Category pages carry the weight
Category pages target the highest-volume commercial keywords and receive the most internal links. Optimize titles, add 150-300 words of unique intro copy, and use collection-level schema.
Product schema is non-negotiable
Every product page needs Product schema with price, availability, and review aggregate. This unlocks rich results and merchant listings across Google and Bing.
Faceted navigation done right
Facets (color, size, price) can create thousands of near-duplicate URLs. Set noindex on filtered pages, canonical to the parent category, and only index the filters that get real search demand.
Internal linking hubs
Related products, 'complete the look', and cross-category linking all push authority to product pages that would otherwise be orphaned.
Merchant Center + product feeds
Free product listings in Google and Bing shopping tabs. Set this up even if you do not run paid ads - the free traffic is meaningful.