A number of common aspects of good web design make websites easier and more pleasurable to use. Knowing what these are will help you understand why you like some websites and dislike others, as well as what you want to add to your own.
It's important to note that these are standard phrases for distinct parts of a website. They're very common, however, others may use other terminology.
The individual elements on a page, what they're for, and why you need them are all covered in this article on the different parts of a website.
Why Is It Important to Know the Parts of a Website?
Understanding the anatomy of a website will aid you in designing a visually appealing site that makes it simple for your visitors to find what they're looking for. You may not be able to name the various parts of a website, but if you've spent more than five minutes online, you'll most likely know them.
When you browse the internet, you expect the sites you visit to work in a specific way, just as most of the world reads from left to right and top to bottom. The most relevant information should be found at the top, on the left-hand side. The top right is the next most critical location.
Visitors to your website are expecting the same thing. That is why web page layouts are similar from one site to the next, and why the design of your site should have some unique characteristics. The anatomy of a website refers to the general layout.
The Fundamental Anatomy of a Website
Some parts of a website are so important to web design that they must be present on all sites in order for them to function effectively. These components work together to build the foundation of your website:
1. Header
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This is the part of a website that contains the logo and, in most cases, the navigation menu. The header is the area at the top of the page that remains visible and constant as people navigate your site.
Previously, the header was used to display a banner or image promoting your brand, similar to a Facebook page's cover photo. However, today's websites are more simple, and the trend is for your logo and navigation to be the only elements in the header.
2. Menu
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The menu is laid up in the form of a word map. It explains how to find what they're looking for on your website. The menu is usually situated right above or below the header, but it can also be found both ways.
The menu should be simple and straightforward. This can take a lot of thought and planning at times. On the menu, just the most significant categories should be listed. Visitors expect to be able to find what they're looking for in this part of a website within three clicks or fewer.
You can utilize drop-downs to keep the menu navigation simple. When your reader holds their mouse over a menu item, a new list appears for them to choose from.
3. Images
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Immediately underneath the banner is an image, a series of photos, or, on rare occasions, a video. The header and main picture together make up the top section of your website, also known as above the fold, and are crucial in making a strong first impression. The featured visual, in particular, has a significant impact on whether consumers stay on your website or leave within a few seconds. With that in mind, this graphic should communicate something vital about your business. It is critical that it connects to the rest of your site, whether it contains photos of your products or services or simply offers the user a sense of what your brand is about.
4. Website Content
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This is the most important among the different parts of a website. The words posted on your website that explain what your website is about, what you have to offer, and how site visitors can benefit from your offers are referred to as content. The material of a website can span a wide range of topics. It usually refers to the paragraphs explaining your site's objective, but it can also relate to the single word on your buttons.
While the small text on buttons and menus may appear minor, it is the driving force behind websites. This is the information that explains what site visitors can expect when they click on buttons like "Buy now" or "Shopping cart." Take the time to thoroughly layout the content of your website so that any visitor can comprehend your brand as well as you do.
5. Sidebar
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A sidebar is a short vertical column that runs alongside your website's content. Advertisements, connections to other information, calls to action, and a search box is frequently found in the sidebar. Consider the sidebar to be a complement to your main website content.
In recent years, there has been a tendency in website design to delete the sidebar entirely and present your content in a single, full-width column. Eliminating the sidebar makes sense for certain sites, but not for others. Personal choice and/or whether style (sidebar vs. no sidebar) delivers a better user experience or greater conversion rate are the deciding factors.
6. Slider
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A slider a part of a website that is used to display pictures, like a slideshow where the images slide from right to left or vice-versa. Sliders can be used anywhere on a website, but they're most typically used on homepages to replace (or supplement) a featured image.
Sliders are becoming less popular as websites evolve and more attention is placed on page load speed and maximizing user experiences on mobile devices. Sliders are resource hogs and are frequently little more than eye candy.
7. CTA (Call to Action)
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A call-to-action, or CTA, the most important among the essential parts of a website, is a short piece of text that encourages clients to take the next step with your company and progress down the sales funnel. CTAs are often found on buttons and include wording like "Start now" or "Buy yours." This style of writing instructs users on how to perform a specific action and when they touch a button, they know what to expect.
CTAs are a crucial part of a website since they allow users to use or purchase your service or product. You might experience fewer sales and a higher rate of customers abandoning your site without converting if you don't have these buttons.
8. Footer
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Simply described, a footer is the part of a website that appears at the bottom of the page. It normally includes a sitemap with connections to all of the pages on your website. This can assist visitors in finding all of your services, including ones that didn't make the cut for your header.
Website footers frequently include basic contact information, allowing people to contact you or locate your real business. This type of data is critical to a company's success. A social bar, which contains small yet recognized icons that direct readers to your social network pages, may also be included in the footer. This can help you attract social media followers, which can lead to increased brand exposure and eventual business growth.
9. Landing Page
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When you run advertisements on Google or Facebook (or anywhere else), you must provide a landing page for people to visit when they click on the ad – hence the name. Once you understand the basic structure of a website, gradually you will remember the parts of a website.
Landing pages vary from regular website pages in that any distracting elements such as a header, footer, or sidebar are deleted or minimized. A landing page's main purpose is to get visitors to take action (e.g., download a report, sign up for an email list, buy something, etc.) and increase conversions. A landing page's content should be as laser-focused as feasible.
10. Home Page
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The Home page is also known as the main page. On most websites, this part of a website is where you should start from. Linking your logo to your home page is a good website design technique since it gives your visitors an “escape” or “reset” option if they become lost on your site.
11. Blog
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A blog is a website in its own right. So, what exactly is the distinction between a blog and a website? There isn't much. It all comes down to how the information is organized and presented.
- A post is what you term something you write on a blog, and blog posts are published in chronological order, similar to journal entries in a diary. The term "blog" comes from the phrase "weblog."
- When you publish something on a website, it's referred to as a page, and web pages aren't shown in any particular order. They're simply a collection of linked pages (for example, the homepage, about us page, contact page, and so on).
- Blog entries enable reader interaction via comments.
- Web pages are usually instructional in nature concerning a company's products or services, so they don't feature a commenting section. They have a tendency to speak in a more professional and authoritative tone. The tone of blog entries is more relaxed and conversational.
- A blog can exist as a separate website or as part of a larger website.
This is a blog article on a blog that is part of a website that you are currently reading.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this little tutorial on different parts of a website was useful. To communicate intelligently with a web designer or developer, you don't need to understand the underlying technology. You'll be good if you have a fundamental understanding of the language of important parts of a website.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all of this, website builders such as Strikingly can help. Strikingly, a top website builder is all about enabling people to share their thoughts with the world via well-designed, one-of-a-kind websites. Around 3 million entrepreneurs, small enterprises, creatives, and students from all over the world utilize our free website design services. Our custom website design templates make it simple for even novices to create websites, allowing them to compete with larger local businesses. You may start working on website design and development that will appeal to your target audience right away if you have a complete set of tools and the best free web design software.
