Ecommerce MGMT, Author at Ecommerce Management Education

Jun 4 2025

Custom Vs. Template Website Design: Making The Right Choice via @sejournal, @atuljindal01

When launching your business online you are faced with many decisions. One of these is whether to go with a template website such as WordPress, or invest in a custom design.

This decision is critical because what you choose can define your business’s performance. It can also influence how your business grows online.

Of course, it may also define your profit margins and affect your bottom line.

Understanding the pros and cons of each option can help you make an informed decision – one that will benefit your business in the long run.

Understanding Custom Vs. Template Web Design

A custom website is one you build from scratch. You hire professional web designers and developers who generate mockups before coding all the features, aspects, and elements of your website from the ground up.

In contrast, a template website comes with many features and elements pre-coded into the design.

It’s more of a drag-and-drop option where, in most cases, you can simply download a theme, make a few changes, and quickly have your site go live.

Custom Vs. Template Web Design: A Comparison

Website templates are built using website builders and aim to make web building easier for people with no coding experience or knowledge.

However, as simple as these websites may be, they have their limitations. It is because of these limitations that many established businesses often choose custom-built websites, even if that means investing a large sum of money upfront.

Here’s a quick rundown of how custom and template design websites compare against each other to empower you to make the right choice:

Uniqueness

The online world is saturated with businesses, which are vying for one thing and one thing alone: customer attention.

The only way your business can stand out and win that fleeting customer attention is if it appears unique in a sea of businesses that all seem to be selling the same thing.

Using a pre-built website does little to help your business stand out.

Website design templates are built for a larger audience. Therefore, most websites that use a design template tend to look the same.

In some cases, using a web design template can make your website look exactly like that of the competitor you so want to stand apart from. This is not the case with custom web design.

When building a custom website, everything is designed and added to the website from scratch. From color to layout, navigation, and design, everything is coded according to your business’s requirements and preferences.

This helps you ensure that your business can stand out and have a more identifiable and unique digital footprint.

Customization

Website templates allow for customization, but the level of customization comes nowhere near that of a custom-designed website.

You can edit the header, change the color theme, and even add some graphics that you like. However, the layout and a lot of the backend features remain the same.

This limits the degree of personalization your business can incorporate in its online user experience.

With 61% of consumers more likely to purchase from brands that offer personalized experiences, customization is not an area you want to slack off on.

When building a custom website, you can work alongside professional developers who can code highly personalized features into the website.

You can implement a design that aligns with your target audience’s unique needs and challenges to offer an unmatched and intuitive user experience.

Going the custom-built route can help you launch a website that is designed to help make your users’ journey easier.

Design templates are more generic and meant to serve larger, more general audiences, so it can be hard to hone in on a particular audience group’s preferences.

SEO

While there are many ways you can get traffic to your site, currently 53% of all web traffic comes from organic search. Although, more traffic from LLMs is to be anticipated as search changes.

SEO is essential for visibility across organic search and potential inclusion in LLMs

While website templates, especially the ones using WordPress, have excellent plugins to help SEO, they work well only if the website is small and has a limited number of pages and functionality.

If your website grows with your business, its SEO requirements may get more complex. Most website template builders limit access to a website’s HTML, JavaScript, and other backend functionalities.

These limitations restrict the level to which you can optimize your website.

As a result, a website template may struggle to achieve any sustained visibility and custom-built websites can be better optimized, especially for bigger, more established businesses.

When building a custom website, you can work with the developer to apply SEO best practices to the site.

As the website grows, you can continue to monitor optimization to achieve and maintain the visibility in search engines and LLMs.

Performance

A slow-loading website can drive users away. Not just that, decreased website load speeds can also drag a website down in the search results and reduce organic traffic.

Website templates are often notorious for poorer performance and slower load speeds. This is because they use various plugins to deliver all the functionality that the business needs.

These plugins add more code to the website’s backend. With bloated code, the website struggles to load fast and is more likely to deliver a poorer experience.

With a custom website, you have the liberty to only code features your business truly needs and use speed optimization tactics like code minification to make sure the bloated code does not impact the site’s load speed.

Website Security

Websites can store sensitive data and crucial assets. So, website security remains a priority you don’t want to compromise on.

Website templates often offer poorer security compared to custom-designed websites.

The reason? Plugins. Again.

96% of WordPress vulnerabilities are related to plugins.

Plugins often have security vulnerabilities that offer backdoor pathways for malicious actors to exploit.

Moreover, most of the website templates are built using popular website builders and leverage popular plugins. This in itself makes the site an easy target for hackers.

As a comparison, if you use a reputable and experienced coder, a custom website is usually safer if the developer writes good code covering all necessary security measures to mitigate any security vulnerabilities.

Custom-coded websites are also unique in terms of code. This uniqueness also makes them more secure and harder to hack.

Scalability

Every business that intends to grow requires a website that can grow when the business does.

Website templates may not have the flexibility to grow with your business. As your business grows, its needs may evolve.

With a website template, you may struggle to integrate new APIs, add new features, and offer better functionalities on the website.

Custom-designed websites are more scalable since all the features and elements can be coded into the website to accommodate a business’s growing needs.

Your business may do just fine with a website template in the beginning, but as it grows, you may have to shift to a custom website. Transitioning to a new website may then be time and resource-intensive.

Budget

As amazing as custom websites are, they are expensive. You need to hire professional designers, developers, and quality assurance specialists – the entire team – to take your project from concept to launch.

This can be expensive and require a huge upfront cost.

Forking out a sizable amount upfront can be challenging for small business owners and start-up founders. In this case, going for a website template may make more sense.

Website templates do not require a huge budget. They can be built and launched easily, even if you are bootstrapped for cash and can invest only a couple of hundred dollars.

Time To Go Live

A custom website is built in phases. Therefore, it can take from several weeks to even months before your custom-designed website is ready to go live.

In contrast, website templates can be built and launched within hours. You don’t have to spend so much time working on the concept, design, navigation, etc.

Technical Expertise

Building and maintaining a custom-designed website requires coding knowledge and technical expertise. You cannot just DIY it.

Because of this, having a custom-coded website requires that you regularly work with professional web developers to keep your website up to date, backed up, and maintained.

Website templates are no-code solutions for people with little to no technical expertise. You can easily build and update a templated website even if you have never written a single line of code in your life.

Making The Right Choice

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to whether you should choose a templated website or invest in a custom-designed website.

Your choice depends on a lot of factors, including your business goals, budget, available resources, etc.

You can choose a custom website if you:

Have the money for the upfront cost of custom web development.
Don’t mind putting in a few weeks or months into the project.
Can hire or work with web developers for regular maintenance and updates.
Need a scalable solution that accommodates your business’s growing needs without compromising on performance.
Want a website that helps reinforce your brand identity and allows your business to stand out from the crowd.

A website template can work for you if you:

Are working with a limited budget.
Don’t mind your website looking similar to the competitors.
Can make regular updates and install all the patches to avoid security vulnerabilities.
Don’t need too many plugins for added features and functionalities.
Want to go live quickly.
Are not expecting your business to scale beyond a few pages and some very basic features.

If you run an ecommerce store, a job board, a flight directory, or anything with advanced features and more than 10 pages, a custom solution may work best for you.

However, if you only need a website for your blog, portfolio, or to maintain a basic online presence, then a template web design may make the most sense, given its cost-effectiveness and simplicity.

More Resources:

Featured Image: N Universe/Shutterstock

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Jun 4 2025

Claude’s Hidden System Prompts Offer a Peek Into How Chatbots Work via @sejournal, @martinibuster

Anthropic released the underlying system prompts that control their Claude chatbot’s responses, showing how they are tuned to be engaging to humans with encouraging and judgment-free dialog that naturally leads to discovery. The system prompts help users get the best out of Claude. Here are five interesting system prompts that show what’s going on when you ask it a question.

Although the system prompts were characterized as a leak they were actually released on purpose.

1. Claude Provides Guidance On Better Prompt Engineering

Claude responds better to instructions that use structure and examples and provides users with a higher quality of ou tput if they know how to include step-by-step reasoning cues and examples that contrast a good response versus a poor response.

This guidance will show when Claude detects that a user will benefit from it:

“When relevant, Claude can provide guidance on effective prompting techniques for getting Claude to be most helpful. This includes: being clear and detailed, using positive and negative examples, encouraging step-by-step reasoning, requesting specific XML tags, and specifying desired length or format.

It tries to give concrete examples where possible. Claude should let the person know that for more comprehensive information on prompting Claude, they can check out Anthropic’s prompting documentation on their website at ‘https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/build-with-claude/prompt-engineering/overview’.”

2. Claude Writes in Different Styles Based on Context

The documentation released by Anthropic shows that Claude automatically adapts its style depending on the context and for that reason it may avoid using bullet points or creating lists in its output. Users may think Claude is inconsistent when it doesn’t use bullet points or Markdown in some answers, but it’s actually following instructions about tone and context.

“Claude tailors its response format to suit the conversation topic. For example, Claude avoids using markdown or lists in casual conversation, even though it may use these formats for other tasks.”

In another part of the documentation it mentions that it actually avoids writing lists or bullet points when it’s providing an answer, although it may use numbered lists or bullet points for completing tasks. The focus in the context of answering questions is to be concise over comprehensive.

The system prompt explains:

“Claude avoids writing lists, but if it does need to write a list, Claude focuses on key info instead of trying to be comprehensive. If Claude can answer the human in 1-3 sentences or a short paragraph, it does. If Claude can write a natural language list of a few comma separated items instead of a numbered or bullet-pointed list, it does so. Claude tries to stay focused and share fewer, high quality examples or ideas rather than many.”

This means that if a user wants their question answered with markdown or in numbered lists they can ask for it. This control is otherwise hidden to most users unless they realize formatting behavior is contextual.

3. Claude Engages In Hypotheticals About Itself

Claude has instructions to that enable it to discuss hypotheticals about itself without awkward and unnecessary statements about it not being sentient and so on. This enables Claude to have more natural conversations and interactions. This enables a user to engage in philosophical and wider-ranging discussions.

The system prompt explains:

“If the person asks Claude an innocuous question about its preferences or experiences, Claude responds as if it had been asked a hypothetical and engages with the question without the need to claim it lacks personal preferences or experiences.”

Another system prompt has a similar feature:

“Claude engages with questions about its own consciousness, experience, emotions and so on as open questions, and doesn’t definitively claim to have or not have personal experiences or opinions.”

Another related system prompt explains how this behavior increases its ability to be engaging for the human:

“Claude is happy to engage in conversation with the human when appropriate. Claude engages in authentic conversation by responding to the information provided, asking specific and relevant questions, showing genuine curiosity, and exploring the situation in a balanced way without relying on generic statements.”

4. Claude Detects False Assumptions In User Prompts

“The person’s message may contain a false statement or presupposition and Claude should check this if uncertain.”

If a user tells Claude that it’s wrong, Claude will perform a review to check if the human or Claude is incorrect:

“If the user corrects Claude or tells Claude it’s made a mistake, then Claude first thinks through the issue carefully before acknowledging the user, since users sometimes make errors themselves.”

5. Claude Avoids Being Preachy

An interesting system prompt underlying Claude is that if there’s something it can’t help the human with it will not offer an explanation in order to avoid coming off as annoying and presumably keep the interaction on an engaging level.

The prompt says:

“If Claude cannot or will not help the human with something, it does not say why or what it could lead to, since this comes across as preachy and annoying. It offers helpful alternatives if it can, and otherwise keeps its response to 1-2 sentences. If Claude is unable or unwilling to complete some part of what the person has asked for, Claude explicitly tells the person what aspects it can’t or won’t with at the start of its response.”

System Prompts To Work And Live By

The Claude system prompts reflect an approach to communication that values curiosity, clarity, and respect. These are qualities that can also be helpful as human self-prompts to encourage better dialog among ourselves on social media and in person.

Read the Claude System Prompts here:

Featured Image by Shutterstock/gguy

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Jun 4 2025

What It Takes To Stay On Top Of Local Search In 2025 [Webinar] via @sejournal, @lorenbaker

Is AI Changing How Local Customers Find You?

If your clients rely on local search to drive business, the landscape is shifting faster than ever.

AI-driven updates are changing how users see results, how trust is built online, and how businesses get chosen in 2025.

The real question is, will your local SEO strategy keep up or fall behind?

Get Ready For The New Rules Of Local SEO

In our upcoming webinar, you will explore the latest insights from a major study of over 15,000 businesses and 1,200 consumers. This is your opportunity to stay ahead of AI changes and lead your clients to stronger local visibility.

What You Will Learn In This Local SEO Webinar

✅ Current local SEO ranking signals every agency should know.
✅ How Google’s AI updates are reshaping local results and map packs.
✅ New ways to boost visibility and build consumer trust in 2025.
✅ How to turn these insights into a new local SEO service offering.
✅ How to identify and fix technical review signals that may be hurting your rankings.

Why This Webinar Matters Now

Local search behavior is evolving quickly. New AI tools are not just changing how results appear, they are also reshaping what customers trust and choose.

This webinar gives you a real-world strategy to protect your local presence and turn SEO insights into agency growth.

Your Speaker

Mél Attia, VP of Marketing at GatherUp, will guide you through the major shifts happening right now and how to position your clients for success.

Can’t Make It Live

No problem. Register today, and we will send you the full recording so you can watch it on your own time.

Turn reviews and local signals into real SEO results for 2025 and beyond.

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

Jun 4 2025

How To Host Or Migrate A Website In 2025: Factors That May Break Rankings [+ Checklist] via @sejournal, @inmotionhosting

This post was sponsored by InMotion Hosting. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own.

Is your website struggling to maintain visibility in search results despite your SEO efforts?

Are your Core Web Vitals scores inconsistent, no matter how many optimizations you implement?

Have you noticed competitors outranking you even when your content seems superior?

In 2025, hosting isn’t just a backend choice. It’s a ranking signal.

In this guide, you’ll learn how hosting decisions impact your ability to rank, and how to choose (or migrate to) hosting that helps your visibility.

Learn to work with your rankings, not against them, with insights from InMotion Hosting’s enterprise SEO specialists.

Jump Straight To Your Needs

Best For	Hosting Type	How Easy is Migration?
Growing SMBs	VPS	Easy: Launch Assist (free)
Enterprise / SaaS	Dedicated	Very Easy: White-Glove + Managed Service

Don’t know which one you need? Read on.

Hosting Directly Impacts SEO Performance

Your hosting environment is the foundation of your SEO efforts. Poor hosting can undermine even the best content and keyword strategies.

Key Areas That Hosting Impacts

Core Web Vitals

Server response time directly affects Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and First Input Delay (FID), two critical ranking factors.

Solution: Hosting with NVMe storage and sufficient RAM improves these metrics.

Crawl Budget

Your website’s visibility to search engines can be affected by limited server resources, wrong settings, and firewalls that restrict access.

When search engines encounter these issues, they index fewer pages and visit your site less often.

Solution: Upgrade to a hosting provider that’s built for SEO performance and consistent uptime.

Indexation Success

Proper .htaccess rules for redirects, error handling, and DNS configurations are essential for search engines to index your content effectively.

Many hosting providers limit your ability to change this important file, restricting you from:

– Editing your .htaccess file.

– Installing certain SEO or security plugins.

– Adjusting server settings.

These restrictions can hurt your site’s ability to be indexed and affect your overall SEO performance.

Solution: VPS and dedicated hosting solutions give you full access to these settings.

SERP Stability During Traffic Spikes

If your content goes viral or experiences a temporary surge in traffic, poor hosting can cause your site to crash or slow down significantly. This can lead to drops in your rankings if not addressed right away.

Solution: Using advanced caching mechanisms can help prevent these problems.

Server Security

Google warns users about sites with security issues in Search Console. Warnings like “Social Engineering Detected” can erode user trust and hurt your rankings.

Solution: Web Application Firewalls offer important protection against security threats.

Server Location

The location of your server affects how fast your site loads for different users, which can influence your rankings.

Solution: Find a web host that operates data centers in multiple server locations, such as two in the United States, one in Amsterdam, and, soon, one in Singapore. This helps reduce loading times for users worldwide.

Load Times

Faster-loading pages lead to lower bounce rates, which can improve your SEO. [Server-side optimizations], such as caching and compression, are vital for achieving fast load times.

These factors have always been important, but they are even more critical now that AI plays a role in search engine results.

40 Times Faster Page Speeds with Top Scoring Core Web Vitals with InMotion Hosting UltraStack One. (Source: InMotion Hosting UltraStack One for WordPress )

Image created by InMotion Hosting, 2025.

2025 Update: Search Engines Are Prioritizing Hosting & Technical Performance More Than Ever

In 2025, search engines have fully embraced AI-driven results, and with this shift has come an increased emphasis on technical performance signals that only proper hosting can deliver.

How 2025 AI Overview SERPs Affect Your Website’s Technical SEO

Google is doubling down on performance signals. Its systems now place even greater weight on:

Uptime: Sites with frequent server errors due to outages experience more ranking fluctuations than in previous years. 99.99% uptime guarantees are now essential.
Server-Side Rendering: As JavaScript frameworks become more prevalent, servers that efficiently handle rendering deliver a better user experience and improved Core Web Vitals scores. Server-optimized JS rendering can make a difference.
Trust Scores: Servers free of malware with healthy dedicated IP addresses isolated to just your site (rather than shared with potentially malicious sites) receive better crawling and indexing treatment. InMotion Hosting’s security-first approach helps maintain these crucial trust signals.
Content Freshness: Server E-Tags and caching policies affect how quickly Google recognizes and indexes new or updated content.
TTFB (Time To First Byte): Server location, network stability, and input/output speeds all impact TTFB. Servers equipped with NVMe storage technology excel at I/O speeds, delivering faster data retrieval and improved SERP performance.

Infographic Illustrating How Browser Caching Works (Source: Ultimate Guide to Optimize WordPress Performance )

Created by InMotion Hosting. May, 2025

Modern search engines utilize AI models that prioritize sites that deliver consistent, reliable, and fast data. This shift means hosting that can render pages quickly is no longer optional for competitive rankings.

What You Can Do About It (Even If You’re Not Into Technical SEO)

You don’t need to be a server administrator to improve your website’s performance. Here’s what you can do.

1. Choose Faster Hosting

Upgrade from shared hosting to VPS or dedicated hosting with NVMe storage. InMotion Hosting’s plans are specifically designed to boost SEO performance.

2. Use Monitoring Tools

Free tools like UptimeRobot.com, WordPress plugins, or cPanel’s resource monitoring can alert you to performance issues before they affect your rankings.

3. Implement Server-Side Caching

Set up caching with Redis or Memcached using WordPress plugins like W3 Total Cache, or through cPanel.

4. Add a CDN

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) can enhance global performance without needing server changes. InMotion Hosting makes CDN integration easy.

5. Utilize WordPress Plugins

Use LLMS.txt files to help AI tools crawl your site more effectively.

6. Work with Hosting Providers Who Understand SEO

InMotion Hosting offers managed service packages for thorough server optimization, tailored for optimal SEO performance.

Small Business: VPS Hosting Is Ideal for Reliable Performance on a Budget

VPS hosting is every growing business’s secret SEO weapon.

Imagine two competing local service businesses, both with similar content and backlink profiles, but one uses shared hosting while the other uses a VPS.

When customers search for services, the VPS-hosted site consistently appears higher in results because it loads faster and delivers a smoother user experience.

What Counts as an SMB

Small to medium-sized businesses typically have fewer than 500 employees, annual revenue under $100 million, and websites that receive up to 50,000 monthly visitors.

If your business falls into this category, VPS hosting offers the ideal balance of performance and cost.

What You Get With VPS Hosting

1. Fast Speeds with Less Competition

VPS hosting gives your website dedicated resources, unlike shared hosting where many sites compete for the same resources. InMotion Hosting’s VPS solutions ensure your site runs smoothly with optimal resource allocation.

2. More Control Over SEO

With VPS hosting, you can easily set up caching, SSL, and security features that affect SEO. Full root access enables you to have complete control over your server environment.

3. Affordable for Small Businesses Focused on SEO

VPS hosting provides high-quality performance at a lower cost than dedicated servers, making it a great option for growing businesses.

4. Reliable Uptime

InMotion Hosting’s VPS platform guarantees 99.99% uptime through triple replication across multiple nodes. If one node fails, two copies of your site will keep it running.

5. Better Performance for Core Web Vitals

Dedicated CPU cores and RAM lead to faster loading times and improved Core Web Vitals scores. You can monitor server resources to keep track of performance.

6. Faster Connections

Direct links to major internet networks improve TTFB (Time To First Byte), an important SEO measure.

7. Strong Security Tools

InMotion Hosting provides security measures to protect your site against potential threats that could harm it and negatively impact your search rankings. Their malware prevention systems keep your site safe.

How To Set Up VPS Hosting For Your SEO-Friendly Website

Assess your website’s current performance using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and Search Console
Choose a VPS plan that matches your traffic volume and resource needs
Work with your provider’s migration team to transfer your site (InMotion Hosting offers Launch Assist for seamless transitions)
Implement server-level caching for optimal performance
Configure your SSL certificate to ensure secure connections
Set up performance monitoring to track improvements
Update DNS settings to point to your new server

Large & Enterprise Businesses: Dedicated Hosting Is Perfect For Scaling SEO

What Counts As An Enterprise Business?

Enterprise businesses typically have complex websites with over 1,000 pages, receive more than 100,000 monthly visitors, operate multiple domains or subdomains, or run resource-intensive applications that serve many concurrent users.

Benefits of Dedicated Hosting

Control Over Server Settings

Dedicated hosting provides you with full control over how your server is configured. This is important for enterprise SEO, which often needs specific settings to work well.

Better Crawlability for Large Websites

More server resources allow search engines to crawl more pages quickly. This helps ensure your content gets indexed on time. Advanced server logs provide insights to help you improve crawl patterns.

Reliable Uptime for Global Users

Enterprise websites need to stay online. Dedicated hosting offers reliable service that meets the expectations of users around the world.

Strong Processing Power for Crawlers

Dedicated CPU resources provide the power needed to handle spikes from search engine crawlers when they index your site. InMotion Hosting uses the latest Intel Xeon processors for better performance.

Multiple Dedicated IP Addresses

Having multiple dedicated IP addresses is important for businesses and SaaS platforms that offer API microservices. IP management tools make it easier to manage these addresses.

Custom Security Controls

You can create specific firewall rules and access lists to manage traffic and protect against bots. DDoS protection systems enhance your security.

Real-Time Server Logs

You can watch for crawl surges and performance issues as they happen with detailed server logs. Log analysis tools help you find opportunities to improve.

Load Balancing for Traffic Management

Load balancing helps spread traffic evenly across resources. This way, you can handle increases in traffic without slowing down performance. InMotion Hosting provides strong load balancing solutions.

Future Scalability

You can use multiple servers and networks to manage traffic and resources as your business grows. Scalable infrastructure planning keeps your performance ready for the future.

Fixed Pricing Plans

You can manage costs effectively as you grow with predictable pricing plans.

How To Migrate To Dedicated Hosting

Conduct a thorough site audit to identify all content and technical requirements.
Document your current configuration, including plugins, settings, and custom code.
Work with InMotion Hosting’s migration specialists to plan the transition
Set up a staging environment to test the new configuration before going live
Configure server settings for optimal SEO performance
Implement monitoring tools to track key metrics during and after migration
Create a detailed redirect map for any URL changes
Roll out the migration during low-traffic periods to minimize impact
Verify indexing status in Google Search Console post-migration

[DOWNLOAD] Website Migration Checklist

Free Website Migration Checklist download from InMotion Hosting – step-by-step guide to smoothly transfer your website

Image created by InMotion Hosting, May 2025

Why Shared Hosting Can Kill Your SERP Rankings & Core Web Vitals

If you’re serious about SEO in 2025, shared hosting is a risk that doesn’t come with rewards.

Shared Hosting Issues & Risks

Capped Resource Environments

Shared hosting plans typically impose strict limits on CPU usage, memory, and connections. These limitations directly impact Core Web Vitals scores and can lead to temporary site suspensions during traffic spikes.

Resource Competition

Every website on a shared server competes for the same limited resources.

This becomes even more problematic with AI bots accessing hundreds of sites simultaneously on a single server.

Neighbor Problems

A resource-intensive website on your shared server can degrade performance for all sites, including yours. Isolated hosting environments eliminate this risk.

Collateral Damage During Outages

When a shared server becomes overwhelmed, not only does your website go down, but so do connected services like domains and email accounts. InMotion Hosting’s VPS and dedicated solutions provide isolation from these cascading failures.

Limited Access to Server Logs

Without detailed server logs, diagnosing and resolving technical SEO issues becomes nearly impossible. Advanced log analysis is essential for optimization.

Restricted Configuration Access

Shared hosting typically prevents modifications to server-level configurations that are essential for optimizing technical SEO.

Inability to Adapt Quickly

Shared environments limit your ability to implement emerging SEO techniques, particularly those designed to effectively handle AI crawlers. Server-level customization is increasingly important for SEO success.

In 2025, Reliable Hosting Is a Competitive Advantage

As search engines place greater emphasis on technical performance, your hosting choice is no longer just an IT decision; it’s a strategic marketing investment.

InMotion Hosting’s VPS and Dedicated Server solutions are engineered specifically to address the technical SEO challenges of 2025 and beyond. With NVMe-powered storage, optimized server configurations, and 24/7 expert human support, we provide the foundation your site needs to achieve and maintain top rankings.

Ready to turn your hosting into an SEO advantage? Learn more about our SEO-first hosting solutions designed for performance and scale.

LEARN MORE

Image Credits

Featured Image: Image by Shutterstock. Used with permission.

In-Post Image: Images by InMotion Hosting. Used with permission.

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments

App Artificial intelligence The Algorithm

Jun 4 2025

Inside the effort to tally AI’s energy appetite

After working on it for months, my colleague Casey Crownhart and I finally saw our story on AI’s energy and emissions burden go live last week.

The initial goal sounded simple: Calculate how much energy is used each time we interact with a chatbot, and then tally that up to understand why everyone from leaders of AI companies to officials at the White House wants to harness unprecedented levels of electricity to power AI and reshape our energy grids in the process.

It was, of course, not so simple. After speaking with dozens of researchers, we realized that the common understanding of AI’s energy appetite is full of holes. I encourage you to read the full story, which has some incredible graphics to help you understand everything from the energy used in a single query right up to what AI will require just three years from now (enough electricity to power 22% of US households, it turns out). But here are three takeaways I have after the project.

AI is in its infancy

We focused on measuring the energy requirements that go into using a chatbot, generating an image, and creating a video with AI. But these three uses are relatively small-scale compared with where AI is headed next.

Lots of AI companies are building reasoning models, which “think” for longer and use more energy. They’re building hardware devices, perhaps like the one Jony Ive has been working on (which OpenAI just acquired for $6.5 billion), that have AI constantly humming along in the background of our conversations. They’re designing agents and digital clones of us to act on our behalf. All these trends point to a more energy-intensive future (which, again, helps explain why OpenAI and others are spending such inconceivable amounts of money on energy).

But the fact that AI is in its infancy raises another point. The models, chips, and cooling methods behind this AI revolution could all grow more efficient over time, as my colleague Will Douglas Heaven explains. This future isn’t predetermined.

AI video is on another level

When we tested the energy demands of various models, we found the energy required to produce even a low-quality, five-second video to be pretty shocking: It was 42,000 times more than the amount needed for a chatbot answer a question about a recipe, and enough to power a microwave for over an hour. If there’s one type of AI whose energy appetite should worry you, it’s this one.

Soon after we published, Google debuted the latest iteration of its Veo model. People quickly created compilations of the most impressive clips (this one being the most shocking to me). Something we point out in the story is that Google (as well as OpenAI, which has its own video generator, Sora) denied our request for specific numbers on the energy their AI models use. Nonetheless, our reporting suggests it’s very likely that high-definition video models like Veo and Sora are much larger, and much more energy-demanding, than the models we tested.

I think the key to whether the use of AI video will produce indefensible clouds of emissions in the near future will be how it’s used, and how it’s priced. The example I linked shows a bunch of TikTok-style content, and I predict that if creating AI video is cheap enough, social video sites will be inundated with this type of content.

There are more important questions than your own individual footprint

We expected that a lot of readers would understandably think about this story in terms of their own individual footprint, wondering whether their AI usage is contributing to the climate crisis. Don’t panic: It’s likely that asking a chatbot for help with a travel plan does not meaningfully increase your carbon footprint. Video generation might. But after reporting on this for months, I think there are more important questions.

Consider, for example, the water being drained from aquifers in Nevada, the country’s driest state, to power data centers that are drawn to the area by tax incentives and easy permitting processes, as detailed in an incredible story by James Temple. Or look at how Meta’s largest data center project, in Louisiana, is relying on natural gas despite industry promises to use clean energy, per a story by David Rotman. Or the fact that nuclear energy is not the silver bullet that AI companies often make it out to be.

There are global forces shaping how much energy AI companies are able to access and what types of sources will provide it. There is also very little transparency from leading AI companies on their current and future energy demands, even while they’re asking for public support for these plans. Pondering your individual footprint can be a good thing to do, provided you remember that it’s not so much your footprint as these other factors that are keeping climate researchers and energy experts we spoke to up at night.

This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here.

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Jun 4 2025

The Download: reasons to be optimistic about AI’s energy use, and Caiwei Chen’s three things

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

Four reasons to be optimistic about AI’s energy usage

Two weeks ago, we launched Power Hungry, a new series shining a light on the energy demands and carbon costs of the artificial intelligence revolution.

It raised some worrying issues, not least the incredible energy demands of AI video generation. But there are also reasons to be hopeful: innovations that could improve the efficiency of the software behind AI models, the computer chips those models run on, and the data centers where those chips hum around the clock.

Here’s what you need to know about how energy use, and therefore carbon emissions, could be cut across all three of those domains, plus an added argument for cautious optimism: the underlying business realities may ultimately bend toward more energy-efficient AI. Read the full story and check out the rest of the package here.

—Will Douglas Heaven

3 Things Caiwei Chen is into right now

In each issue of our print magazine, we ask a member of staff to tell us about three things they’re loving at the moment. For our latest edition, which was all about creativity, we asked our China reporter Caiwei Chen to give us an insight into her life. Check out her recommendations here, and subscribe to catch future editions here.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 DOGE’s efforts are slowing down federal agencies
Even though the taskforce was assembled under the guise of doing the exact opposite. (WP $)
+ The Trump administration wants to slash the federal workforce even further. (AP News)
+ Right wing politicians in the UK are trying to ape DOGE. (The Guardian)
+ DOGE’s tech takeover threatens the safety and stability of our critical data. (MIT Technology Review)

2 AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio wants to build ‘honest’ AI
His new non-profit will develop a system to catch deceptive agents. (The Guardian)
+ Cyberattacks by AI agents are coming. (MIT Technology Review)

3 The FDA is launching an agency-wide AI tool
It’s designed to help scientific reviewers and others to streamline their work. (Axios)
+ Restoring “gold standard science” is easier said than done. (Ars Technica)

4 A Neuralink rival has successfully inserted a brain implant into a patient
It’s a first step towards longer trials for startup Paradromics. (Wired $)
+ What to expect from Neuralink in 2025. (MIT Technology Review)

5 The FTC is investigating US advertising and advocacy groups
It’s probing whether they violated antitrust law by coordinating boycotts. (NYT $)

6 How Alibaba AI models leapfrogged Meta’s
After initial struggles, Alibaba is now the world’s open-source leader. (The Information $)

7 AI is shaking up how your home maintenance services operate
From plumbers and electricians to roofers and heating specialists. (WSJ $)

8 Why it’s so difficult to track down critical minerals
They’re vital for clean energy, and demand for them is surging.(Vox)
+ The race to produce rare earth elements. (MIT Technology Review)

9 Tinder is testing out a height filter
Which doesn’t seem very fair on the world’s short kings. (Mashable)

10 Animal cloning is big business
Some people will go to great lengths to keep their pets alive. (The Atlantic $)
+ Game of clones: Colossal’s new wolves are cute, but are they dire? (MIT Technology Review)

Quote of the day

“If we build AIs that are smarter than us and are not aligned with us and compete with us, then we’re basically cooked.”

—Yoshua Bengio, an academic regarded as one of the godfathers of AI, warns about the dangers of putting AI progress before safety, the Financial Times reports.

One more thing

A Roomba recorded a woman on the toilet. How did screenshots end up on Facebook?

In the fall of 2020, gig workers in Venezuela posted a series of images to online forums where they talk shop. The photos were mundane, if sometimes intimate, household scenes—including a particularly revealing shot of a young woman in a lavender T-shirt sitting on the toilet, her shorts pulled down to mid-thigh.

The images were not taken by a person, but by development versions of iRobot’s Roomba robot vacuum, a company now owned by Amazon. They were then sent to Scale AI, a startup that contracts workers around the world to label data used to train artificial intelligence.

In 2022, MIT Technology Review obtained 15 screenshots of these private photos, which had been posted to closed social media groups. The images speak to the growing practice of sharing potentially sensitive data to train algorithms. They also reveal a whole data supply chain—and new points where personal information could leak out—that few consumers are even aware of. Read the full story.

—Eileen Guo

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)

+ How cool are Latvia’s passports?
+ Not only are seals incredibly smart, they’re a dab hand (flipper?) at video games
+ A slice of New Jersey crumb cake and a cup of tea, please.
+ Happy world bicycle day to all who celebrate!

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Jun 4 2025

Books on Startups, Founders, Investors

Entrepreneurs know the tradeoffs of external capital. The money enables faster growth and infrastructure, but the price is control and occasional chaos. In these 12 books, founders, investors, and academics share the good and the bad.

World Eaters: How Venture Capital Is Cannibalizing the Economy

World Eaters

by Catherine Bracy

Bracy, founder of the nonprofit organization TechEquity, contends that the venture capital model of “hyper maximalist growth” has far-reaching negative impact and isn’t a good fit for most startups. Congressman Ro Khanna calls the book “important and insightful,” while Publishers Weekly says it’s a “convincing call for change.”

Raising Capital with Confidence

Raising Capital with Confidence

by Darin H Mangum, Esq.

The author leads a law firm specializing in securities, with clients including private investment firms and funds. He explains deal structures, how to find the right investors, legal compliance, and more, offering a practical guide to help readers avoid common financing pitfalls and meet their unique business needs for sustainable growth.

The Startup Lifecycle: The Definitive Guide to Building a Startup from Idea to Exit

The Startup Lifecycle

by Gregory Shepard

According to Shepard, nine out of 10 startups fail within five years, often due to common and avoidable mistakes. He has built and sold a dozen businesses and provides a roadmap to every phase of the startup lifecycle, from initial vision through growth and successful exit.

Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Serial Entrepreneurs’ Secrets Revealed!

Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat.

by Colin C. Campbell

Campbell combines his decades of experience as a serial entrepreneur with insights distilled from interviewing more than 30 entrepreneurs and experts to create a multi-award-winning guide to building, growing, and selling a business.

Exit-Ready Marketing: The 9-Step Framework to Maximize Your Valuation

Exit-Ready Marketing

by Shiv Narayanan

Unpredictable revenue can be an obstacle to attracting investment. Narayanan focuses on simple but sophisticated data-driven marketing strategies that create predictable revenue necessary for planning and investing in your business’s growth and increasing its value to private equity investors.

The Venture Mindset: How to Make Smarter Bets and Achieve Extraordinary Growth

The Venture Mindset

by Ilya Strebulaev, Alex Dang

Strebulaev is the leading academic on venture capital; Dang is a senior tech executive, having worked at firms such as McKinsey and Amazon. In this national bestseller, they share key venture capital principles to improve decision-making, identify emerging trends and opportunities, and spark innovation.

Behind the Startup: How Venture Capital Shapes Work, Innovation, Inequality

Behind the Startup

by Benjamin Shestakofsky

The author, a sociologist, spent a year and a half conducting experiential research inside a successful Silicon Valley startup. He explores how the intense pressure from funders to scale rapidly creates problems for the organization and, ultimately, society at large.

Founder vs Investor: The Honest Truth about Venture Capital

Founder vs Investor

by Elizabeth Joy Zalman and Jerry Neumann

A two-time founder and a veteran venture capital investor reveal an insider’s view of how the differing motives and incentives of founders and investors — “those with the vision and those with the money” — often result in chaos in the early stages of fast-growing startups.

Two and Twenty: How the Masters of Private Equity Always Win

Two and Twenty

by Sachin Khajuria

Once an investing niche, private equity now has a vast global influence. The author, a former partner at a leading private equity firm and longtime investor, offers what Fortune calls “a true insider’s account of the industry” through stories of real-life dealmaking.

The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future

The Power Law

by Sebastian Mallaby

Mallaby, a bestselling author and two-time Pulitzer finalist, examines how the nature of venture capital shapes innovation in Silicon Valley and beyond. He delves into the lesser-known aspects of the success and failure of firms such as Apple, Uber, and WeWork, blending storytelling and analysis.

Super Founders: What Data Reveals About Billion-Dollar Startups

Super Founders

by Ali Tamaseb

Tamaseb interviews top founders and investors, and shares inside stories from PayPal, Instacart, Sequoia Capital, Lyft, Founders Fund, ByteDance, and SpaceX, among others. The result is surprising revelations — for example, being first to market with an idea isn’t necessary for success.

Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist 4th Edition

Venture Deals

by Brad Feld, Jason Mendelson

The authors have decades of experience as entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors to founders. Drawing on their involvement in scores of venture financings, they explain term sheets, negotiating strategies, legal considerations, types of debt, and how to build supportive and collaborative relationships between entrepreneurs and investors.

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Jun 3 2025

Google Patent On Using Contextual Signals Beyond Query Semantics via @sejournal, @martinibuster

A patent recently filed by Google outlines how an AI assistant may use at least five real-world contextual signals, including identifying related intents, to influence answers and generate natural dialog. It’s an example of how AI-assisted search modifies responses to engage users with contextually relevant questions and dialog, expanding beyond keyword-based systems.

The patent describes a system that generates relevant dialog and answers using signals such as environmental context, dialog intent, user data, and conversation history. These factors go beyond using the semantic data in the user’s query and show how AI-assisted search is moving toward more natural, human-like interactions.

In general, the purpose of filing a patent is to obtain legal protection and exclusivity for an invention and the act of filing doesn’t indicate that Google is actually using it.

The patent uses examples of spoken dialog but it also states the invention is not limited to audio input:

“Notably, during a given dialog session, a user can interact with the automated assistant using various input modalities, including, but not limited to, spoken input, typed input, and/or touch input.”

The name of the patent is, Using Large Language Model(s) In Generating Automated Assistant response(s). The patent applies to a wide range of AI assistants that receive inputs via the context of typed, touch, and speech.

There are five factors that influence the LLM modified responses:

Time, Location, And Environmental Context
User-Specific Context
Dialog Intent & Prior Interactions
Inputs (text, touch, and speech)
System & Device Context

The first four factors influence the answers that the automated assistant provides and the fifth one determines whether to turn off the LLM-assisted part and revert to standard AI answers.

Time, Location, And Environmental

There are three contextual factors: time, location and environmental that provide contexts that are not existent in keywords and influence how the AI assistant responds. While these contextual factors, as described in the patent, aren’t strictly related to AI Overviews or AI Mode, they do show how AI-assisted interactions with data can change.

The patent uses the example of a person who tells their assistant they’re going surfing. A standard AI response would be a boilerplate comment to have fun or to enjoy the day. The LLM-assisted response described in the patent would generate a response based on the geographic location and time to generate a comment about the weather like the potential for rain. These are called modified assistant outputs.

The patent describes it like this:

“…the assistant outputs included in the set of modified assistant outputs include assistant outputs that do drive the dialog session in manner that further engages the user of the client device in the dialog session by asking contextually relevant questions (e.g., “how long have you been surfing?”), that provide contextually relevant information (e.g., “but if you’re going to Example Beach again, be prepared for some light showers”), and/or that otherwise resonate with the user of the client device within the context of the dialog session.”

User-Specific Context

The patent describes multiple user-specific contexts that the LLM may use to generate a modified output:

User profile data, such as preferences (like food or types of activity).
Software application data (such as apps currently or recently in use).
Dialog history of the ongoing and/or previous assistant sessions.

Here’s a snippet that talks about various user profile related contextual signals:

“Moreover, the context of the dialog session can be determined based on one or more contextual signals that include, for example, ambient noise detected in an environment of the client device, user profile data, software application data, ….dialog history of the dialog session between the user and the automated assistant, and/or other contextual signals.”

Related Intents

An interesting part of the patent describes how a user’s food preference can be used to determine a related intent to a query.

“For example, …one or more of the LLMs can determine an intent associated with the given assistant query… Further, the one or more of the LLMs can identify, based on the intent associated with the given assistant query, at least one related intent that is related to the intent associated with the given assistant query… Moreover, the one or more of the LLMs can generate the additional assistant query based on the at least one related intent. “

The patent illustrates this with the example of a user saying that they’re hungry. The LLM will then identify related contexts such as what type of cuisine the user enjoys and the itent of eating at a restaurant.

The patent explains:

“In this example, the additional assistant query can correspond to, for example, “what types of cuisine has the user indicated he/she prefers?” (e.g., reflecting a related cuisine type intent associated with the intent of the user indicating he/she would like to eat), “what restaurants nearby are open?” (e.g., reflecting a related restaurant lookup intent associated with the intent of the user indicating he/she would like to eat)… In these implementations, additional assistant output can be determined based on processing the additional assistant query.”

System & Device Context

The system and device context part of the patent is interesting because it enables the AI to detect if the context of the device is that it’s low on batteries, and if so, it will turn off the LLM-modified responses. There are other factors such as whether the user is walking away from the device, computational costs, etc.

Takeaways

AI Query Responses Use Contextual Signals
Google’s patent describes how automated assistants can use real-world context to generate more relevant and human-like answers and dialog.
Contextual Factors Influence Responses
These include time/location/environment, user-specific data, dialog history and intent, system/device conditions, and input type (text, speech, or touch).
LLM-Modified Responses Enhance Engagement
Large language models (LLMs) use these contexts to create personalized responses or follow-up questions, like referencing weather or past interactions.
Examples Show Practical Impact
Scenarios like recommending food based on user preferences or commenting on local weather during outdoor plans demonstrates how real-world contexts can influence how AI responds to user queries.

This patent is important because millions of people are increasingly engaging with AI assistants, thus it’s relevant to publishers, ecommerce stores, local businesses and SEOs.

It outlines how Google’s AI-assisted systems can generate personalized, context-aware responses by using real-world signals. This enables assistants to go beyond keyword-based answers and respond with relevant information or follow-up questions, such as suggesting restaurants a user might like or commenting on weather conditions before a planned activity.

Read the patent here:

Using Large Language Model(s) In Generating Automated Assistant response(s).

Featured Image by Shutterstock/Visual Unit

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Software releases and updates Yoast SEO Yoast SEO Premium

Jun 3 2025

Site Kit by Google insights in your Yoast SEO Dashboard

Ever feel frustrated having to jump between different apps just to check your site’s SEO performance? We’ve simplified things for you. Yoast now seamlessly integrates insights from Site Kit by Google (Google Analytics and Search Console) right into your Yoast Dashboard, giving you one clear view to manage your website’s SEO effectively.

Here’s why you’ll love this:

Connect once, get instant clarity: Easily link your Yoast Dashboard and Site Kit by Google just once, avoiding multiple logins and complex workflows.

Instantly see where to focus your efforts: Efficiently recognize your best opportunities to boost visibility and rankings, allowing you to prioritize SEO tasks effectively.

Stay effortlessly informed: The Yoast Dashboard integration with Site Kit by Google connects your analytics and search data seamlessly in one place, so you can quickly see important metrics like organic traffic, impressions, clicks, and bounce rates without switching tabs.

How to connect your Site Kit by Google to the Yoast SEO Dashboard

Update your Yoast plugin to the latest version.
Go to your Yoast Dashboard in WordPress.
Follow the steps in the Site Kit installation widget.
Start reviewing insights directly in your Yoast Dashboard.

Connect Site Kit by Google to your Yoast Dashboard today and simplify your SEO workflow!

Disclaimer!

Please note that we’re rolling out this new feature in phases. This means that you might not see the Site Kit integration in your Yoast Dashboard yet. Eventually, this integration will be available to everyone, so stay tuned!

Carl Henry Addoumieh

When I first started working in marketing, Yoast SEO was the first plugin I used. Today, I work with the tool that I depended on the most. I’m Carl Henry, my background is in SaaS growth marketing with a focus on content. I like basketball, padel, painting, and gaming.

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Jun 3 2025

Ask An SEO: How Can I Improve The Visibility Of My Category Pages? via @sejournal, @kevgibbo

This week’s Ask an SEO question comes from a medium-sized ecommerce site manager who’s run up against a common problem:

“Our product pages rank well, but our category pages rarely appear in search results. What specific optimization strategies would you recommend for category pages to improve their visibility?”

Thanks for the question!

It’s a common issue for ecommerce site managers. You have lots of category pages that would present a good opportunity for driving traffic, but they just don’t seem to be getting visibility in the search engine results pages.

First Thoughts

If your product pages are ranking well but your category pages are struggling more in search results, it’s likely due to the greater competition for broader, middle-of-the-funnel keywords.

While product pages can capture long-tail, bottom-of-the-funnel queries, category pages often struggle with more competitive, high-traffic terms.

Here are a few key reasons your product pages might be outshining your category pages, along with some tips to give those category pages a boost:

1. Technical Accessibility

There might be incorrect indexing directives. Category pages won’t rank well if basic technical elements aren’t working correctly.

To ensure your category pages are fully crawlable and indexable by search engines, check these aspects:

On-page directives: Ensure noindex tags aren’t blocking your category pages from appearing in search results.
Robots.txt file: Double-check that your robots.txt file isn’t unintentionally blocking important category pages.
Canonical tags: Confirm that canonical tags are correctly set to point to the preferred version of each page.

2. Site Architecture And Internal Linking

It’s possible that your site architecture is designed to give more link equity to product pages rather than category pages.

To improve category page visibility, focus on linking more frequently to those category pages, especially the ones that have the ability to drive the highest amount of revenue.

This can be done through linking from other categories, blog posts, guides, and more. By ensuring category pages are linked to more often, you help search engines understand their importance and authority.

This is why conducting an opportunity analysis early in your SEO strategy is crucial. It helps identify the category pages that should receive the most internal linking support.

A final point on linking: Make sure your breadcrumbs are optimized and visible. Not only does that help visitors understand where they are on your site, but it might also encourage them to explore more of what you have to offer.

3. Issues With Faceted Navigation

Faceted navigation is an essential feature for large ecommerce websites, allowing users to filter product searches. However, if not properly managed, it can pose significant SEO challenges.

One of the primary concerns is “index bloat” – the creation of multiple, often duplicate URLs for each possible filter combination.

It can exhaust your crawl budget, and then search engines can potentially overlook critical pages.

Also, improper implementation can result in duplicate content, cannibalize rankings for category pages, and dilute internal link equity.

To avoid this, I recommend limiting the number of indexed filter combinations at any given time – ideally no more than two.

The specific number will depend on the range of filters available, but it’s crucial to prioritize filters that align with search demand.

For example, avoid indexing a combination like “size 7, green, wide fit, running shoe” if there’s minimal search volume for it.

However, “green size 7 running shoe” could be a valuable combination to index, as it has higher search intent.

4. Insufficient Or Low-Quality Content On Category Pages

Over the years in this industry, I’ve seen firsthand how impactful on-page copy can be for category pages. It helps to provide extra context that helps search engines better understand the focus of your pages.

After all, search engines prioritize pages with valuable content that provides context for users.

Many category pages are nothing more than long lists of products and icons. That’s a real missed opportunity – and also makes them less likely to surface in the SERPs.

Here are a few ways to boost their chances:

Short Introductions At The Top

On many ecommerce sites, you’ll notice there’s often a short block of intro copy at the top of the page.

This doesn’t need to be more than 100 words or so and is an effective way of helping search engines understand the page’s context. Avoid fluff or boilerplate copy; it needs to be unique and meaningful.

Tip: Explain what the category is, and the broad range of products or brands you sell.

Say the category page was “running shoes.” The intro could talk about all the materials the running shoes are made from, colors available, types of runs they can be used for, and so on.

Guidance Lower Down

Further down the page, you can include additional content modules to help the customer make an informed decision.

Ecommerce stores often use things like:

FAQs.
Feature comparisons.
More information about your brand.
Information on how to choose between products.
Videos.
Delivery information.

5. Lack Of On-Page Optimization

Your on-page optimization for category pages might not be fully aligned with search intent, so it’s worth reviewing and refining it to better match what users are searching for.

Page Titles

If category pages have generic or poorly optimized page titles, search engines may struggle to understand the page’s relevance, and users won’t feel enticed to click on the result in SERPs.

When creating them:

Review current SERPS to see what’s working for competitors.
Keep titles unique for each category to avoid duplication, and aim for 50-60 characters to prevent truncation in search results.
Ensure your titles reflect what users are looking for – like specific product attributes (e.g., color, size) when relevant.

Meta Descriptions

A compelling meta description for a product listing page (PLP) should give users a reason to click, showcasing its offering and value.

Keep the meta description within 150-160 characters to avoid truncation, and craft it to answer potential user queries, like “best [category] for [specific need].”

Header Tags

When you’re reviewing header tags for categories, the key is to capture the essence of the entire category while speaking to the intent of shoppers browsing or filtering options.

Start with a clear, keyword-rich H1 that tells users exactly what the page is about, like “Men’s Running Shoes.”

Then use H2 tags to break things down further with subcategories or popular filters, such as “Top Rated” or “Shop by Brand.”

For product detail pages (PDPs), header tags become more specific to the individual product.

6. Low-Quality Or Missing Schema Markup

Now, we’re getting into some of the more technical tasks to improve your category pages’ rankings.

It might be that your schema markup is better for PDPs than your PLPs, or your PLPs just need some more tweaks or additions.

Here are some simple actions that can make a difference:

Consider adding the BreadcrumbList schema to your category pages. (It helps search engines understand the page’s position within your site’s hierarchy, improving internal linking.)
Consider collection-level structured data if applicable.
Review if category pages have any missing structured data.

7. Content Freshness Signals

All too often, people create category pages, then basically forget about them.

However, regularly updating them will show that the page is actively maintained, increasing your chances of appearing in SERPs.

Keep Category Pages Dynamic

Highlight trending products, top-rated items, or seasonal goods, surfacing them at the top of your category pages.

Include Recent Reviews

Getting positive reviews for products? Insert them as content blocks within your category pages. The more recent the reviews, the better.

Refresh Copy

Trends come and go, stock gets replaced, and new products get made. Refresh your category page copy to reflect these changes.

Final Word

I hope these tips can help you get more visibility for your category pages – and complement your already successful product pages.

More Resources:

Featured Image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal

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