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What is a visual site map?
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A visual site map is a tool that helps you understand the structure of your website. It shows you which pages are linked together and how they relate to one another. A visual site map also makes navigation easier because it provides a clear overview of the entire site.
You can create a visual site map manually, but it takes time and effort to do it correctly. Luckily, there are online tools available that help you generate a visual site map automatically. These tools save you both time and money.
Visual Site Map Generator Tools
There are several different types of visual site map generators available on the web. Some are free while others charge a fee. Here are three of the best visual site map generator tools available:
1. Google Webmaster Tools
Google Webmaster Tools is a great tool for generating a visual site map. It’s free to use and offers a lot of useful features. For example, you can view the crawl errors, check the URL parameters, track backlinks, and much more.
2. Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Screaming Frog SEO Spider is another free tool that generates a visual site map. With Screaming Frog, you can easily extract keywords and meta data from HTML code.
3. Visual Website Optimizer
Visual Website Optimizer is a paid tool that creates a visual site map. One of the reasons why it’s so popular is that it uses machine learning algorithms to analyze websites and build a visual site map based on user behavior.
What Are the Benefits of Generating a Visual Site Map?
Why Should You Create a Visual Site Map?
Visual site maps help users navigate through your website. They’re great for SEO because search engines use them to index your pages. And they’re helpful for human visitors who find it easier to understand where things are located when they’re presented in a visual format instead of just reading words.
Creating a visual site map requires some planning ahead. But once you’ve created your site map, it’s relatively simple to add additional content to it.
To create a visual site map, start by creating a list of every single page on your site. Then organize those pages into categories based on subject matter. Finally, connect each category to its corresponding page.
Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to easily update your site map whenever you add or remove pages. This makes it easy to keep track of everything on your site.
What Is a Visual Site Map? Video
Visual site maps (VSM) are a great tool for helping webmasters understand where their pages fit within their websites. They’re especially useful when building out large sites because they help organize content and keep track of navigation.
They’re also helpful for SEO purposes because they show search engines exactly what each page is about.
When creating a VSM, it helps to break down your site into sections. This makes it easier to create a visual representation of your site structure.
Here’s an example of a VSM for a hypothetical restaurant website. The top section shows the main menu items, followed by the appetizers, entrees, desserts, drinks, and sides. Then comes a list of specials, followed by a contact form. Each item is represented by a different color.
Each section is further broken down into subsections, which are shown in a separate box below the main section. These boxes represent individual pages.
To add another level of detail, you can use arrows to link between sections and subsections.
This type of VSM is called a hierarchical VSM because it represents the hierarchy of your site.
Hierarchical VSMs are particularly useful for SEO purposes because they allow search engines to better crawl through your site.
Types of Visual Site Maps
Visual site maps (VSM) are a great tool for organizing content on any web page. They’re especially useful for websites with many pages, because they help organize information and keep things neat and tidy.
There are two types of VSM: static and dynamic. Static VSMs are created manually, usually by hand drawing each link between pages. Dynamic VSMs are generated automatically based on the structure of the website.
Static VSMs are typically used when there are only a few pages on a website. Dynamic VSMs are often preferred when there are hundreds of pages.
Both types of VSMs are effective at helping users navigate through a website. However, static VSMs are better suited for small sites with fewer than 100 pages. Dynamic VSMs work well for large sites with thousands of pages.
When creating a VSM, consider these three factors:
1. Navigation hierarchy – The order in which navigation items appear should be logical and consistent. This helps users understand where they are within the website.
2. Page layout – Make sure that the navigation items are spaced evenly across the page. Too close together makes them hard to find. Too far apart makes it harder to scan the page.
3. Link placement – Place links strategically throughout the page. Avoid placing too many links near the top of the page. Instead, place them toward the bottom of the page.
4. Text – Use descriptive text to describe the page. Include words like “home”, “about us”, etc.
5. Color – Choose a color scheme that matches the theme of the website. Dark backgrounds are popular for ecommerce sites, while light backgrounds are common for blogs.
6. Fonts – Select fonts that match the style of the website. Using different fonts creates a unique appearance.
7. Size – Keep the font sizes similar. Smaller fonts are easier to read. Larger fonts are easier to recognize.
Final Answer
Creating a visual site map will allow you to better understand what makes up your website and where visitors go when they visit your site.