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
1---2name: category-page-generator3description: When the user wants to create, optimize, or audit e-commerce category pages or listing pages. Also use when the user mentions "category page," "product category," "faceted navigation," "filter URLs," "e-commerce listing," "category SEO," "category structure," "product filters," or "listing page." For programmatic SEO at scale, use programmatic-seo.4---5
6# Pages: Category Pages
7
8Guides 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.
9
10**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.
11
12## Initial Assessment
13
14**Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for product catalog and site structure.
15
16Identify:
171. **Catalog**: Product count, categories, subcategories
182. **Facets**: Filters (size, color, price, brand, etc.)
193. **URL structure**: Current hierarchy, parameter handling
20
21## Category Structure
22
23### Hierarchy
24
25| Principle | Practice |
26|-----------|----------|
27| **Logical grouping** | General -> specific (e.g., Furniture -> Bedroom furniture -> Beds) |
28| **User search intent** | Match how users search (e.g., "bedroom furniture" vs "furniture") |
29| **Crawl depth** | <=4 clicks from homepage; shorter paths improve indexing |
30| **Long-tail categories** | Niche categories convert better (36% vs 11.5% for broad) |
31
32### URL Structure
33
34- **Subfolders**: `example.com/shoes/sneakers`, `example.com/shoes/outdoor-shoes`
35- **Slugs**: Descriptive, keyword-rich; lowercase; no stop words
36- **Avoid**: Dates, timestamps, `/category/` prefix
37- **Breadcrumbs**: Show path; help users and crawlers
38
39## Faceted Navigation (Filters)
40
41Filters create many URL combinations (size + color + price). Manage to avoid duplicate content and crawl waste:
42
43| Strategy | Use |
44|----------|-----|
45| **Canonical** | Point all faceted URLs to base category URL |
46| **robots.txt** | Block faceted URLs from indexing if needed |
47| **nofollow** | Add to internal links to faceted URLs |
48| **JavaScript** | Keep filters client-side; single URL for category |
49
50## On-Page Content
51
52### Content Requirements
53
54- **150-300 words** unique copy; pages with this rank ~2.7x higher than product-only grids
55- **Placement**: After hero/H1; FAQ block at bottom
56- **Purpose**: Help users decide; answer curation, materials, recommendations
57- **Avoid**: Manufacturer copy; crowding product grid
58
59### SEO Elements
60
61| Element | Practice |
62|---------|----------|
63| **H1** | One per page; primary keyword; clear purpose |
64| **Title tag** | 50-60 chars; keyword; compelling for CTR |
65| **Meta description** | 150-160 chars; value props (free shipping, returns) |
66| **Schema** | ItemList, Product; AggregateRating if reviews; FAQ if applicable |
67
68### Trust & Conversion
69
70- **Reviews**: Star ratings in SERPs; 99.9% of users read reviews; see **serp-features** for review rich results
71- **FAQ**: Answer materials, quality, recommendations; +157% conversion when used
72- **Guides**: Link to product guides; internal linking for SEO
73
74## Technical
75
76- **Consistent layout**: Same template across categories; predictable UX
77- **Mobile**: Responsive; touch targets >=44x44px
78- **Redirects**: 301 to category when product pages move; avoid breaking hierarchy
79
80## Output Format
81
82- **Structure** (hierarchy, URL paths)
83- **Facet strategy** (canonical, nofollow, robots)
84- **Content** (H1, intro copy, FAQ)
85- **SEO** (metadata, schema)
86- **Checklist** for audit
87
88## Related Skills
89
90- **programmatic-seo**: Programmatic SEO strategy; category pages as template-based scale
91- **card**: Card layout; product card structure, grid design
92- **grid**: Product grid layout; responsive columns
93- **products-page-generator**: Product cards, grid layout
94- **canonical-tag**: Faceted URL canonicalization
95- **schema-markup**: ItemList, Product, FAQ schema
96- **internal-links**: Category linking
97- **breadcrumb-generator**: Breadcrumb trail for category hierarchy
98- **url-structure**: URL hierarchy
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