Site Maps: The Foundation of Your Website
A sitemap comes in two forms:
- Content sitemap — the outline of your site's pages and structure. This is the first step in any new or redesigned site.
- XML sitemap — a technical file that helps search engines index your site. Your CMS generates this automatically.
This page covers the content sitemap — the one you build first.
Download Sitemap Template File
Why it matters:
If your site will have more than 10 pages, you need one. It shows what content lives where, how many clicks it takes users to find it, and where content is missing or duplicated. We require a sitemap for every new project — including redesigns — so we can build your site's architecture and, for redesigns, know where each existing page should move. Submit it as a spreadsheet, using our template or matching its format.
How to build one:
- Start with your main navigation — top-level pages (About, Admissions, Academics, etc.) plus any directories.
- Add subpages, nesting up to 3 levels deep. Keep most content at Level 1; save Levels 2–3 for pages users click into intentionally, like a registration form nested under an event page.
- (Optional) Plan each page's content — banner image, headlines, key links — before you build, so nothing gets missed.
Once your navigation and subpages are mapped, submit it to us.
XML sitemaps: Generated automatically by your CMS. Submitting it to Google and Bing after launch or a redesign is good practice, though it doesn't guarantee faster indexing.
Redesigns: Keeping your content but changing designs still requires a sitemap — this time mapping every existing page to its new location.