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What Is a Category Page? 

3 min to read

Category pages bridge homepages and product pages on eCommerce websites. You will also find category pages used on other kinds of websites, such as blogs. Bridging product pages with the homepage, category pages group products belonging to the same topic.

When implemented correctly, category pages should enable users to navigate to specific products and through different parts of the website. You will normally see two types of category pages:

• Category Listings Pages (CLPs): These include list subcategories. For example, “Home Electronics” might include blenders, TVs, and sound systems.

• Product Listings Pages (PLPs): These list individual products.

The two types of category pages will differ on where their use cases make the most sense. You should use whichever one will allow users to find and browse items more efficiently. Website builders, including Hocoos, provide functions for adding pages and customizing their design based on audience segments.

Pro tip:
Create a more intuitive user experience by using clear labels for your website categories. Your navigation structure should also be consistent. 
Key Takeaways:
  • You should use category pages on eCommerce websites; they bridge product pages and the homepage
  • Category pages can potentially affect product discoverability and conversions through targeted content
  • Use clear information, scroll/pagination, and brand elements for UX purposes on your category pages
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What Is a Category Page? 

How does content on category pages impact SEO and the user experience? 

Adding content to your category pages may have an impact on factors such as SEO and user experience. By optimizing your category pages, search engines like Google may be more likely to associate specific keywords with your brand. Other ways that category pages impact SEO are through page relevance and the potential to influence conversion rates. 

To optimize your category pages, you should use relevant keywords in your on-page content. However, it’s also important that you put providing value at the forefront of your strategy while also improving product and information discoverability. 

  • Product Visibility: Create associations between products and categories by adding links to related product pages/content. It is important to note how this action can affect your sales potential and visibility, suggesting that it deserves serious consideration as a priority. 

  • Content Optimization: While using relevant keywords is important for discoverability, avoid overdoing it as this could potentially hinder user experience and readability. Hocoos’s store-building functionality might aid in structuring content and elements, potentially influencing user engagement.

  • Irrelevant Content: Focus on content that aligns with a category. Doing so is essential if you want to avoid confusing your site visitors.
Pro Tip: 
Balance keyword optimization and meeting your prospective customers’ needs. Make your content easy to consume and ensure that it answers your audience’s questions. 

What are the steps to creating effective and optimized category pages? 

Start with strong branding elements, such as typefaces, logos, and colors that are clearly aligned with your brand. Doing these is crucial for making your brand more familiar. 

Your category must also reflect your brand identity. Make it very clear what you sell and use personalization, along with product information that explains what the user can expect. Segmentation, scroll and pagination, and conversion are all some other essential considerations.

To optimize your category pages for search engines, you need to plan your content creation strategically. You should also think about how you’re going to interlink pages so that they’re connected and users can easily find everything they need. 

When developing your website, think about UX on your category pages. Think about how you can optimize your pages via layout and design.  

Pro Tip: 
Use meta descriptions so that users in search engines feel that they should click on your page instead of someone else’s. Doing so is crucial for clickthrough rate optimization. 

Conclusion

Category pages are a crucial consideration in eCommerce, and you need to use them to bridge gaps between product pages and home pages. You should also think about how to use category pages for SEO, such as adding keywords; this can help with conversions and product discoverability. 

Provide clear information, optimize your content, and make sure that your branding is strong enough. Implementing each of these changes may impact user experience and potentially influence sales, but it’s an ongoing process that necessitates ongoing evaluation and adaptation.

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