What is Information Architecture (IA)? And why is it a spine of a website that is easy to use?

Have you ever? Go to a beautiful website but can't find anything ... Finally, just closed.

Have you ever felt like this? You want to find one product information. Go to the famous brand website that looks very beautiful, modern, but when looking for the 'Promotion' menu or 'all branches', can't find ... Click to click on the same page. Like stuck in the maze In the end, he was so frustrated that he had to give up. Then press to close the window to find competitors that are easier to use instead

On the side of the web maker or business owner itself, it is equally headache ... We invest a lot of websites. The design is not as beautiful as anyone. But why is the Google Analytics numbers sued that people enter the web and click out (Bounce Rate) so high? Why is no one pressing the 'Contact us' or 'order' button? The advertisement that shot was like pouring water into the leak. Can bring people to the website But can't change to a customer These problems of these worlds Is a warning sign that The "spine" of your website is having a serious problem!

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Why is the website beautiful but difficult to use? The source of the problem that is invisible

Most problems are not caused by unattractive designs. Or bad technology But caused by what is called "Lack of data architecture" or Information Architecture (IA) that is good enough to speak easily is that most websites are often created like "thinking to do", starting from making the first page beautiful. Continue with the product page Page about us Without laying All "structural layout" in advance

It's like building a house without a blueprint. Start by creating a beautiful bedroom first. And then think where to build the bathroom Finally, the house that came out may be beautiful. But the pathway is confused. User (residents) do not know which way to go to the kitchen. The result is a bad experience. The fact that we focus on the beauty (UI - User Interface) too much, until forgetting the most important foundation like IA is the main cause that makes the website that looks really good, as it should be.

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Continue to release the "lost" website ... What is the price to pay?

Having a bad iA is like allowing customers to walk in your own shop. The consequences are more intense than you think. And it affects all dimensions of the business:

• Lose customers and lose opportunities: This is the most clear effect. When the user can't find the item, they are frustrated. He just left to find competitors who provide better experience Selling opportunities will immediately become zero.
• Break the reliability: a difficult website makes the brand look unprofessional. Customers will feel that "Just the website itself is still not able to handle it. And will it really take good care of customers like us? "
• SEO rankings fall: Google Bot is like a user. If your website structure is so complicated that Google can't understand the connection of the content, it is difficult for Google to rank your website on the first page. No matter how good the content is
• Wasting marketing budget: You may throw money to shoot for ten thousand people. But if your website can't change those people into customers, because the IA who is confused, the money you go down is wasted.

Allowing the web to have a messy structure is like creating technical debts (Technical Debt) that day by day is even more difficult to fix . Or even Check list for corporate websites It is a good starting point for seeing the overall picture.

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"Information Architecture", the hero, riding a white horse Create a website that lovers (and google like)

It's time to introduce our hero. Information Architecture (IA) or "Architecture" is the science and art of organizing the structure and named the information on the website or application. To help users find what they want to find and understand what they see as easily as possible. If the website is the IA building, it is "green print" that specifies which room should be. How to connect the path And what should be written on the way?

According to the principles of world -class experts like the Nielsen Norman Group and The Information Architecture Institute. The heart of IA consists of:

• Organizing (Organization): is to group information that is related together, such as grouping products according to type (clothing, shoes, jewelry) on the e-Commerce website
• Name (Labeling): is the selection of words that are clear and easy to understand for menus or topics, such as using the word "contact us" instead of "coordinating" or "help".
• Navigation: is the design of various menus and links. That helps users traveling to different parts Of the web conveniently, not lost
• Search (Search): is the design of the search system within the website to be effective. Can show the results that match what users are looking for

Beginning to place a good IA is to change the focus from asking "How should the website look like?" To ask "How can the user find information?" And this is an important turning point to upgrade your website to the next level. This foundation is very important, especially with UX/UI designs for high value B2B businesses at clarity and reliability.

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Examples from the real thing: when "Online Department Store" arranges a new plan, sales are 200%.

Imagine a large e-commerce website that sells products from the warship. They have modern design websites. But the structure of the menu is chaotic The product category is overlapping. Filter function (filter) is difficult to use. Customers want to find a "black men's running shoes". Must click to 5 floors before finding the desired product. As a result, sales do not improve. And the pressing rate from the website is very high

The mission of Turning Web: The team decided to overhaul all the iA, starting with the user Research to understand how the customer called the product name and organized the product in the head. They throw away the old menu. And then create a new category structure (Category) that is easier to understand, such as separating "male fashion" and "female fashion" clearly Improve the filter system to filter both brands, colors, prices and sizes in detail. And do what is called "Mega Menu" that shows all sub -categories to see in one click

Tangible results: Only 3 months after releasing a new website that uses the IA that is well thought. The result is:

• Conversion rate (order rate) increased 200%
• Bounce Rate (Return rate) decreased by 40%
• Users spend an average of 80% on the website.
• Compliments from customers in the story "The website is easy to use. Finding easily "increased significantly.

This is a proof that Investment with IA is not just a matter of beauty. But is an investment that directly affects the "profit" of the business and is the key to creating Successful Website Renovation Service

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Want to follow, how to start? Checklist checklist IA website (can do immediately)

The good news is that you don't have to be a professional expert, you can start improving the IA of your website. Try using this simple checklist. Explore your website:

1. Map the treasure (List Everything): Try to list all the pages and content on your website, may be done in Excel or simple programs. This is a survey that now we have "treasures" in our hands.
2. Play the group (Card Sorting): Try writing the names of various pages on Post -it and let the people who have never been to your website. (May be friends or other teams). Try to group these Post -it group according to his understanding. This will help you see how people look at your web structure.
3. Create A Draft Sitemap: From the group 2, try to draw a simple sitemap (Sitemap) to see which page should be under. Which page should be connected to? It will help you see all overview.
4. Ask yourself with a wonderful question: Look at your main menu and ask, "Is the word used the most clearly?" "People who don't know about our business. Do you understand this word? "For example, the word" Solutions "may not be as clear as "Our service"
5. Test with real people: When the structure is rough, try to really give friends or customers. Try to do a simple mission on the web, such as "Try to find a way to contact the sales department" and sit and see if he encountered a problem or stuck or not.

Following these steps will help you see the "blind spot" in my own iA. And is the starting point for creating Content Hub that has a strong structure and answers to users

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Questions that people tend to wonder (Q&A) Clear every knot. IA

I compile a frequent question about Information Architecture to clear it. Here

Q1: IA, UX, and UI. How is it different?
A: Think about building a house. IA is "green printing and structure" (how many rooms, the path to where), UX (User Experience) is "the feeling of living" (convenient walking, the light switch is correct) and UI (UI (UI (UI (UI (UI (UI (UI))

Q2: Is a small website necessary to do IA?
A: Very necessary! Like building a small house Still need to have a good IA plan from the beginning to help your website grow in the future strongly No need to have a headache, demolish the new structure when the website is bigger.

Q3: Do you have to use an expensive tool to do IA?
A: It's not necessary. For starting You can use a simple tool like Post -it, pen with paper, or programs. Flowchart/Mindmap for free like Miro or Figma (in the Figjam function) is enough. The heart is "Thinking process" is not "tool"

Q4: If you want to improve the iA, do you have to create a whole new website?
A: Not always. In many cases, we can improve the menu structure, organizing content, and naming a new call without "Smash and build again", this is part of the UX/UI design service that we can help analyze and give advice that is suitable for your situation.

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Summary: IA is a unseen spine.

At this point, I believe that everyone has already seen that Information Architecture (IA) is not a boring or far technical terminology, but the "spine" that supports all your website's success. A website that doesn't have a good IA is like a spine. No matter how beautiful it looks, you can't stand straight and can't work as it should be.

Investment, time and resources to lay the foundation of the IA is one of the most worthwhile investments that you can do. It is a change of view from the creation of the "us" website, thinking that it is good to create a website that "users" feel excellent. The results are not just the conversion rate or increased sales. But is to create a good relationship with customers, the trust of the brand stronger, and the advantage of sustainable competition

Now try to look back at your website again with the eyes of Information Architect. Look ... your spine is strong?

Do not let the confusing web structure become your business anymore! It's time to create a blueprint to success. Take your IA health check from today. Or let our experts help you build the strongest foundation

Ready to change the website that "just beautiful" to be a website that "Both beautiful and easy to use until customers don't want to escape." Is it yet? Consult a team of Vision x Brain experts for free! We are ready to help you place architecture that can truly create business results.

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