Today I was thinking about Google SiteLinks and how this has not been copied in dramatic fashion like many of the updates and changes that they incorporate into search.
What are SiteLinks?
The links shown below some sites in our search results, called Sitelinks, are meant to help users navigate your site. Our systems analyze the link structure of your site to find shortcuts that will save users time and allow them to quickly find the information they’re looking for.
We only show Sitelinks for results when we think they’ll be useful to the user. If the structure of your site doesn’t allow our algorithms to find good Sitelinks, or we don’t think that the Sitelinks for your site are relevant for the user’s query, we won’t show them. Webmaster Help Center
Now, I started by thinking “I wonder why Google hasn’t written much about SiteLinks since September?” But what it led me to think about is a more relevant topic, “How could an algorithm know what to list?”
Please note: This is where the SiteLinks comparison ends.
There are a few different ways to structure a website, but the easiest, my opinion, way to compartmentalize your website is through the use of sub-domains for unique areas of your website.
Here is an example:
Website on Home Improvement
Segment the different areas into sub-domains:
Garage
Kitchen
Bathroom
Yard
Bedroom
Closet
and so on…
When a person is on your website, your navigation will let them know where they are, and so can your URL structure.
http://kitchen.HomeImprovementWebsite.com/appliances/oven.htm
If I offer breadcrumb navigation, the user knows right where they are and so does the crawler/algorithm.
So what? If that is what you are thinking, think about this: If a crawler can immediately know where they are, then so can the algorithm that sends the user to your site to the information they are actually looking for. If a user finds the information they are looking for they are easier to convert. Targeting traffic starts with where you want them to go, then you can figure out how to get them there!
What are your thoughts?
Have you tried to use sub-domains to compartmentalize your website? Did this help in your SEO efforts?
Related Posts >>
- Developing a Strategy for SEO part 3
- On Page SEO
- User-Centered Design (UCD)
- Golden Rules of Linking
- Google’s Sitelinks Become More Transparent
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi there,
My name is james k and i noticed in the copy below your image that you are an seo guy who considers the user. This is ace as i feel that not many people consider that in the world of seo. Could we please chat more via my given email address as I would like to maybe interview you about your thoughts of creative seo, wesbite structure and layout? hope to hear from you soon.
take care man
Consistent navigation to your website is a MUST! The more complex your site, the more important good navigation is… Make your navigation easy to use… Be consistent with the appearance of navigation structure…