All websites have some sort of structure, but the right structure can make your website easier and more enjoyable to use, while the wrong structure can result in missed opportunities.
So, what is the ideal site structure for builders? Preferably, your website has some depth to it and will be organized in a way that makes sense for how your buyers search for a home. Think of how a buyer narrows down their search for a new home. Generally, people will begin by narrowing down by location. Then, they begin to make decisions based on product and price.
Site structure is not just how your site is organized and navigated. You also need to think about the URL structure throughout your site. You want your URL structure to be consistent and understandable to both humans and search engine crawlers.
Ideally, your site will be broken down by region, community and floorplan pages.
Impact on Experience:
Providing your users with navigation that matches how they search for a home will make for a much smoother experience. A website with more depth will allow them to explore and “binge” the homes on your site for a longer amount of time, helping them to imagine living in your homes & communities.
Impact on SEO:
A consistent URL structure allows Search Engines to index your site in an organized way, which can provide an opportunity to group multiple pages together when you appear in search results. This gives your search result more “real estate” in the list of search results.
The improved user experience and higher time on site will also provide positive benefits for SEO.
Impact on Advertising:
A well-organized website (with regional, city, community, and plan pages) will allow you to send your digital ads to a variety of different page types. This option allows you to send users to a relevant page increasing your quality scores, lowering CPC, and providing the best possible user experience.
Impact on Reporting:
A site that has been strategically structured will allow you to provide more in-depth reporting and allow you to better analyze underperforming communities. You can compare traffic between communities, your most viewed floor plans, and more.
Impact on Content:
We know that content is important, and as buyers search for a new home, they want “bingeable content.” A deeper website will give more opportunities to display your content in the most relevant place during the home shopping process.
With the right website structure, you can execute your marketing strategy more efficiently and give your users a great experience.
