Best Link Topology for SEP

Inquiry about thoughts on the Best Link Topology for SEP

[rpearson]

Hello there,

In considering SEP and Internet Marketing what would people say would be the BEST Link Topology for ones website? By this, I am wondering if people think that setting up sites in a looping structure, inter-linking structure, backlinking structure or whatever structure is the best when developing with SEP in mind.

Any thoughts that people could provide would be helpful. Its my first post, but I have been around the groups and I can see that there is lots of knowledge floating around.

Thanks in advance. rpearson

[SlowMove]

I think the link structure of WW is a good example. It's a hub of links that link to other hubs that... And everywhere are links to the most important pages on the site.

[pageoneresults]

Hello rpearson, Welcome to WebmasterWorld!

One of my favorite topics. When I develop a site, one the first things I do when it comes to structure is set up the Include Files as that is where my linking structure resides.

Depending on the scope and depth of the site, I may end up with a fairly large number of includes. For example, I like to use the Chain of Command Theory, I'll have includes for each of my Admirals as shown below...

• Left Admiral's
  
• Admiral 1
  
• Admiral 2
  
• Admiral 3

Within Admiral 1, I'll have another include that brings in the Vice and Rear Admirals...

• Left Admiral's
  
• Admiral 1
  
• Vice Admiral 1
  
• Rear Admiral 1
  
• Admiral 2
  
• Vice Admiral 2
  
• Rear Admiral 2

I may end up going 2, 3 or possibly 4 levels deep into the site structure. But, along the way, I'm weaving the Admirals back and forth while bringing in the Captains and Commanders. I'm linking all the officers together through a Chain of Command.

I also make sure that within my Primary Navigation, I have link(s) to index pages for all of the Vice and Rear Admirals. You want to make sure that you provide access to all parts of the fleet.

Now, let me take all that and turn it into web speak. You basically want to look at your site like a pyramid. Again, depending on the depth of the site, you may end up with a structure something like this...

/root/
/root/sub/
/root/sub/sub/
/root/sub/sub/sub/
/root/sub/sub/sub/sub/

I probably wouldn't suggest going 4 levels deep as it takes time to bring visibility to those deeper pages. But, it all depends on how you focus the links within the site.

Years ago I used to recommend all pages at the root level, no sub-directories. Over the past couple of years I've been more apt to work within sub-directories than at the root level. Sites are much easier to manage with everything in its own topic specific directory. ;)