“Reverse silo” is a term used to describe a website structure that deviates from the traditional hierarchical silo structure. In a traditional silo structure, the homepage of a website is at the top of the hierarchy, followed by categories, subcategories, and individual pages. This structure is designed to help search engines understand the organization of the website and to facilitate the flow of link equity.
A reverse silo structure, on the other hand, starts with individual pages and works its way up to broader categories. This type of structure can be effective for websites that have a lot of content that doesn’t fit neatly into specific categories, as it allows individual pages to rank for specific keywords without being held back by their position in a hierarchy.
Example 1: Let’s say you have a eCommerce website that sells organic skincare products. Instead of having a traditional silo structure with a homepage, followed by categories like “Face,” “Body,” and “Hair,” you might organize your website like this:
-Individual product pages for specific skincare products (e.g. “Organic Lavender Face Cream”) -Broader category pages that group similar products together (e.g. “Organic Face Care Products” or “Organic Body Care Products”)
By using a reverse silo structure, each individual product page can rank for specific keywords related to that product, while the broader category pages can rank for more general keywords related to the type of product. This can help the website to rank well for a wider range of keywords, and can be a useful strategy for websites that have a lot of individual products or pages that don’t fit neatly into specific categories.
Example 2: Let’s say you have a travel website that offers a variety of travel-related services, including vacation packages, hotel bookings, and car rentals. Instead of having a traditional silo structure with a homepage, followed by categories like “Vacation Packages,” “Hotels,” and “Car Rentals,” you might organize your website like this:
-Individual pages for specific vacation packages, hotels, and car rental options (e.g. “7-Day Hawaiian Adventure Package,” “Luxury Hotel in Paris,” “SUV Rental in Los Angeles”) -Broader category pages that group similar options together (e.g. “Adventure Vacation Packages,” “Luxury Hotels,” “Car Rentals”)
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