What It Is
In the planning stage, a sitemap is an outline of every page your website will include and how those pages relate. It often looks like a family tree, with the homepage at the top and sections such as Services, About and Contact branching below. It is different from an XML sitemap, which is a file made for search engines.
Why It Matters for Your Business
A planning sitemap keeps a project focused. A salon might list Home, Services (with Haircuts, Color and Treatments underneath), Team, Gallery, Book and Contact. Seeing it on one page makes gaps obvious, like a missing pricing page, and helps the designer estimate the work accurately.
Good to Know
Keep the top level small. If you have more than six or seven main sections, look for pages you can group together. Visitors find their way more easily when there are fewer, clearer choices. You can always add pages underneath them later as your business grows.