From Thin to Winning: An E-commerce Category Page Optimization
Client: A mid-sized e-commerce store specializing in boutique fashion and apparel.
Challenges We Faced
The client’s site was struggling to rank for broad “category” keywords, losing all traffic to “fast fashion” giants:
Thin Category Pages
Their category pages (e.g., “Dresses,” “Handbags”) were just a grid of products with no introductory content.
Duplicate Product Descriptions
80% of their product descriptions were copied directly from the manufacturer, causing site-wide duplicate content issues.
No Topical Authority
Google saw them as a “thin” reseller, not an authoritative boutique.
Low Conversion Rate
Users landing on the “thin” category pages were confused and bounced.
No SEO Differentiation or Brand Voice
With no unique copy, styling advice, or buying guidance, the site gave users (and Google) no reason to choose them over larger marketplaces.
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Our Approach – How We Solved These Challenges
Comprehensive Content Audit
We ran a full audit using Screaming Frog to find all thin and duplicate content pages. The 50+ category pages were our top priority.
E-commerce Content Optimization
We wrote new, 500-word, high-value “guides” for the top of all 50 category pages. This transformed them from “product grids” into “shopping guides.”
AI Content Optimization
We used AI Content Optimization tools (like Jasper) to assist in rewriting over 1,000 duplicate product descriptions, making each one unique.
Keyword Research & Mapping
We mapped high-volume “head” keywords (e.g., “Women’s Dresses”) to the newly optimized category pages.
We mapped long-tail “product” keywords to the new, unique product descriptions.
Results
| Metric | Before | After | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category Page Rankings (Page 1) | 4 | 38 | +850% |
| Organic Conversion Rate | 0.7% | 2.1% | +200% |
| Duplicate Content Issues (GSC) | 1,200+ Pages | 50 Pages | -95.8% |
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Advice for Marketers & Brand Owners
- Your category pages are your real money pages. A content optimization seo strategy for e-commerce must add unique, helpful content to these pages.
- Stop using manufacturer descriptions. This is a duplicate content penalty waiting to happen. Use AI Content Optimization to quickly create unique descriptions.
- A Comprehensive Content Audit is critical for finding and fixing duplicate content, which is common in e-commerce.
Extra Factors That Made It Work
- Adding 500 words of helpful (not-fluff) content to the top of category pages was the #1 ranking factor.
- Using AI tools was the only way to rewrite 1,000+ product descriptions in a cost-effective and timely manner.
- The Website Content Optimization fixed the duplicate content issues, which lifted the authority of the entire site.
