How should website pages be organized hierarchically?

Website pages should follow a tree structure where the homepage acts as the root, linking to main category pages, which branch into subcategories and individual content pages. Broad, general topics sit higher in the hierarchy while specific, detailed topics are positioned lower. URLs should reflect this parent-child relationship (example.com/category/subcategory/page).

Five common IA structure types exist: single page, flat structure, index page, strict hierarchy, and co-existing hierarchy (where pages are accessible through multiple parent paths). For most B2B and SaaS sites, a co-existing hierarchy works well because buyers approach the same content from different angles depending on their role or stage. Categories are hierarchical with subcategories nested beneath them, while tags serve as non-hierarchical property labels that cut across categories. The homepage links to the most important pages directly, establishing clear priority signals for both users and search engines. Sitemaps formalize this structure and ensure every page has a defined place in the hierarchy rather than floating as an orphan.