Having a plan for your new website is absolutely crucial before you start with the designing aspects. If you start with a good website outline, you’ll find the ease of going from one task to another is as easy as following a roadmap to your creation.
Why Use a Website Outline and When?
Many developers use a website outline to flesh out the structure of a website. This outline structure can take several forms. Meaning, some developers will use software specifically designed for this purpose while others will simply use a notepad and pen. It really depends on how involved the website is going to be with actual work (cpu processing) and how big you plan to make the site. My rule of thumb is about 10 pages. Usually more than 10 pages means the website is doing more than acting as a business card online while taking information through “contact” forms.
After 10 pages of content, it starts to get a bit more complicated than a place to make posts. Sure, there are websites that are large and don’t have a lot of processing taking place in the background, but I’m someone who likes to get the big picture quick, and after 10 pages, the notepad and pen are hard pressed to keep up. At this point I’ll usually use office software (ie: MS Word) to create the outline, or I’ll use flow chart software to map out what’s going on. Seeing the website big picture as a whole, helps in the overall development.
Benefits of using an outline are clear when you dig down into why.
1. Clear Structure and Organization: Having a blueprint acts like a roadmap to success. It gives you a clear path from start to finish. This ensures all sections are cohesive and flow well together.
2. Efficient Planning: You’ll save time as you plan out content and features avoiding last-minute chaos. This also involves managing resources effectively like your time, money, and of course team contribution.
3. Better User Experience (UX): Start with better navigation. A well-structured site makes it easier for users to find what they’re looking for and keeps users engaged by presenting information in a logical order.
4. SEO Benefits: Plan where to place keywords for maximum SEO impact. Having a content strategy helps in organizing content that’s optimized for search engines.
5. Focus and Clarity: Goal alignment keeps you and your team focused on the main goals of the website (e.g., sales, information, engagement). Prioritize your content ensuring important or cornerstone content is highlighted and easily accessible.
6. Collaboration and Communication: Important for team and client alignment. Team members should understand the project scope and their roles within it. Good communication with the client and team ensures everyone is on the same page.
7. Flexibility: Having an outline makes it easier to update and modify the website as needed. Planning for scalability provides a foundation for future growth and additions.
8. Problem Identification: Spot potential issues early in the planning stage rather than during development. This allows you to think of solutions before problems escalate.
9. Professionalism: A well-organized site reflects well on your brand, showcasing professionalism, and gaining credibility. This builds trust with users by presenting a polished and thought-out online presence.
10. Project Management: Break down the project into manageable sections with clear milestones. Allowing you to track progress easier and ensure deadlines are met.
What Kind of Website Outline Should You Use?
There are several ways to outline your website. We’ll go over some but in actuality it’s a personal choice. I find most people have their own way of organizing and some may find one way easier than others. As mentioned, my method of choice is notepad and pen for smaller sites while I move into software for the more complicated ones.
- Flowcharts:Use flowcharts to outline the flow of information and user actions. Tools like Lucidchart, Microsoft Visio, or even draw.io will help you here.
- MindMapping: Use mind mapping software or tools like MindMeister or XMind. Start with the main concept in the center and branch out with related ideas and sections. You can easily share and collaborate with other team members.
- Wire Framing: Create wireframes to visually represent the layout of each page. Use tools like Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, or Balsamiq. Include elements like headers, footers, content sections, and navigation menus in your layout.
- Sitemaps: Create a sitemap to outline the structure and hierarchy of pages. Tools like XML-Sitemaps, Slickplan, or even a simple diagram in tools like Lucidchart or Visio. Easily see your navigation paths.
- Storyboarding: Create a storyboard to outline the user experience in a narrative format. Combine visual sketches with text to describe the user journey. Tools like Storyboard That or even just a simple paper and pen will work if you choose this route.
- Document Outlining: Use a text document to create a detailed outline of each page and its content. Familiar tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Notion will all work. I usually include headers, subheaders, and detailed descriptions of content and features because usually all this is a different document online.
- Card Sorting: Use card sorting to organize content and determine the best structure. This is physically sorting index cards or use digital tools like Optimal Workshop.
- Project Management Tools: Use project management tools to outline tasks and assign them to team members. Tools like Trello, Asana, or Jira.
- Prototyping: Create prototypes of interactive models to visualize the user interface and interactions. Use tools like InVision, Marvel, or Axure. Allow for early user testing and feedback.
- Sketching and Whiteboarding: Start with quick sketches on paper or a whiteboard to brainstorm and visualize ideas. Effective for flexibility and team brainstorming sessions with quick iterations. Many tools already mentioned allow for collaboration but I would add Air Table to the list.
Often, developers combine several methods to create a comprehensive outline. For example, they might start with a mind map to brainstorm ideas, move to a sitemap for structure, create wireframes for layout, and then use a project management tool to track progress.
Example
When creating an outline, I have a general template that I work from. I’m usually on notepad and paper and I jot down a basic outline for what I’m looking at for the project. I won’t use everything in my template here but it is what I use to frame out what I’ll need for the website.
Home Page
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- Header: Logo, menu, CTA button, search bar
- Main Banner/Slider: Eye-catching visuals with a primary CTA
- Intro Section: Brief overview and a secondary CTA
- Featured Services/Products: Highlight key offerings
- Testimonials/Reviews: Customer feedback
- Latest News/Blog Posts: Recent updates
- Footer: Contact info, social media links, extra navigation
About Page
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- Company History: Founding story and milestones
- Mission and Vision: Core values and goals
- Team Members: Staff bios and roles
- Company Culture: Workplace environment and community involvement
Services/Products Page
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- Listings: Descriptions and benefits
- Individual Pages: Detailed info and reviews
- FAQs: Common questions and answers
- Blog/News Page
- Overview: List of posts and categories
- Posts: Titles, dates, authors, content, comments
- Sidebar Widgets: Recent/popular posts, social feeds, newsletter signup
Contact Page
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- Contact Form: Name, email, message fields
- Contact Info: Address, phone, email
- Map: Embedded location
- Social Media Links: Profile icons
Additional Pages
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- Portfolio/Gallery: Showcase of projects
- Testimonials/Case Studies: Customer stories
- Careers Page: Job listings
- Resources/Downloads: Ebooks, guides, etc.
E-commerce Features (if applicable)
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- Product Catalog: List with filters
- Product Detail Pages: Detailed descriptions
- Shopping Cart: Overview and checkout
- Checkout Process: Billing, shipping, payment
Technical and SEO Considerations
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- Responsive Design: Mobile-friendly layout
- SEO Optimization: Keywords, meta tags, alt text
- Performance Optimization: Fast loading, minimized code, caching
- Security Measures: SSL, backups, malware protection
Legal Pages
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- Privacy Policy: Data collection info
- Terms of Service: User agreements
- Cookie Policy: Cookie usage info
User Experience (UX) Enhancements
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- Navigation: Intuitive menus and breadcrumbs
- Interactivity: Animations, forms, sliders
- Accessibility: Standards compliance, features for disabilities
Conclusion
A solid website involves good planning and execution. Focus on design, content, technical stuff, and user experience to make it successful. Keep user needs in mind and keep improving based on feedback and data. In essence, an outline is your foundation for a successful website. It guides your development process, keeps everything organized, and ensures that the end result is user-friendly, effective, and professional.
Thanks for reading,
~Kevin