Wix Studio has introduced a new tool called the Visual Sitemap.
It's an easy and effective way to plan websites.
To say it's a game-changer for web designers and anyone building a website is an understatement.
I'll cover:
What is the visual sitemap
Benefits of using it
Key features
Example
Conclusion
Let's get into it!
What is the Visual Sitemap?
The Visual Sitemap is a tool that shows all the pages of a website in a simple, visual way.
It helps you:
Map out your website pages.
See how pages connect.
Organize content quickly.
It gives you a complete view of the website, making planning and editing easier.
You can think of it as a blueprint for your website—one that is visually appealing and simple to navigate, and that masters CRO as a designer.
It ensures that both designers and clients have a clear understanding of the site’s structure before development begins.
With the Visual Sitemap, designers can create, edit, and modify the website structure, ensuring that it is well-organized and user-friendly.
The tool's visual nature also makes it easier for non-technical stakeholders, like clients, to understand the flow of the website.
Benefits of Using the Visual Sitemap
The Visual Sitemap has numerous benefits that make it a valuable tool for web designers, developers, and clients alike.
Easy to Plan
The Visual Sitemap makes website planning easy.
You can:
Drag and drop to add or remove pages.
Rearrange pages to adjust the site structure.
Edit page details with just a click.
This tool saves time when building or changing websites and is a key factor for those looking to become a great freelancer.
With just a few clicks, you can add new pages, remove unnecessary ones, or move them around to create a logical flow for your visitors.
This ease of use is especially helpful when working on larger websites with multiple sections. Web Designers can quickly see how different parts of the site connect and make changes as needed.
This ensures that all pages are well-organized and that visitors have a smooth experience navigating the site.
Simple for Clients to Understand
Clients often find site maps confusing.
The Visual Sitemap changes that... It’s simple and visual.
This helps in:
Getting faster feedback.
Making sure everyone is on the same page.
When clients can see the website structure laid out visually, they can provide better input. They can easily identify if something is missing or if a page needs to be rearranged.
This makes the entire process smoother and ensures that the final product meets their expectations.
The Visual Sitemap also reduces the chances of miscommunication.
Since everyone is looking at the same visual representation, it becomes easier to discuss changes and ensure that everyone understands the plan.
Great for Collaboration
This tool is not just for designers. Developers, content writers, and clients can use it too.
The Visual Sitemap allows everyone to understand the website flow.
Collaboration is key in web design projects. With the Visual Sitemap, all team members can contribute to the website planning process.
Developers can see the site structure and understand how different pages connect, content writers can plan what needs to be written for each page, and clients can provide their feedback.
You can also add notes to pages. This helps team members know what changes are needed or what content to add.
These notes can include details like content requirements, design ideas, or any specific client requests.
For example, if a page needs a specific type of content, the content writer can see the note and get to work.
This reduces back-and-forth communication and speeds up the overall process.
Key Features of Wix Studio's Visual Sitemap
The Visual Sitemap offers a lot of cool features that make it a must-have for web design:
Drag and Drop Pages:
Build your website quickly by adding, removing, or rearranging pages with ease. This feature makes it easy to adjust the structure as your ideas evolve.
Page Connections:
Show how pages link to each other to ensure a logical flow. This is particularly useful for creating a seamless user journey from one page to another.
Notes for Each Page:
Communicate easily with your team by adding notes to each page. This helps keep everyone aligned on what needs to be done and what content should go where.
Client-Friendly Layout:
Make sure clients understand the plan. The visual nature of the tool makes it simple for clients to provide feedback without getting lost in technical details.
How the Visual Sitemap Helps in Different Stages of Web Design
The Visual Sitemap can be used throughout various stages of the web design process, from planning to final delivery. Here’s how:
🧠 Initial Planning Stage
When you start a new project, one of the first things you need to do is plan the site structure. The Visual Sitemap is perfect for this.
You can quickly lay out all the pages that need to be created, from the homepage to individual service pages, blog pages, and more.
By using the drag-and-drop functionality, you can easily experiment with different structures. This flexibility helps you come up with the best way to organize content and ensure that users can easily navigate the website.
✍️ Content Planning and Assignment
Once the structure is in place, the next step is content planning. The Visual Sitemap allows you to assign content tasks to different team members.
Writers can see what content is needed for each page, while designers can visualize how the content will flow throughout the website.
Adding notes to pages is a great way to communicate specific content requirements.
For example, you can indicate that a page needs a certain number of sections or that specific keywords should be included.
🖌️ Design and Development
For designers and developers, the Visual Sitemap is a roadmap. Designers can use it to create mockups for each page, while developers can see how everything connects.
This helps ensure that the design matches the planned structure and that development stays on track.
💬 Client Review and Feedback
Once the initial structure is ready, you can share it with the client and get their thoughts.
Since it is visual, clients can easily understand the plan and provide input.
If they want to add a new page or move something around, they can simply point it out on the sitemap.
This reduces the chances of miscommunication and helps keep the project moving smoothly.
Real-Life Example: How the Visual Sitemap Saves Time
Imagine you are working with a client who needs an e-commerce website.
Initially, the client might not know how many product categories they need or how they want the checkout process to look.
With the Visual Sitemap, you can start by creating a basic structure: a homepage, product categories, product pages, a cart page, and a checkout page.
As the client sees this layout, they might realize they need additional pages, like a "Sale Item" page or an FAQ section.
By visually showing them the structure, you help the client make decisions faster.
Instead of having long meetings to discuss what pages are needed, they can see everything right in front of them.
This speeds up the planning phase and allows the team to move on to design and development more quickly.
And I'm all for creating websites fast:
Conclusion
Wix Studio's Visual Sitemap is a great tool for website planning.
It helps web designers, teams, and clients work together easily. It's simple to use, saves time, and makes communication clear.
If you want to build websites faster and more effectively, give the Visual Sitemap a try.
Whether you’re a freelancer, part of an agency, or even a business owner looking to create your own website, I think the Visual Sitemap is a tool worth exploring.
And while you're here, if you're interested in starting or scaling your freelancing business, join FreelanceFam - it's a free community and you'll get a lot of value from it.
Cheers for now,
Kyle