Designing a website structure is one of the most time-consuming stages of website creation. A well-thought-out layout of sections and pages improves usability and helps visitors find the information they need more quickly. A solid structure also makes the subsequent development stages easier and more consistent.
Each website usually has its own unique structure. However, there are core elements that appear on most sites, as well as optional sections whose presence depends on the website’s purpose and goals.
Core sections and pages
1. Home page
The home page is the first page users see when they visit your website. It should work as a concise overview of the entire project. Show visitors what you offer, provide links to key sections, highlight your main products or services, and display recent updates.
Common elements of a home page include:
-
a main headline with a clear value proposition or slogan;
-
a brief description of the website, company, or activity;
-
calls to action (buttons such as “Get started”, “Contact us”, and similar);
-
links to important sections (services, blog, products, etc.);
-
a block with news or recent posts;
-
contact details or links to social media profiles.
2. About
This section provides more detailed information about you, your company, or your project. It often includes:
-
the history of the company or project;
-
mission, goals, and core values;
-
information about the team, with short biographies if applicable;
-
achievements, awards, or milestones.
3. Services or products
If you offer services or products, describe them in this section. They are usually presented as cards or a list, accompanied by icons and links to detailed pages.
Each service or product page should ideally include:
-
a clear description;
-
benefits, key features, and pricing;
-
photos, videos, or examples of completed work;
-
a call-to-action button such as “Order”, “Add to cart”, or “Contact us”.
If you offer many products or services, a comparison feature can be useful.
4. News or blog
This section contains regularly published articles or news items, typically sorted by date. It is recommended to include:
-
filtering or search by tags, date, or other parameters;
-
thematic categories for posts;
-
commenting functionality, as well as options to like or share content on social media.
5. Portfolio
The portfolio section is intended to showcase completed projects or successful cases. It may include:
-
a gallery of projects with descriptions;
-
images, videos, or documents;
-
explanations of the work process and achieved results.
6. Reviews
Customer reviews are often published on external platforms such as Trustpilot, Google Maps, or Yandex Maps. On your website, you can display selected or recent reviews from these platforms.
Alternatively, you can allow users to leave reviews directly on your site. In this case, it is recommended to support additional features such as:
-
photo attachments;
-
ratings (stars or simple positive/negative options);
-
replies to previously posted reviews.
Moderation is essential, as spam is always a risk. Make sure reviews can be moderated and regularly checked for unwanted content.
7. Contact
This section should include all available ways to contact you, for example:
-
phone number;
-
email address;
-
physical address (country, city, street, building);
-
an embedded Google Map showing your location, if relevant;
-
links to social media profiles;
-
a contact form.
Providing as much contact information as possible helps build user trust.
8. Search
A typical on-site search consists of two elements. The first is a search field, usually placed in the website header. The second is a dedicated search results page.
On the results page, users can be offered additional filters, such as:
-
by date;
-
by section (news, products, blog, etc.);
-
by author;
-
by tags.
Additional sections
If your website includes user registration, there are several sections that are mandatory or strongly recommended.
9. Legal pages
For websites that collect or process user data, at least two pages are required:
-
Privacy Policy, describing how user data is collected, stored, and used;
-
Terms of Service, especially important if you offer products or paid services.
10. User account area
This section allows users to authenticate and manage their personal information. It is especially relevant for online stores and usually includes:
-
registration and login;
-
order history;
-
profile settings;
-
information about subscriptions or paid services.
11. Shopping cart
A standard feature for any online store. It displays selected products and provides options to proceed to checkout and payment.
Website menu
Once the structure is defined, decide which sections should be included in the site menu.
Websites with diverse content usually have two main menu types:
-
Main menu, typically located in the header and containing links to key sections.
-
Section menu, often implemented as dropdown menus with links to subcategories. For example, under “Mobile devices” you may list “Smartphones” and “Tablets”.
Avoid overloading the menu. It is generally recommended to limit the main menu to 5–7 items.
Example website structure
Home
│
├── About
│ ├── Our mission
│ └── Our team
│
├── Services / Products
│ ├── Service 1
│ ├── Service 2
│ └── Service 3
│
├── Portfolio
│ ├── Project 1
│ ├── Project 2
│ └── Project 3
│
├── Blog
│ ├── Category 1
│ ├── Category 2
│ └── Category 3
│
├── Reviews
│
├── Contact
│ └── Contact form
│
└── Privacy Policy
Final notes
-
Clarity and logic. The website structure should be intuitive for users.
-
Future growth. Design the structure so it can be easily expanded with new sections or pages.
-
Ease of navigation. Make sure users can quickly find the information they need, including through search and clear page transitions.