Crafting Information Architecture
What is information architecture?
Information architecture (IA) is the practice of organising, structuring, and labelling content in an effective and sustainable way. It is about making sure that information is easy to find, understand, and use.
A well organised website is easier to use, more efficient, and more effective. Good IA can help visitors find what they need, make better decisions, and complete tasks more easily.
Why is information architecture important for brands?
IA can help a brand in many ways. By understanding the users and their needs, a website can be designed and built to be more user-friendly. This leads to happier customers and fewer abandoned transactions.
For example, if a user is looking for information about a product, the IA should help them find it quickly and easily. If they can’t find what they need, they may give up and go to a competitor’s site.
Well-designed IA can also improve search engine optimisation (SEO). When the content is well organised, it is easier for search engines to find and index it. This can lead to higher rankings in search results, which can translate into more traffic and more customers.
Site structure IA
The site structure is the way in which the content of a website is organised. It is the hierarchy of pages and the relationships between them.
The site structure should be designed to help visitors find what they need quickly and easily. It should also be designed to support the goals of the website.
There are many different ways to organize a website, but it’s important that the information architecture is well-thought-out and structured in a way that makes sense. For example, if a website sells products, the product pages should be easy to find and navigate to.
The site structure can be designed using different methods, such as wireframes or sitemaps. A wireframe is a visual representation of the site structure that shows the hierarchy of pages and the relationships between them. A sitemap is a more detailed representation of the site structure that shows all the pages on the website and how they are interconnected.
We helped Octagon with their IA
On-page IA
Organising the content on a website is important because it can help visitors find what they need quickly and easily. It can also help improve search engine optimisation (SEO) by making it easier for search engines to find and index the content on the website.
There are many different ways to organise the content on a website. Some common methods include using taxonomies, tagging, and creating sitemaps.
Taxonomies are a way of classifying content into categories, like books in a library. They can be used to organise the content on a website so that visitors can easily find what they are looking for.
Tagging is another way of organising content. Tags are keywords or phrases that describe the content. They can be used to group together similar articles or products.
Whatever way you decide to organise the content on your website, it is important to make sure that the labels are clear and easy to understand. The labelling should also be consistent throughout the website.
Creating effective information architecture
When creating an IA, there are many factors to consider, such as the goals of the website, the target audience, and the type of content.
It is also important to consider how the IA will be implemented. Will it be designed using wireframes? Sitemaps? Something else? Your choice of method will depend on factors such as the size and complexity of the website, and the resources you have available.
Once you have considered all of these factors, you can start to design the IA. The goal is to create a structure that is easy to use and supports the goals of the website.
Some tips for creating effective IA include:
- Start by creating a sitemap. This will help you to see the overall structure of the website and how the pages are interconnected.
- Use clear and concise labels for the pages and content. The labels should be easy to understand and consistent throughout the website.
- Organize the content using tags, headings, and subheadings. This will help visitors to find what they are looking for quickly and easily.
- Use external sources, such as Google Analytics, to understand how visitors are using the website. This information can be used to improve the IA.
- Test the IA with real users. Ask them to find specific pieces of content on the website and see how easy it is for them. Use their feedback to make improvements to the IA.
Testing and refining information architecture
Once the IA is created, it is important to test it to make sure that it is effective. This can be done by asking users to find specific pieces of content on the website.
If users have difficulty finding the content, it may be necessary to make some changes to the IA. After making changes, the IA should be tested again to see if the problems have been fixed.
It is also vital to keep an eye on how the website is being used over time. Google Analytics can be used to track how people use with the site. This information can be used to refine the IA as needed.
What is the Dave Clark approach to information architecture?
At Dave Clark, we believe that user feedback is a great way to make improvements to IA.
Once the IA is created, we keep an eye on how the website is being used over time. We use analytics to track how people are interacting on the site, what they’re spending time on and certain parts where users might be getting lost. This information can be used to refine the IA as needed.
We typically start by creating a sitemap. This helps us to see the overall structure of the website and how the pages are interconnected. We then use clear and concise labels for the pages and content. We also organise the content using tags, headings, and subheadings. This helps visitors to find what they are looking for quickly and easily.
If you would like help with information architecture for your website, feel free to get in touch. We will bee more than happy to discuss your needs and provide a proposal.