Section 17 — Category SEO Tab

The Category SEO tab controls how category pages are described, structured, and indexed by search engines and AI crawlers.

Unlike the Category Gallery (which visualizes machine-readable output), this tab exposes the underlying SEO control fields that power that output.

This tab is machine-oriented, not customer-facing.

Purpose of the Category SEO Tab

The Category SEO tab exists to:

  • Define how category pages are interpreted by search engines
  • Provide structured semantic anchors for category-level indexing
  • Ensure consistent, non-destructive SEO signals across the storefront

Most merchants do not need to edit this tab after initial enrichment.

SEO Fields Explained

The following fields are generated and managed by CatalogPilot:

  • Meta Title

     The primary title used by search engines for the category page.
     Optimized for clarity, relevance, and length.

  • Meta Description

     A concise, descriptive summary intended for search results and AI previews.

  • Meta Keywords

     Included for legacy systems and broad semantic reinforcement.
     These do not control rankings directly but support contextual understanding.

  • H1 / H2 / H3

     Logical heading hierarchy used to reinforce category intent and structure.
     These are aligned with modern SEO and accessibility standards.

Each field is outlined in green when approved and active.

Original vs. Approved Content

As with other tabs:

  • Orange eye icon → Original platform content is shown
  • Gray eye icon → Approved CatalogPilot content is shown

Merchants may toggle individual fields back to original content if needed, though this is rarely necessary.

Editing Behavior

Editing is available via:

  • Manual text edits
  • Optional AI-assisted regeneration (where enabled)

CatalogPilot recommends minimal editing in this tab.

SEO fields are tightly coupled to:

  • Canonical URLs
  • Structured data (JSON-LD)
  • Downstream discovery behavior

Unnecessary changes can weaken consistency rather than improve results.

Source URL & Canonical URL

At the bottom of the tab:

  • Source URL

     The platform-generated category URL from the storefront.

  • Canonical URL

     The authoritative URL used for indexing.

These fields are read-only and exist to:

  • Prevent duplication
  • Preserve platform authority
  • Ensure stable indexing

CatalogPilot does not alter canonical ownership.

JSON-LD (Structured Data)

The expandable JSON-LD section displays the structured data generated for the category.

This data is:

  • Injected at render time
  • Consumed by search engines and AI systems
  • Synchronized with approved SEO fields

It is provided for inspection only and should not be manually edited.

Relationship to Category Gallery

  • The Category Gallery shows how this SEO data is interpreted and delivered.
  • The Category SEO tab shows where that data originates and how it is controlled.

Most merchants will:

  1. Review the Category Gallery
  2. Approve the output
  3. Rarely revisit the SEO tab

Recommended Merchant Guidance

  • Do not chase perfection in this tab
  • Avoid speculative keyword stuffing
  • Edit only when correcting factual errors or branding alignment

CatalogPilot’s defaults are designed to be safe, conservative, and index-stable.

Key Takeaway

The Category SEO tab is a precision control surface for search engines, not a marketing editor.

In most cases, approval without modification is the correct action.

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