Carousel Structured Data for Category Pages
The Carousel structured data, also known as ItemList structured data, allows you to present your category pages in a way that search engines can better understand the content and present it in a visually appealing manner in search results. There are two options for implementing Carousel structured data on category pages:
1. Summary Page and Multiple Detail Pages
In this option, the category page serves as a summary page that lists a collection of items, and each item has a short description. The summary page acts as an overview of the items available in that category. When users click on an item’s description, they are directed to a separate detail page that focuses entirely on that specific item.
Example:
Imagine you have an online store that sells various electronic gadgets. The category page for “Laptops” serves as a summary page that displays a list of different laptop models, each with a short description of its specifications and features. When users click on a specific laptop model’s description, they are directed to a separate detail page dedicated entirely to that particular laptop model. On the detail page, users can find comprehensive information about the laptop, including its detailed specifications, customer reviews, and pricing options.
2. Single, All-in-One-Page List
In this option, the category page contains all the list information, including the full text of each item. Users can scroll through the entire list without navigating to separate detail pages for each item.
Example:
Consider a category page that showcases the top movies of 2020. In this case, all the top movies are listed on a single page, and users can view the details of each movie without leaving the category page.
The extension uses Summary Page Type Structured Data
Usage of Summary Page Type Structured Data
The SEO Structured Data extension for OpenCart adopts the Summary Page type structured data for Carousel implementation on category pages. In this type, each category page defines an ItemList, and each item within the list is represented as a ListItem with three crucial properties:
- @type (set to ListItem): This property indicates that each element in the list is a ListItem type.
- position: The position of the item in the list. The position number represents the item’s order in the list.
- url: The URL of a separate page with complete details about the specific item.
By utilizing this structured data format, search engines can better understand the relationship between the summary page and the individual detail pages, resulting in improved search appearance and user experience.
Conclusion
The Carousel structured data, specifically the Summary Page type, provides a powerful tool to enhance the SEO capabilities of your OpenCart store’s category pages. By organizing and presenting your content in a structured manner, you can improve search engine visibility and drive more relevant traffic to your site.
For more information on implementing structured data for category pages and other types of content, please refer to the Google Developers documentation on Carousels.