Categories and subcategories allow you to group similar products together (like “Living Room” or “Sectionals”). This makes it easier for customers to browse your website, and when optimized correctly, helps Google send more shoppers to your store!

Part 1: Create the Category

1. Sign in to your Website Dashboard.

2. Click Products from the main left-hand menu, then click Categories.

3. On the left side of the screen, look for the Add new category section and fill out the following details:

   • Name: Enter the title (e.g., Leather Sectionals).

   • Slug: Leave this blank! The website will automatically generate a clean URL for you based on the name.

   • Parent category: If this is a main category, leave it set to None. If you are creating a subcategory (like putting “Leather Sectionals” underneath “Living Room”), select the main category from this dropdown.

   • Description: Write a brief sentence or two about the products in this category.

   • Display type: Leave this set to Default unless you have a specific custom layout.

   • Thumbnail: Click Upload image to assign a cover photo to this category.

4. Click the blue Add new category button at the bottom.

Part 2: Optimize the Category for SEO (Crucial for Google!)

Once you click “Add,” the category is created, but you need to optimize its SEO settings so customers can actually find it on search engines.

1. Look at the right side of your screen where your list of categories is located.

2. Hover your mouse over the category you just created and click Edit.

3. Scroll down the page until you find your SEO Settings box (often located near the bottom).

4. Fill out the following fields to tell Google exactly what this page is about:

   • Focus Keyword: Enter the main search phrase a customer would type into Google (e.g., leather sectionals).

   • SEO Title: This is the clickable blue headline that appears on Google. Make it catchy (e.g., Shop Leather Sectionals | [Your Store Name]).

   • Meta Description: Write a short, persuasive sentence that will appear below the title on Google, encouraging them to click.

5. Scroll down and click the blue Update button to save your SEO settings!