In this article · 8 sections
For an online store, most search traffic should land on category pages ("men's woollen shawls", "steel water bottles 1 litre") and product pages. Many Indian stores leave these with manufacturer descriptions copied from suppliers, no unique text and messy filter URLs. Fixing them is the core of e-commerce SEO.
Category pages
- Clear H1 matching how people search: "Phulkari Dupattas" rather than "Collection 7".
- A short, useful introduction (above or below products) explaining styles, materials or how to choose.
- Logical sub-categories and filters.
- Internal links to related categories and buying guides.
Product pages
- Unique descriptions: don't copy supplier text that hundreds of other sites use. Explain material, size, fit, use, care, what's in the box.
- Specifications table: dimensions, weight, material, colour, warranty.
- Multiple images and video, compressed, with descriptive alt text.
- Price, availability, delivery time and return policy clearly visible.
- Customer reviews with photos.
- FAQs for common questions.
Product schema and Merchant Center
Add Product schema with name, image, price, currency, availability and genuine review data. Connect a product feed to Google Merchant Center so products can appear in free listings and Shopping results.
Filters and duplicate URLs
Filters (colour, size, price) can create thousands of URL combinations with nearly identical content. Use canonical tags pointing to the main category, keep unhelpful filter combinations out of the index, and only create indexable pages for filter combinations people actually search ("red bridal lehenga").
Out-of-stock and discontinued products
- Temporarily out of stock: keep the page, show expected date, suggest alternatives.
- Permanently discontinued with a close replacement: 301 redirect to the replacement.
- Discontinued with no alternative: return 404/410 or keep an informational page if it still gets valuable traffic.
Speed
Product pages with many images must be optimised — compressed images, lazy loading below the fold, minimal scripts — especially for mobile shoppers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should product descriptions be?
Long enough to answer buyer questions — often 100–300 words plus a specs table.
Can I use manufacturer descriptions?
You can, but unique descriptions help you stand out from every other store using the same text.
Should category pages have text?
Yes — a short, helpful introduction improves relevance without pushing products too far down.
Grow your online store
Joboo Web builds SEO-ready e-commerce sites. Read how to start an online store or see web development.