Sitemap
Before development can begin on your new website, you must map each page and how it will connect to your other pages. It’s a daunting task, and it’s why you need a sitemap.
What is a Sitemap?
In short, a sitemap is just that: a map. It maps out the way the pages of your website interact with one another. Too often sitemaps are thought of as living within the realm of the developer, but to a savvy marketer, a sitemap can become something powerful.
A well-built sitemap lays out the journey your potential buyer will take as they interact with your website. It is the foundation of both their experience and your marketing approach. It is where your brand ecosystem reveals itself; your off-page marketing efforts have all led up to the moment when your lead interacts with your site. It’s the moment the sitemap takes the reins and propels the reader onward. As Nulab points out, a good sitemap leads directly to happier customers and more conversions.
Ironically, this is where many are led astray. Because sitemaps feel like something meant for developers, they are too often brushed off by marketing leaders.
Sitemaps are Brand Decisions, Not Tech Decisions.
Because your sitemap will ultimately determine what your buyers see, and in what order they see it, the flow of your site must be, above all else, determined by your messaging. And it doesn’t take much to get this wrong.
If your sitemap is planned from a technical perspective, rather than a marketing perspective, a disconnect is inevitable. Your brand guidelines define your voice and your values, but if your sitemap (possibly built by someone with little-to-no awareness of your guidelines) buries your core values three pages deep, then your buyers are in for a jarring experience when they move from your off-page environment to your site. A properly designed sitemap guarantees that when users cross that threshold, your messaging stays aligned with their expectations.
Sitemaps in Practice
So what makes a sitemap “good”? The first question you should be able to answer is this: Does my sitemap put the user first? Yes, yes, you have a great product or service, but save it for the sales deck. Your site needs to connect with the user first, earn trust, and position your product or service as the solution to their problems. It’s not about you. It’s about them.
The second question you should ask is: “Could a total skeptic find our strongest proof point in four clicks or fewer?” Your buyer is coming to your site with an extremely specific problem in mind and if they can’t navigate directly to proof that you can solve that exact problem, you are going to lose the sale.
Most websites get built around dev-derived sitemaps that were designed for development ease and speed, without the input of the marketing team. At Punch, the sitemap is more than a formality, it’s a creative deliverable. We take the time to custom build your sitemap around your brand strategy so you can go beyond a website that “just works” to one that delivers.