Manage category tree for optimal SEO and 'Path to Purchase'

With seasonal changes in your web catalog, or with organizational changes driven by search engine optimization (SEO), the work to keep your catalog's categories or departments in order can be a chore. What's called the 'category tree' in Total Blue System's Catalog module now makes this work easier for you.

When your web catalog goes through some turmoil, consider this:

1. For any category that has subcategories, does it have its own products associated with it?
   
   If yes, those products won't display on the public pages of the site. The category gateway template will only display subcategories; thus those products are effectively invisible. To clarify, they'll be invisible until there's a category gateway template offered that merges the role of the category gallery template (showing products) with that of the category gateway template (showing subcategories...).
2. Are there any categories with 0 products? Now you can more quickly spot these likely unfinished or old categories.
3. Are there any categories with more than 30 products? If yes, it may suggest a need for better allocation across multiple subcategories. Or else you ought delete old products to simplify management of the category.
   
   Now you can see how many products are contained in each subcategory. (Note: The product count is specific to that category only, and not inclusive of subcategories beneath it.)
   
   
4. Are products hidden that ought not be? The view of the category tree now makes this obvious.

Lastly, you can now spot hidden categories a little easier as they're highlighted. Hidden categories can serve a search engine optimization (SEO) purpose in ways that don't clutter your primary category or department tree, typically visible from a left side navigation bar. There are also merchandising considerations that suggest hidden categories. For example, a category like "online exclusives" OUGHT be hidden and linked to prominently from teaser spots rather than being lumped next to topic or functional or gender categories in a main navigation bar. By making the category hidden, it won't be visible in the left nav bar. Ask us about how to evaluate which categories ought be hidden and which visible...

The category tree deserves special attention, as it serves not only as the "path to purchase" for the human shopper, but a key factor in your site's overall search engine optimization.