Start with navigation

Google recommends linking store pages so that products are available through categories and subcategories. The mere presence of a product in the internal search engine does not guarantee that the robot will discover it as the customer would.

Source: Google: store structure ↗

Select a few representative products and navigate to them from the home page. Note places where the category name is unclear, the list is empty, or the transition depends solely on the script without a simple link.

Give the category a specific task

The category should make it easier to select a specific product group. A brief explanation of usage, differences, and selection criteria may be more helpful than a long block of general text. Don't cover your products with content added just for character count.

Example of a category decision

“Desk lamps” describes a clear need. A combination of several random filters does not always need a separate page for indexing. Evaluate the offer, the durability of the set and whether such a view will be useful after a change in stock levels.

Plan the behavior of your filters

Identify which views are main categories and which are temporary results of sorting or refinement. Set the address, canonical, indexing and linking rules together with the contractor. Don't target all filters to the same canonical without checking the similarity of the content and purpose of the page.

Test pagination and the mobile version. The customer should be able to move to subsequent products and return to the list without losing orientation. A sitemap supplements the structure, but it doesn't fix poor navigation.

Control changes in the assortment

When recalling a product, decide whether to leave useful information, identify an actual replacement, or remove the address. Don't automatically redirect all missing items to the home page. The behavior should correspond to the situation and the user's need.

Evaluate SEO along with the shopping experience: delivery description, condition, price and shopping cart performance. Traffic to an unavailable or misleading offer may not yield benefits despite better charts.

FOR USE IN PRACTICE

Your checklist

  • Check the path from category to product.
  • Define useful categories and filter policies.
  • Test pagination and links without a search engine.
  • Plan to handle recalled products.

Sources and news

Documentation reviewed on September 21, 2026. The examples in the article are illustrative - they do not describe audit results or client implementation.

Educational material developed with the help of AI based on the indicated sources. It does not replace an individual assessment of the website by a specialist. Editorial rules.