Taxonomy question - best approach for site structure

[Bee159]

Hi all,

I'm working on a dentist's website and want some advice on the best way to lay out the navigation. I would like to know which structure will help the site work naturally. I feel the second example would be better as it would focus the 'power' around the type of treatment and get that to rank better.

.com/assessment/whitening
.com/assessment/straightening
.com/treatment/whitening
.com/treatment/straightening

or

.com/whitening/assessment
.com/straightening/assessment
.com/whitening/treatment
.com/straightening/treatment

Please advise, thanks.

[impactzoneco]

Bee159,

I would look at two aspects.

(1) How much content do you have? Does the amount of content you have point to one page, or two pages (or more)?

(2) If this is a new build for an old site, what of your target market uses smart phones versus desktop/laptop browsers? If this is a new website, what is the demographic of your target market, and are they likely to use smartphones or desktops to find you?

Why does this matter? Outside of the fact that Google has put the mobile index first, you want to keep your interface as simple as possible for the users. If they primarily use a cellphone to access your website, then you will want to have longer, scrolling pages. If they have to click around a lot on a cell, it can be harder for them to find and read your information, and that can affect your bounce rates.

If your clients/customers are primarily desktop users, then I would focus on what makes sense in terms of your site structure to put on one page or more. I'm not trying to hedge my answer, but I know you could have a huge site, or a small one, and those inform the site design and taxonomy, along with the target demographic for your site's users.

When it comes to SEO and taxonomy, I would opt for KIS (keep it simple). What makes it as simple as possible for your users to find the information they need? What is logical in terms of bigger topic ==> more granular.

When it comes to naming your URLs, if you decide the content is small enough to put on one page only, you can always do:

.com/dental-services/whitening-assessment-treatment
.com/dental-services/straightening-assessment-treatment

I do think when you use subfolders, you should try to keep the names unique (think unique identifiers, even though it is a folder) when at all possible or if it makes sense. Why? Because it reduces confusion for people and bots.

So per your

.com/whitening/assessment
.com/straightening/assessment
.com/whitening/treatment
.com/straightening/treatment

Has a lot of the same words used again and again. Instead, consider something like:

.com/teeth-whitening/unique-keword-here-assessment
.com/teeth-whitening/more-keywords-treatment
.com/teeth-straightening/another-unique-word-treatment
.com/teeth-straightening/different-keyword-now-assessment

Using 2 word mid-tail keywords or 4 word long tail keywords can you help you rank better and improve the logic of your taxonomy.

To summarize, base how much content you put on one page on how your users read your material (mobile browser or desktop or both) and by how much content you have. And how to judge that, I don't know how to tell you without seeing it.

However you organize your pages and taxonomy, do your best to give the subfolders unique names even when they don't have the same parent. The caveat is if it is not logical to the human eye and understanding to use 2-4 word phrases, then don't. You don't want to overthink or over optimize it.

Some other thoughts...keep to web conventions, as people are used to HOME SERVICES ABOUT CONTACT (etc.). The slugs you can name using more detailed keyword phrases. If you have older clients (50+), then I'd stick to a very explicit taxonomy and navigation. If you have younger users, you can be a little more creative, like use the much-maligned hamburger menu.

Does this all make sense?

-- Jewel

[Bee159]

Thanks for all the responses everyone and thanks Jewel for taking time to lay out that taxonomy.

So what you're saying is, it's better to have one page /whitening with all the different services in full, than to have:

/whitening/ - hub page H2s for each service and a paragraph on each with a link to more i.e.

Home Whitening Kit

with a link to:

/whitening/home-whitening-kit/ - full page with lots of in depth info, linking back to main hub page for other whitening services.

Thank you.

[impactzoneco]

I agree with Logan Ray about going from the granular to the specific regarding site structure.

Having said that, in designing a taxonomy around users, I would do a navigation bar like this:

1. HOME

2. SERVICES

3. Whitening

4. (on whitening page)

   Whitening Assessment

   (down page)

   Whitening Treatment

5. Straightening

6. (on straightening page)

   Whitening Assessment

   (down page)

   Whitening Treatment

7. LOREM

8. IPSUM

9. VALOR

I do think users will be more likely to search under "whitening assessment" or "whitening treatment", for example, than your first example.

As the others said, the parent/child folder structure won't make or break your overall SEO, but a well-designed navigation will help improve the on-page user experience,  and that will help reduce bounce rates.

I would not create 4 pages, unless you have so much content it makes sense to break it into 4 pages. Remember, we must design for people first, and robots second. The less clicking around people have to do, the better. Especially on a mobile phone, it's easier for the users if the information is all on one page.

-- Jewel

[Malika1]

In my opinion, I dont think it matters much. However, i do like my urls to have keyword placement in the same manner as they would be typed by users (so, basically keywords with more search volume or what you think people would be typing in)

To answer your question, I would ask what do you think people are going to type in Google for if they wanted any of these services? Will it be 'whitening treatment' or 'treatment whitening'?

As Logan said, its not going to make or break your SEO, I wouldnt be too worried about it but yes, when being in a situation like this, I would like to go with what I mentioned earlier.

[LoganRay]

Honestly, search engines aren't that particular about URL structure, it is important, but not to the degree where one of these two examples is going to make or break your SEO campaign. That being said, I usually set up my URLs with the broadest category in the first folder, and get more granular from there. In your first example, the assessment and treatment folders make more sense to me, since there's additional content that could live in each of those respective folders. In your second example, there's less opportunity for future content to live in those folders.