v1.0.1 to git:20260925.e6c43e0

- description: 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.

- version: 1.0.1

- # Pages: Category Pages

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- 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.

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- **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.

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- ## Initial Assessment

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- **Check for project context first:** If `.claude/project-context.md` or `.cursor/project-context.md` exists, read it for product catalog and site structure.

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- Identify:

- 1. **Catalog**: Product count, categories, subcategories

- 2. **Facets**: Filters (size, color, price, brand, etc.)

- 3. **URL structure**: Current hierarchy, parameter handling

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- ## Category Structure

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- ### Hierarchy

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- | 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) |

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- ### URL Structure

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- - **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

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- ## Faceted Navigation (Filters)

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- Filters create many URL combinations (size + color + price). Manage to avoid duplicate content and crawl waste:

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- | 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 |

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- ## On-Page Content

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- ### Content Requirements

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- - **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

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- ### SEO Elements

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- | 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 |

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- ### Trust & Conversion

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- - **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

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- ## Technical

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- - **Consistent layout**: Same template across categories; predictable UX

- - **Mobile**: Responsive; touch targets >=44x44px

- - **Redirects**: 301 to category when product pages move; avoid breaking hierarchy

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- ## 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