Pages: Category Pages
Guides e-commerce category page structure, content, and SEO optimization. Category pages organize products by attributes and drive 3x more organic revenue than product pages by ranking for broad, high-volume keywords.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1-2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Initial Assessment
Check for project context first: If .claude/project-context.md or .cursor/project-context.md exists, read it for product catalog and site structure.
Identify:
- Catalog: Product count, categories, subcategories
- Facets: Filters (size, color, price, brand, etc.)
- URL structure: Current hierarchy, parameter handling
Category Structure
Hierarchy
| Principle | Practice |
|---|---|
| Logical grouping | General -> specific (e.g., Furniture -> Bedroom furniture -> Beds) |
| User search intent | Match how users search (e.g., "bedroom furniture" vs "furniture") |
| Crawl depth | <=4 clicks from homepage; shorter paths improve indexing |
| Long-tail categories | Niche categories convert better (36% vs 11.5% for broad) |
URL Structure
- Subfolders:
example.com/shoes/sneakers,example.com/shoes/outdoor-shoes - Slugs: Descriptive, keyword-rich; lowercase; no stop words
- Avoid: Dates, timestamps,
/category/prefix - Breadcrumbs: Show path; help users and crawlers
Faceted Navigation (Filters)
Filters create many URL combinations (size + color + price). Manage to avoid duplicate content and crawl waste:
| Strategy | Use |
|---|---|
| Canonical | Point all faceted URLs to base category URL |
| robots.txt | Block faceted URLs from indexing if needed |
| nofollow | Add to internal links to faceted URLs |
| JavaScript | Keep filters client-side; single URL for category |
On-Page Content
Content Requirements
- 150-300 words unique copy; pages with this rank ~2.7x higher than product-only grids
- Placement: After hero/H1; FAQ block at bottom
- Purpose: Help users decide; answer curation, materials, recommendations
- Avoid: Manufacturer copy; crowding product grid
SEO Elements
| Element | Practice |
|---|---|
| H1 | One per page; primary keyword; clear purpose |
| Title tag | 50-60 chars; keyword; compelling for CTR |
| Meta description | 150-160 chars; value props (free shipping, returns) |
| Schema | ItemList, Product; AggregateRating if reviews; FAQ if applicable |
Trust & Conversion
- Reviews: Star ratings in SERPs; 99.9% of users read reviews; see serp-features for review rich results
- FAQ: Answer materials, quality, recommendations; +157% conversion when used
- Guides: Link to product guides; internal linking for SEO
Technical
- Consistent layout: Same template across categories; predictable UX
- Mobile: Responsive; touch targets >=44x44px
- Redirects: 301 to category when product pages move; avoid breaking hierarchy
Output Format
- Structure (hierarchy, URL paths)
- Facet strategy (canonical, nofollow, robots)
- Content (H1, intro copy, FAQ)
- SEO (metadata, schema)
- Checklist for audit
Related Skills
- programmatic-seo: Programmatic SEO strategy; category pages as template-based scale
- card: Card layout; product card structure, grid design
- grid: Product grid layout; responsive columns
- products-page-generator: Product cards, grid layout
- canonical-tag: Faceted URL canonicalization
- schema-markup: ItemList, Product, FAQ schema
- internal-links: Category linking
- breadcrumb-generator: Breadcrumb trail for category hierarchy
- url-structure: URL hierarchy