Using category pages in Wordpress

[seowhiskey]

In our niche we have one main keyword, which represents the entire category.

We are using wordpress. I am trying to understand the best URL structure and wonder if the below is a good approach:

http://domain.com/keyword

• This category page will be written to contain an article on the subject.
• The posts that are put into that category will subsequently appear on this page, below that article.
• Each of those posts would be targeting a related keyword. e.g. I would write a post which has, as the main target keyword: "MainKeyword training" and another post, which would be targeting "MainKeyword techniques" ... (and so on).

Thanks for your advice.

Andrew

[evolvingSEO]

Hi Andrew

Without knowing the niche it's a little tough to say, but I'll give a general answer.

First off, a category page is typically not also written as an article its self. It is an "archive" which is always to be used to list the posts within that archive. You can set up a custom category page, to display unique content at the top (see how Sugarrae does it: http://www.sugarrae.com/social-media/)

Next, a category page isn't the best type of thing to target your main keyword with. If it's the main keyword for your niche (thus your entire site I presume) the homepage would target that keyword.

Categories should traditionally be used to divide your blog into 5-8 topic "buckets" in which all your posts will fall into 1-2 of them. Users can navigate easily through your different blog posts etc.

If you are not keen to use the homepage to target the main keyword, I would suggest just a static page. Category archives generally do not rank as well as the homepage, pages or posts.

Some WP resources for you;

• my post on WP SEO
• my video on pages vs posts
• a recent WP Mozinar

-Dan

[seowhiskey]

Great, thanks Dan.

You're right to suspect I can't really use the home page for this.

Would an example of what you mean by static page be this kind of thing:

http://www.copyblogger.com/copywriting-101/

It gives detail on the subject and links out to related posts...

[seowhiskey]

And thanks for these link, by the way... watching the video now

[evolvingSEO]

Yup! A page is a much better way to target a keyword than a category archive. That better fots the concept of a landing page.

Hope the video is helpful too

[rdreich49]

Dan,  thank you for your post om WP SEO.   It is the most informative piece of writing I have found on the subject.   I'm going to dig into my sites this weekend to make sure I have set up my blogs per your instructions.

[evolvingSEO]

Thanks Richard! Glad it'e been helpful. I think I'll be doing a WP Mozinar beginning of June too as we've found the community just has tons of WP questions.