Library·SOP·SEO
Help shoppers compare a useful product group with a clear category introduction, relevant products and accurate search copy.
Last reviewed: · Editorial review
Clarity, structure and references reviewed in this version. This is not a test in a live account.
Help shoppers compare a useful product group with a clear category introduction, relevant products and accurate search copy.
This SOP covers:
This does not cover:
A category is a browsing page that groups products. It should help someone compare choices, while each product page explains one particular item.
Open the existing category and see what shoppers receive.
In WordPress, go to Products > Categories. Find the category and click Edit beneath its name. Use this screen, rather than Posts > Categories, which controls blog posts.
Open the category’s public address in another tab. Read its heading and any introduction, then browse its product list. Notice whether it shows products directly, subcategories or both.
Choose one phrase for the range this category helps shoppers browse.
Use a familiar group name that fits the products. Illustrative example: stoneware mugs suits a range of mugs; blue stoneware mug 350 ml suits one product. If the category contains mixed materials, mugs may be more truthful than stoneware mugs.
Search the phrase in Google and look at the kinds of pages shown. A phrase that mainly returns browsing pages can fit this category. If results mainly answer a how-to question, use the actual product-group name instead of promising an article.
Compare the listed products with the owner’s intended group. Decide which items belong and what a buyer should compare, such as capacity, size, material or compatibility. A mug range can help people compare capacity and colour; unrelated plates need their own appropriate category.
Keep the introduction short enough to help shoppers reach the products. Explain the group and how to choose; leave item-specific details on the product pages.
In the category’s Name field, use a clear label for the group. For example, Stoneware Mugs is more useful than Our Favourites when the category contains only stoneware mugs. Keep an already clear name.
Correct an assignment only when the product does not fit the category’s stated purpose or a relevant existing product is missing.
For a misplaced product, open Products > All Products > Edit for that item. In Product categories, select its appropriate existing category and clear this category if it does not belong here. Click Update. Repeat for other misplaced items.
For a missing relevant product, open its editor, select this category in Product categories, and click Update. A product may belong to more than one useful category. Return to Products > Categories and reopen your category when finished.
Enter useful buying guidance in the category’s Description field. This is the on-page introduction; it is separate from Yoast SEO’s search description.
Write a short opening that names the range and tells shoppers what to compare. Illustrative example: Browse stoneware mugs for coffee or tea. Compare each mug’s capacity and colour, then open the product for its exact size and care instructions. This helps more than Best mugs! Mugs for sale!
Check each statement against the products in the group. Mention a shared feature only when it applies to every listed item, or clearly say which items have it. For example, say Check each product’s care instructions when only some mugs are dishwasher safe. Remove repeated keywords and unsupported claims.
Use related content and images when they help someone choose.
If a published WordPress buying guide or advice page explains this range, follow the linked SOP to add a relevant link from that post or page to the category. Use clear words such as compare stoneware mugs. The companion uses the Block Editor for the post or page; it does not edit this category field.
If the category uses a thumbnail and the image is unclear or oversized, follow the linked SOP’s image-choice and file preparation guidance. Return to this category’s Thumbnail chooser to select the prepared file. Use a representative image of the range rather than implying one product is the whole selection.
The SEO title names this browsing page in search. Its meta description may appear underneath and should describe the range, not one individual item.
Open Yoast SEO’s search controls for this category.
Scroll to the Yoast SEO box in this category editor. Enter your chosen group phrase in Focus keyphrase. This field helps Yoast review your writing; it does not tell Google to rank the page for the phrase.
Expand Search appearance in the Yoast SEO box. Use this category’s SEO title and Meta description fields in the next step.
Enter distinct copy that sets the right expectation for the range.
In SEO title, name the group and add the real store name if useful. Example: Stoneware Mugs: Compare Sizes & Colours | Orion Home, when those choices exist. Keep the product-group words easy to see in the preview. Replace existing default text or variable chips with the complete title when you want this exact wording.
In Yoast SEO’s search-copy Meta description, summarize the range and useful choice. Example: Browse stoneware mugs and compare capacity and colour. Open each product for its size, included pieces and care instructions. Include only what this category and its linked products deliver. Shorten repetition if the preview hides the useful words.
Themes decide whether the category Description appears and where it sits. Many show it below the category heading, but its saved field alone does not prove shoppers can see it.
Click Update at the bottom of the category editor. Reopen it from Products > Categories and check the saved Name, Description, any changed Thumbnail, chosen phrase and Yoast SEO search title and meta description.
Reload the same public category address and check what a shopper can see.
Find the category heading and the introduction you wrote. Check whether it appears above or below the product list and reads clearly. If the introduction is missing, ask the site maintainer to show this category’s Description in its category template. Return for this check after the template displays it; that part of the improvement is still unfinished.
Check that included products match the group and that each product card opens its proper page. If subcategories are shown, open them and confirm they give a useful path to products. Confirm any relevant incoming post/page link opens this category.
Narrow the browser to a phone-sized view. Check that the heading, introduction, product cards and any changed thumbnail remain readable and useful. If old copy persists after a reload, ask the administrator to check the cache or template.
Confirm the live category’s search title and summary in desktop Chrome.
On the public category page, press Ctrl+U on Windows/Linux or Command+Option+U on Mac. Use Find for <title and then name="description". This shows the page code; it is separate from the visible introduction and plugin preview.
Read the title between its opening and closing tags. In the tag with name="description", read the text after content=. Compare them with the final Yoast SEO preview. If a value is absent, duplicated or wrong, ask the site administrator to check the SEO output before calling it complete.
