How good is Information Architecture (IA) affects SEO and UX.

Beautiful website ... but people do not enter? Open the blueprint "Information Architecture" that makes Google love and customers find immediately.

Have you ever? You are dedicated to both physical strength and budget to create a beautiful, modern website. There are excellent quality content. But the result was disappointing ... Traffic from google almost does not come to SEO, do not move the customers who come in and can't find the item and press and turn off quickly (High Bounce Rate) until you start to discourage and ask the question: "What did I do wrong?"

If you are encountering this problem I can say that you are not alone. And the source of the problem may not be a matter of "design" or "content" that is not good enough, but it is more hidden than that ... It is a "green print" or the structure of the website called Information Architecture (IA) that is having a problem!

Prompt for illustrations: The concept drawing is one of the beautiful websites, but the interior structure is as chaotic like the library that the book is placed together. The other side is a website that is as organized like a clear blueprint. With an arrow pointing from the messy side to the side with the message "The Hidden Problem"

Why does the "lost" website, despite the good content? The source of the problem that is invisible

Imagine that your website is a newly opened department store. You are beautifully decorated with stores (webpages). There are many good quality products (content). But you forgot to make a sign by signs, the department or categorize the product as a system Think about what will happen?

Customers (User) who walk in are confused. I don't know where he was looking for. Finally, frustrated and walked out of the mall. At the same time The Google Crawler is equally confused. He is unable to explore and store all your product data into the system efficiently. This is a reflection of a website that has a bad IA. It is caused by:

• Confused navigation: The main menu uses vocabulary that customers do not understand. Or categorize as you like Not based on the needs of users
• There is no clear route: There is no plan to want the user (User Journey) in which direction. Causing them to click back and forth
• Important information is too deep: important functions such as services or contact information. Must click into 4-5 layers deep before finding Causing both people and Google Bot to not find
• The messy URL structure: URL does not communicate and does not reflect the hierarchy of the information on the website.

All of this makes your website become "Digital maze" that, despite having good things hidden But no one discovered What is the basic understanding of Therefore, it is the first step that is most important to solve this problem.

PROMPT for illustrations: Infographic images, comparing the first 2 web structures, a plan that is linked to a complicated bad (Bad IA), with the second -temperature and Google Bot icon.

Leave it ... broke more than you think! The impact of both IA and SEO

Ignoring the Information Architecture problem is like allowing the pillars of the house to decay continuously. In the beginning, it may not be seen. But in the long run it will have a shocking effect Both in the user's corner and rank on Google

In the corner of the user (User Experience - UX):

• Bookce Rate is high: users can't find the desired information in the first few seconds and immediately press off.
• Low SESSION DURATION: There is no interesting route for users to explore. They therefore spend very little time on the web.
• Loss of reliability: The hard -to -use website makes the user feel that your brand is not professional and reliable.
• Missed business opportunities: When customers find products or "contact us" buttons, you lose the opportunity to sell or create a Lead unfortunately.

In the corner of Search Engine (SEO):

• Google is incomplete: Google Bot has something called "Crawl Budget" or a quota in your website survey. If the structure is complicated It will waste time with the page not important. And may not collect all important page information
• SEO (Link Equity) is not forwarded: high -power SEO (such as the first page), unable to pass on that power to the deep duties through the internal link, making those pages not ranked.
• It is seen as an unprofitable content (UX, a terrible UX sign (such as a high bounce rate) as an indicator of Google to see that your website may not answer the real user. Which has a direct negative effect on the Helpful Content Update guidelines

In the end, your website will become an abandoned website that no one can see on the search results. And the budget that you throw down is wasted.

Prompt for illustrations: 2 graph images, compared to the first bar called "Bad IA", showing a high RATE BOUNCE RATE graph and the SEO RANNKING graph, the second bar "Good IA" shows the opposite results.

Arrange new information! How to solve the problem of iA and the point that should start to do

The good news is this problem can be resolved! Creating a good Information Architecture is like a clear green print for building a house. It is a strong foundation for everything to work together perfectly. Its heart consists of 4 main steps and you should always start to understand your user first.

• 1. Understand users and goals (Understand Users & Goals): Stop guessing customers! Start by doing a Research who your target audience is What are they using? What do they want from your website? Coupled with your business goals clearly what you want users (buy things, fill out the form, read the article)
• 2. Organize and labeling (Organize & Label): All of the information you have in relation to the relationship. (May use Card Sorting techniques) then "labeled" or name the menu and categories With a language that people generally understand Not only technical terms in the organization
• 3. Design Structure & Navigation: Clearly created a Sitemap schedule, aiming to be a structure that is not too deep (Flat Architecture), which should click no more than 3-4 times to go to any page on the web and design the main navigation system (such as Breadcrmbs), and in links. Footer completely
• 4. Create an internal linking system: Plan to connect relevant content to create routes for both users and Google Bot to explore the creation of Content Hub or article on the same topic. Is one of the powerful strategies for this

And where should I start? The answer is to start by doing Content Audit (surveying all the content) and the user Journey Mapping (customer map) to see the overall content of both content and user behavior. Which will be the best data for IA for additional in -depth information Leading sources such as Nielsen Norman Group and Moz also have excellent explanations.

Prompt for illustrations: ICONS: User Persona, Card Sorting, Sitemap, Link Chain) with the topic "4 Steps to A Better IA" and "Start here: User Journey Mating" points to the first step.

Examples from the real thing: when the B2B website revives sales with IA

In order to see more clearly I would like to lift the case of the B2B software company that has experienced problems. "The website is beautiful but abandoned".

Before The Problem: The original website has a very confusing menu, such as "Solutions", "Products", "Industries", which new users do not understand what should be clicking on. Whitepaper documents that attract the target customers are hiding up to 5 clicks, resulting in almost no one downloading the Bounce rate of the first page and almost does not get the Lead.

The solution (The Solution): The team decided to overhaul all the IA, starting from using the user Research and found that most customers want to see. "The program features" before they adjust the new main menu to be easier to "Products", "Pricing", and "Resources", then created "Resource Hub" to gather Blog, Case Studies, and Whitepapers in one place. Makes it easy to find and access in 2 clicks, as well as attaching Breadcrumbs on every page and all new Internal Link strategy.

After the result: only 3 months after releasing a new website The result is very amazing!

• Organic Traffic increases by 120% because Google understands the web structure and ranking better.
• BondCe Rate of the first page decreased to 40%.
• Download Whitepaper and Case Study increases by 300%.
• The number of Lead quality from the Organic Search has increased by 4 times!

This is the power of a good UX structure , which has the IA as the heart. It can turn a lonely website into a truly effective money making tool.

Prompt for illustrations: Picture of the B2B website screen. B2B side. The side shows a complex and messy menu. The After shows a simple and clean menu. With results (such as traffic +120%, Leads +400%) that is impressive

Checklist ready to go! Take IA to your website today (can do immediately)

It's your eyes! Try using this simple checklist to start "surgery" and lay the new website structure. Even if doing little by little, it's better to do anything.

1. Step 1: Explore the entire content (Content Audit): Create Spreadsheet and all URL list on your website. Try to arrange a rough group. Which page is the service page Which page is an article? Which page is about us?
2. Step 2: Define User Goals: Go to see Google Analytics (in the Site Search) or Google Search Console (in the performance> Queries) to see what people use.
3. Step 3: Sketch a New Sitemap: Try drawing your ideal web structure on paper or simple programs like Miro or Figjam, with the most important page on the top. And try not to have a deeper layer of 3-4 levels
4. Step 4: Redesign Navigation: From the map in Article 3, try the main menu that you will use again. Use the short words and the most clear meaning.
5. Step 5: Implement Breadcrumbs: If your website has multiple layers of breadcrumbs (such as Home> Blog> This article) will help the user to know which part of the website is easier.
6. Step 6: Plan Internal Links: Set as a rule that Every time I write a new article Must find a way to link back to the service or old article involved at least 2-3 links.

This process may seem like a big and complex job. If you need a professional, come to help take care of and place a strategy for the website to use the website (Website Renovation) , a shortcut that will save time and guarantee the results better.

Prompt for illustrations: beautiful checklist images, modern style There are each icon (such as magnifying glasses, user icon, diagram, menu). Feeling that it is a real step.

Questions that people tend to doubt (FAQ) clear every knot. Information Architecture

I have compiled a popular question that the website owner and marketers tend to wonder about IA to answer clearly. Here

Q1: Is there less than 20 small websites? Is it necessary to do IA?

A: It is absolutely necessary! Good IA, since the web is still small, like a pile to the house. It is a strong foundation to support future growth. The correction has 100 pages more difficult than planning well since there are 20 times.

Q2: Information Architecture (IA) and Navigation (navigation)?

A: Simply explained is the IA is "green print" that says how all the information should be organized and priorities. Navigation is the "signs and doors" that we created according to the fangs for the user. IA is the strategy behind the NAVIGATION.

Q3: If you want to adjust the new iA, have to change the old URL? Will it affect the SEO rank?

A: There is a high chance of changing to make the URL in accordance with the new structure and more meaning. And the question that affects SEO? The answer is "not negatively affecting ... If you do correctly", the most important thing is that you have to do 301 Redirect from all the old URL to the new URL. To tell Google that this page has a permanent movement. Forgetting this step is a disaster. SEO.

Q4: What tools do you have to plan IA?

A: There are many tools! For brainstorming and drawing (Sitemap, Mind Map), the popular tools are Miro, Figjam or even PowerPoint for checking the current web structure. SCREAMING FOG SEO Spider is a standard for the industry. The Content Audit uses Google Sheets is enough.

Prompt for illustrations: The cartoon characters are sitting at the desk. There is a large question mark (?) Flying above the head. And there is an answers icon (such as piles, green prints, signs 301 Redirect, Miro program icon) surrounded

Summary: IA is an invisible foundation. But indispensable for every website

At this point, I hope that everyone will see the same image that Information Architecture is not a distant technique, but a "spine" that sustains all the success of the website. It is a joint connection point during making the user happy (Good UX) and making Google understand and like (Good SEO).

Having a beautiful design website There is a great content but neglecting IA is no different from building a luxurious house that is ready to collapse. It may look good on the first day. But in the end, no one would want to live and was finally left

Do not let the confusing website structure be the growth of your business anymore. It's time to turn to pay attention to the "green print" that is not seen seriously. Begin to check and improve today. To build a strong foundation for your website to grow sustainably online

If you know this is important But not sure how to start Or need experts to help plan and User experience design (UX/UI) with IA as the heart Our team is ready to give advice! We are ready to help change your confusing website into a powerful marketing tool and truly create results for your business.

Prompt for illustrations: Powerful last picture It is a beautiful, beautiful house. With the foundation that shines in the structure of the IA, which is underground, with the User and Google Bot icon, smiling and giving the heart to this house.

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