One of the key components of a website's information architecture (IA) and corresponding navigation is an effective labeling system. Of course, as search engine optimization (SEO), we understand that a website's labeling system should contain keywords.
However, there seems to be confusion among search engine optimization (SEO) professionals, information architects, web designer/developers, and usability professionals about what constitutes an effective system.
Here's an example, if I asked these aforementioned groups to write down their interpretation of the phrase navigation labels, I would probably get a wide variety of answers. Most people assume that a navigation label is the text that is placed on a navigation button. While navigation button text certainly is a navigation label, other web page elements are also navigation labels, such as :
Consistent Labels and Duplicate Content Management
One of the many duties SEO professionals have is managing duplicate content delivery to the commercial web search engine; identifying it, canonicalizing, and excluding it from search engine indexing.
On smaller websites, URL naming conventions are pretty straightforward. If a web page contains content that is about the company, then the url can be: www.example.com/about.html.
Sounds simple enough. Web searchers can understand the aforementioned URLs. The aboutness is clear. the url about.html leads to the about us section or page on the example.com
However. URL naming conventions often are ignored or are based on the perceived logic of the boss son or a developer who is only trying to make his/her job easier. URL naming conventions should at lease be partially based on how people locate, discover and label desired content.
Key Takeways
Here's an example, if I asked these aforementioned groups to write down their interpretation of the phrase navigation labels, I would probably get a wide variety of answers. Most people assume that a navigation label is the text that is placed on a navigation button. While navigation button text certainly is a navigation label, other web page elements are also navigation labels, such as :
- Title
- Headings and subheadings
- Breadcrumbs
- Embedded text links (in content)
- URLs
Consistent Labels and Duplicate Content Management
One of the many duties SEO professionals have is managing duplicate content delivery to the commercial web search engine; identifying it, canonicalizing, and excluding it from search engine indexing.
On smaller websites, URL naming conventions are pretty straightforward. If a web page contains content that is about the company, then the url can be: www.example.com/about.html.
Sounds simple enough. Web searchers can understand the aforementioned URLs. The aboutness is clear. the url about.html leads to the about us section or page on the example.com
However. URL naming conventions often are ignored or are based on the perceived logic of the boss son or a developer who is only trying to make his/her job easier. URL naming conventions should at lease be partially based on how people locate, discover and label desired content.
Key Takeways
- Navigation labels are not only the words placed on navigation buttons. Navigation labels are also title, headings &subheadings, embedded text links, and URLs.
- Whenever possible, URLs should contain keywords that make sense to both searchers and search engines.
- Consistency is extremely important for aboutness, information scent and search engine visibility. Consistency also makes it easier to manage duplicate content delivery.
- Don't purchase a CMS that does not allow you to customize your URLs. Workarounds can be difficult to manage.
- Hire an information architect to assist you with labeling systems. Their experience with research and testing is far more objective than your tech team.... and your boss teenage son.
