital for creating a well-organized and easy-to-navigate website. Siloing improves the user experience, enhances SEO, and helps search engines understand the relevance and themes of your content. By implementing a siloed structure, you can take your website’s performance to new heights.
