What is information hierarchy?
Think about a newspaper: why is a specific news on the first page? There is a whole system to decide which information is the most important and interesting for the target audience. A website works similarly. Since there are great chances that you have a lot of texts and content on your site, how do you decide which ones should be promoted?
Whether it is for a newspaper or a website, it is essential to take the time to rank the content. Some elements are indeed more important than others. It can help the site browsing and decrease the bounce rate when done right.
Few tips on how to ease browsing using information hierarchy
If you have decided to create a website yourself, what should you keep in mind to ensure your visitors find the information they are looking for quickly? Let us see how information hierarchy could help.
Ask yourself what your visitors are looking for
Before you start anything, it should be relevant to take a moment to ask yourself what is your website goal and which needs you want to meet. Note down the needs and questions your target audience might have, and remember to place the answers as high as possible on the most important pages of your website. It is also possible that needs or questions change with time. Consequently, stay alert and update your website from time to time.
Let us say that you want to create a website for your restaurant. What information are your clients looking for? There are great chances that they want to know about your menu, prices, address, or contact information to book a table. These pieces of information should then be easy to find and placed in the first section of your web pages. If needed, do this exercise for every page of your website.
Place the most important information at the top
Remember to place the most important information at the top of the page, whether it is your open hours or current promotions. For example, you can add a small section under the header with important news or a special promotion with a link to learn more about it. For this reason, it is also critical to have a menu that includes all your site's main pages.
Several user experience tools will confirm that not all visitors see your entire website. Therefore, it is essential to place the information they are likely looking for at the top of the page. Moreover, people read sites from top to bottom and left to right. Texts are also read diagonally from the left. Consequently, the most strategic section of a web page is the top left.
Build a complete homepage
Your website homepage is often the most important page. Besides often being the first page visitors see, it can help them find what they want. Therefore, paying particular attention to the content we find on the homepage is vital because it is both a map and a summary of your entire website content. For example, we should know who you are and what you offer in only a few seconds.
There are different ways to redirect visitors to the right place from the homepage. Of course, the menu is a fundamental tool. Then, consider using buttons with call-to-actions. You can write a short text and invite your visitors to discover the rest by clicking on a link or a button. Do not hesitate to consult our website templates if you need inspiration regarding homepages.
Consider using color contrasts
Another way to use information hierarchy on your website is by using colors, and more precisely, color contrasts, to catch attention. It could be a relevant solution to promote information that cannot be placed at the top of a web page. Whether by using contrast between the text color and background or by choosing warm tones, colors can help people spot what they are looking for.
In addition, you will need a color palette when creating your website. Among the hues, it is recommended to have an accent color that stands out from the others. For example, you could choose the complementary color of the primary hue.
In conclusion, information hierarchy is no rocket science. Start by asking yourself what your target audience is looking for and display the information at the top of the main pages. If they spend several minutes searching for answers, they will likely not return to your site. A frequently asked question section could also be an interesting addition, whether you have a website or an online store.