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Understanding how you will organize your site's content is a key requirement to creating an effective site. Often website editors are overwhelmed by the multitude of possibilities for design and layout.

To create a strong site that is well organized, your initial focus must be on your message.

Strategy for creating a site

Start by thinking about the information you want to convey rather than the design or layout of your site.

• What is the primary purpose of your site?
• What key pieces of information do you want to convey? What are the three to five most important things you wish to convey?
• Who is the primary audience for your site? Be specific.
• What about the secondary audiences?
• What is unique about your department or service? If you have competitors at other schools, what sets your academic area apart?
• What call to actions do you want your site visitors to take? (Apply, RSVP, explore programs, etc.)

Special considerations for landing pages

Landing pages set the tone for your site. They may provide an overview of your resources, serve as a call to action, or a standalone page. Marketers may primarily think of landing pages as standalone pages that collect contact information, however landing pages in this context are general high-level pages.

Prior to laying out a page, start with your message.

• What is the primary purpose of the landing page?
• Who is the key audience?
• What key pieces of information do you want to convey? List out three to five items. Be concise
• Create a heading structure for the content areas you will feature. Briefly describe or list out subsections.
• What call to actions, if any, do you want visitors to take?

Once you have determined what content you wish to convey, consider creating a content wireframe to think through how you might present your content. A content wireframe is not the same as a design mockup. It doesn't include images or colors. Instead, it shows the content and associated content hierarchy of the information you want to present. It can include headings, content, and call-to-action buttons. You can use paper, pencils, post-it notes, computer software, whiteboards, or other options to make a content wireframe.

This will help you review your content at a glance, and it will also help you see whether you may need to split some content into additional pages. Consider this option for longer blocks of content, as it can help with SEO and readability

Special considerations for secondary pages

Secondary pages focus on presenting information.

Prior to creating a page, take a moment to think through the information you need to convey.

Ask yourself:

• What is the purpose of this page?
• Who is the key audience?
• What information do I need to convey?
• Are there specific actions I want people to take?

Use this information to determine the main points you need to make. List these out in advance, along with any sub points. Ensure the items are presented clearly and in an order that makes sense. From here, you will be able to create a heading structure prior to creating your content as well as create content for each heading area.

When you are writing new content, make sure the purpose of your writing is clear from the onset. The first sentence of each paragraph should be direct enough that a reader will understand the purpose of the paragraph.

Remember to use lists and subheadings to further break up content.