Running an ecommerce site is an exciting venture, but it comes with its fair share of challenges, especially when it comes to SEO. One question that often comes up is: How many products should you have in each category to optimize for search engines? It's a bit of a balancing act, trying to keep your categories rich enough in content to attract visitors, yet not so overcrowded that navigation becomes a nightmare.
In this article, we'll explore the nuances of product categorization for SEO in ecommerce. We'll touch on why it's important, how to find that sweet spot for the number of products per category, and what best practices you should keep in mind to ensure your site remains user-friendly, attractive, and most importantly, discoverable by search engines.
Why Product Categorization Matters for SEO
First things first, let's talk about why categorizing products is crucial for SEO. When search engines crawl your website, they look for content that is organized and easy to understand. This organization helps the search engine determine what your site is about and how relevant it is to a user's query.
Having a well-structured category system not only helps with SEO but also improves the user experience. Imagine walking into a grocery store where all the items are scattered randomly. Frustrating, right? The same concept applies to your ecommerce site. Clear categories guide your customers to what they're looking for, reducing bounce rates and increasing the chances of making a sale.
Moreover, by categorizing your products effectively, you create additional opportunities for keyword optimization. You can target specific keywords that are relevant to each category, helping search engines understand what kind of products you offer and directing the right audience to your site.
Finding the Right Number of Products per Category
So, how many products should you have in each category? There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but generally speaking, a category should have enough products to be meaningful but not so many that it overwhelms the user. A good starting point could be around 20 to 30 products, but this can vary based on your specific ecommerce niche.
Having too few products in a category can make your site look sparse and may not provide enough content for search engines to consider it relevant. On the flip side, an overly populated category can be difficult to navigate, leading to a poor user experience. It's all about finding that middle ground where your categories are informative and easy to browse.
Consider using subcategories if you find that a particular category is getting too large. This way, you can break down your products into more specific groups, making it easier for users to find exactly what they're looking for without feeling overwhelmed.
Using Keyword Research to Inform Categories
Keyword research is a vital part of SEO and can be a valuable tool when deciding how to categorize your products. By understanding what terms your potential customers are searching for, you can create categories that are both user-friendly and optimized for search engines.
Use tools like Google's Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to find keywords that are relevant to your products. Look for keywords that have a decent search volume but aren't overly competitive. These keywords can then be used to name your categories, helping improve your chances of ranking well in search results.
Don't just focus on the most obvious keywords. Think outside the box and consider long-tail keywords that might be less competitive but highly relevant to your specific niche. These can provide a valuable source of traffic and help you stand out in a crowded market.
Balancing SEO with User Experience
While SEO is important, it's crucial not to lose sight of the user experience. After all, your ultimate goal is to convert visitors into customers, and that won't happen if your site is difficult to navigate. Keep your categories intuitive and logical from a user's perspective.
Avoid using overly technical or niche-specific language in your category names unless you're sure your audience will understand it. Stick to clear, concise terms that make it immediately obvious what kind of products are in each category.
Remember, a well-organized site not only pleases search engines but also makes it easier for customers to find what they need quickly and efficiently, resulting in higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
Using Internal Linking to Strengthen Categories
Internal linking is another effective way to boost your SEO efforts. This involves linking from one page on your site to another, helping search engines understand the relationship between your content and categories. It also helps distribute page authority throughout your site, which can improve your rankings.
For example, if you have a blog post about the benefits of a specific product, link it to the relevant product category. This not only provides additional context for search engines but also offers more value to your visitors by guiding them to related content.
Make sure your internal links are relevant and provide genuine value to your users. Don't just add links for the sake of it, as this can come across as spammy and may have the opposite effect on your SEO efforts.
Monitoring and Adjusting Your Categories
SEO is not a set-and-forget task. It's important to regularly monitor your site’s performance and make adjustments as needed. Use tools like Google Analytics to track how visitors are interacting with your categories. Are they spending time browsing, or are they quickly leaving the page?
Pay attention to the bounce rate and conversion rates for each category. If a particular category is underperforming, it may be worth revisiting the number of products in it or considering whether it needs to be restructured.
Stay flexible and be willing to adapt your strategy based on the data you collect. This iterative process will help you keep your site optimized for both search engines and users.
Experimenting with Different Category Structures
Sometimes, getting the right product categorization takes a bit of experimentation. Don’t be afraid to test different structures to see what works best for your site and your audience. A/B testing can be a useful way to measure the effectiveness of different category layouts and names.
Try changing up your categories and measuring the results. Do visitors spend more time on the site? Are they finding what they need more easily? Adjust your approach based on these insights to continually improve your site's performance.
Remember, what works for one ecommerce site might not work for another. Stay open to trying new approaches and learning from your successes and failures.
Keeping an Eye on Competitors
It can also be beneficial to keep an eye on competitors in your niche. How are they structuring their categories? What keywords are they targeting? While you shouldn’t copy their strategy outright, you can gain valuable insights into what works in your industry.
Competitor analysis can help you identify gaps in the market that you can exploit or highlight areas where you can differentiate yourself. Use this information to refine and improve your own category strategy.
Just be sure to focus on what makes your brand unique and how you can offer value to your customers in ways that your competitors can’t match.
Final Thoughts
In summary, getting the right number of products per category on your ecommerce site is a balancing act between SEO and user experience. By ensuring your categories are well-organized and keyword-optimized, you create a site that is both search engine-friendly and easy for customers to navigate.
At Pattern, we know how crucial it is to get this balance right. We help ecommerce brands grow by creating programmatic landing pages that target a wide array of search terms, turning organic traffic into paying customers. Unlike the typical agency, we're focused on real results, ensuring every dollar you invest delivers a solid return on investment. If you're ready to make SEO a cornerstone of your growth strategy, let's talk about how Pattern can help you achieve that.