Website Architecture & URL Structure

When the user wants to plan, map, or restructure their website's page hierarchy, navigation, URL structure, or internal linking. Also use when the user mentions "sitemap," "site map," "visual sitemap," "site structure," "page hierarchy," "information architecture," "IA," "navigation design," "URL structure," "breadcrumbs," "internal linking strategy," "website planning," "what pages do I need," "how should I organize my site," or "site navigation." Use this whenever someone is planning what page

Site ArchitectureNavigationURL StructureInternal Linking
byCorey Haines1,882 words

What is Website Architecture & URL Structure?

What this skill does

This skill guides the planning and structuring of a website’s page hierarchy, navigation design, URL patterns, and internal linking strategy. It ensures that sites are easy to navigate for users and optimized for search engines by applying principles like the 3-click rule, appropriate hierarchy depth, and consistent URL conventions. It also covers navigation setups such as header menus, breadcrumbs, and footer organization to balance findability with usability.

Who it's for

Website architects, SEO strategists, and growth marketers working on site redesigns or new launches will benefit from this skill. It suits teams managing SaaS marketing sites, content-heavy blogs, e-commerce platforms, or hybrid models that require clear navigation and URL schemes. Agencies tasked with improving site structure to reduce bounce rates and improve organic rankings will also find this skill essential.

Key workflows

Start by gathering business context and current site conditions, including audience segments, primary goals, and whether the site is new or being restructured. Next, define the page hierarchy using the 3-click rule to keep important pages reachable within three clicks, choosing a depth that matches site type—typically 2–3 levels for SaaS or content sites, deeper for e-commerce or documentation. Then design navigation components such as header menus limited to 4–7 primary items, dropdowns, breadcrumbs reflecting URL paths, and a logical footer structure. Finally, define URL structure principles emphasizing readability, hyphenation, lowercase letters, and URLs that mirror the hierarchy.

Common questions

How deep should my site hierarchy be? Most SaaS and content sites work best with 2–3 levels; deeper structures risk burying important pages. Can I have more than 7 items in the header navigation? It’s best to limit to 4–7 items to avoid overwhelming users and decision paralysis. Should URLs always reflect the page hierarchy? Yes, URLs should match the site structure to support user understanding and SEO.

How to use in Metaflow

Attach this skill to any Metaflow agent task involving website planning or restructuring that mentions sitemaps, navigation design, or URL strategy. Expect guided questions to clarify business goals and site context, followed by recommendations on hierarchy depth, navigation patterns, and URL conventions. This skill will help you produce structured, actionable plans for site architecture that align with your project priorities and user needs.

For broader context, see our roundup of claude skills marketing, and read ultimate guide to Claude marketing skills for related setup guidance.