The Sharetribe SEO Playbook: From Setup to AI Search
- Darren Cody
- Aug 25
- 22 min read
Introduction — Why SEO Is Your 24/7 Sales Rep
Imagine your marketplace is a storefront on a quiet street in Ottawa. You have the best services in the city — but if no one knows where to find you, you’re losing business before it even starts. SEO is how you move that storefront to the busiest street in every city you want to operate in — without paying rent.
For SkillHive, a Sharetribe-powered service marketplace connecting customers with trusted providers (dog walkers, cleaners, tutors, etc.), SEO turned Ottawa into their strongest market. Now, as they expand across Canada and prepare for a US launch, they’re using the same SEO playbook to dominate searches in Toronto, Vancouver, New York, and Chicago.
This guide is for founders who aren’t technical, but need to understand the what and why so they can guide their developers on the how.
1. The Sitemap — Your Marketplace’s Treasure Map
Why This Matters
Think of your sitemap as a treasure map you hand to Google. It tells search engines exactly where every important “room” of your online store is located — from your homepage to each category, location, and listing page.
Without it, Google has to wander through your marketplace like a first-time visitor in a giant department store without any signage. They might find the main aisles (homepage, about page), but they’ll miss the tucked-away gems (niche service pages, new locations, high-value listings) that could be attracting buyers.
For a Sharetribe marketplace, this is even more important because:
New listings are constantly added.
Many pages are dynamically generated, so Google won’t always find them unless they’re linked well.
Founders expanding into new regions need those pages indexed quickly to start showing up in local search results.
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before: When SkillHive launched their US expansion, they added new city pages for New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Weeks later, those pages still weren’t appearing in Google search results. Why?
Google didn’t have a direct map to them.
They were only linked from the navigation menu, which Google’s crawler had not prioritized yet.
After: They created a comprehensive XML sitemap that included:
Category/Location combinations (“Dog Walking in Ottawa,” “House Cleaning in Toronto”)
High-value listings (top-rated providers)
Static pages (About Us, Contact, FAQs, Blog posts)
Blog articles relevant for SEO targeting
Once submitted to Google Search Console (GSC), the new US pages appeared in Google’s index within 48 hours, rather than waiting weeks.
Step-by-Step for Founders
Ask your developer to generate a dynamic sitemap (XML format) that updates automatically when new listings, categories, or locations are added.
Check what’s included — only high-value pages should be there. Don’t include:
Search results pages with empty or thin results
Duplicate pages that could cause canonical issues
Upload the sitemap to your domain at /sitemap.xml.
Submit the sitemap in Google Search Console under Index → Sitemaps.
Resubmit after large updates — like adding a new city or service category.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Including every single listing regardless of quality. If a listing has no reviews, no photos, and little text, it might be better left out to avoid “thin content” penalties.
Leaving old or deleted pages in the sitemap — this leads to “404” errors in GSC.
Submitting multiple sitemaps with overlapping content. This can confuse Google’s indexing priorities.
Not updating the sitemap when you launch new category/location pages.
Pro Tip
You can break your sitemap into multiple files for better organization — for example:
/sitemap-categories.xml
/sitemap-locations.xml
/sitemap-listings.xml This makes it easier to monitor indexing performance for each type of page in GSC.
For large marketplaces with thousands of listings, you can also use a sitemap index file that links to smaller sitemaps to stay within Google’s 50,000 URL limit per sitemap file.
🛠 Developer Notes
Use a library or plugin in your hosting stack to auto-generate sitemaps (Node.js example: sitemap npm package).
Exclude low-quality or duplicate pages with filtering logic before adding them to the sitemap.
Ensure every URL in the sitemap uses HTTPS and your preferred domain version (e.g., https://www.skillhive.com vs. https://skillhive.com).
Integrate with the Google Search Console API to resubmit the sitemap automatically after major updates.
Check GSC’s Sitemap report monthly to confirm there are no crawl or indexing errors.
2. Google Search Console — Your Marketplace’s Health Dashboard
Why This Matters
If your sitemap is the treasure map, then Google Search Console (GSC) is your control tower. It doesn’t just help Google find your pages — it tells you how healthy those pages are in search, what’s broken, and where you’re missing opportunities.
For a Sharetribe marketplace, GSC is especially valuable because:
Your site is constantly changing — new listings appear, old ones expire, categories expand.
Custom front ends can introduce technical quirks that prevent Google from indexing pages properly.
It’s the only free tool that shows you which search terms are driving traffic to your marketplace.
Without GSC, you’re flying blind. With it, you can spot — and fix — SEO issues before they hurt your growth.
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before: When SkillHive first expanded into the US, they assumed submitting the sitemap once was enough. Weeks later, Google still hadn’t indexed some of their key “Dog Walking in New York” and “House Cleaning in Los Angeles” pages. They had no idea why because they weren’t monitoring GSC.
After: By checking GSC’s Coverage report, they discovered:
Several pages were showing “Duplicate without user-selected canonical” — a Sharetribe-specific issue caused when the original default URL (/l/{uuid}) was still live alongside their custom, keyword-friendly URL.
Some category pages were flagged as “Crawled – currently not indexed” — meaning Google saw them but decided they weren’t valuable enough yet.
They fixed the canonical tags, improved the content on low-value pages, and re-submitted them for indexing. Within 10 days, most of those pages started appearing in search results.
Step-by-Step for Founders
Set up Google Search Console (developers can verify ownership via DNS, HTML tag, or Google Analytics).
Submit your sitemap and confirm it’s processed without errors.
Check these GSC reports regularly:
Coverage — see which URLs are indexed, excluded, or have errors.
Enhancements — spot mobile usability issues or structured data errors.
Performance — see clicks, impressions, and average position for keywords.
Investigate & fix errors:
If you see “Submitted URL not indexed,” check if the page has enough unique content.
If you see “Duplicate without user-selected canonical,” verify canonical tags (see below).
Resubmit pages after fixing them — click Inspect URL → Request Indexing.
Common Sharetribe Issues in GSC
1. Duplicate without user-selected canonical
Why it happens: Sharetribe automatically gives each listing a default URL in the format: yourmarketplace.com/l/{uuid}
If you also create a custom SEO-friendly URL (e.g., /ottawa/dog-walking/best-pet-sitter), the default /l/{uuid} URL still exists unless you fix it.
Problem: Google sees two URLs with the same content and chooses one — often the less attractive /l/{uuid} version.
Fix:
Add a <link rel="canonical" href="preferred-URL"> to the custom page.
Set a 301 redirect from the /l/{uuid} URL to the custom URL.
2. Crawled – currently not indexed
Why it happens: Google visited the page but didn’t think it was worth adding. Often caused by thin content, duplicate content, or a lack of internal links.
Fix: Improve the page’s intro text, add unique images, and link to it from related pages.
3. Page with redirect
Why it happens: The sitemap contains URLs that now redirect elsewhere.
Fix: Update your sitemap to only include final destination URLs.
4. Mobile usability issues
Why it happens: Text is too small, clickable elements are too close, or the layout isn’t responsive.
Fix: Test in Chrome DevTools’ mobile view and adjust CSS breakpoints.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not checking GSC until traffic drops. You should be checking at least monthly.
Ignoring duplicate URL warnings. On Sharetribe, this almost always means the /l/{uuid} URL is still accessible.
Submitting the sitemap once and forgetting about it. You need to resubmit after major updates.
Pro Tips
Use GSC’s URL Inspection tool immediately after publishing a high-value page to get it indexed faster.
Filter the Performance report by country to see how you’re ranking in new markets (great for expansion tracking).
Set up email alerts for new errors so you can act before they affect rankings.
🛠 Developer Notes
Verify site ownership via DNS for the most stable setup.
Automate sitemap resubmission via GSC API after major content pushes.
Add canonical tags to all custom listing pages and configure server-side 301 redirects from /l/{uuid}.
Review GSC’s Coverage report monthly and fix high-priority issues first.
Use GSC’s Enhancements report to fix structured data errors that can improve SERP appearance.
3. URL Structures — Your Page’s Street Address
Why This Matters
A URL is the street address of your page. When it’s clean and descriptive, both people and Google instantly know where they are. A messy URL is like telling someone to meet you at “Building 12, Unit 7, behind the alley, next to the dumpster” — they’ll either get lost or not bother coming.
For marketplaces, URL structure is more than aesthetics — it’s about:
Making search results look trustworthy and clickable.
Helping Google understand page hierarchy.
Preventing duplicate content issues (a big deal in Sharetribe builds).
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before: Using Sharetribe’s default listing URL parameters for location and category:
No keywords
Hard to read for users
Gives zero context to Google about the page’s content
After: Custom, SEO-friendly URLs for service + location:
Easy for users to remember and share
Keywords in the URL help with relevance in search results
Fits a consistent structure across the entire site
Impact: Click-through rate (CTR) from Google increased by 14% on service/location pages simply because the URLs looked relevant.
Step-by-Step for Founders
Decide on your hierarchy (align with your category/location strategy from Section 8):
Category-first: /dog-walking/ottawa (best if users search by service first)
Location-first: /ottawa/dog-walking (best if users search by city first)
Hybrid: Keep both types but prioritize one for SEO (canonical tags for the other).
Keep it clean:
Use lowercase letters only
Use hyphens for spaces (dog-walking not dog_walking)
Avoid special characters and numbers unless necessary
Use keywords naturally:
The URL should describe the content without stuffing keywords
skillhive.com/ottawa/dog-walking is good; skillhive.com/ottawa-best-dog-walkers-in-ottawa-services is bad
Be consistent:
Every service/location combo should follow the same pattern
Don’t mix /dog-walking/ottawa and /ottawa/dog-walking without reason
Sharetribe-Specific Pitfall: The Default /l/{uuid} URL
In Sharetribe, every listing has a default system URL like:
If you create a custom SEO-friendly listing URL (e.g., /ottawa/dog-walking/best-pet-sitter), the default /l/{uuid} still exists unless you:
Add a <link rel="canonical"> tag to your custom page pointing to the preferred URL.
Set up a 301 redirect from the /l/{uuid} to the custom URL.
Without this, Google will see two URLs with the same content and may choose the default version to rank — which kills your SEO efforts.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Changing URLs without redirects: This loses all SEO authority the old page had built.
Inconsistent URL formats: Mixing patterns confuses both users and search engines.
Using long, keyword-stuffed URLs: Looks spammy and lowers click-through rates.
Ignoring the /l/{uuid} duplicate issue: This is one of the most common Sharetribe SEO problems.
Pro Tips
Use short slugs for categories and locations — shorter URLs are easier to share and display fully in search results.
If you run seasonal or promotional campaigns, avoid putting dates in URLs — keep them evergreen.
When launching a new market, prepare URLs ahead of time and create “coming soon” landing pages so they can start getting indexed.
🛠 Developer Notes
Implement routing logic in your custom front end to generate clean URLs based on category/location naming conventions.
Add canonical tags on all custom pages to point to the correct version.
Configure server-side 301 redirects from all legacy URLs (/l/{uuid} and query parameter URLs) to the new SEO-friendly format.
Use automated testing to ensure no broken links after changing URLs.
For category/location hierarchies, set up dynamic routing so new markets automatically generate the right URL pattern.
4. Media Optimization — Speed Is Currency
Why This Matters
Website speed is one of the most important — and underrated — SEO factors.
For your marketplace, it’s like the front door to your store:
If the door opens instantly, people step inside.
If it takes several seconds, people walk away — and in the online world, they might never come back.
Google knows this too. Page speed is a ranking factor in search results. Slow-loading pages can hurt both your SEO visibility and your conversion rates.
Media — especially images and videos — is the number one culprit behind slow pages. For marketplaces built on Sharetribe, where listings often have multiple high-resolution photos, the risk is even higher.
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before:
The SkillHive homepage had a massive PNG hero image (4.5 MB) spanning the top of the page.
Provider profile images and service photos were all uploaded in full camera resolution (4000+ pixels wide) without compression.
Result: The homepage load time on mobile was 5.2 seconds — slow enough to frustrate users and lower rankings.
After:
The hero image was resized to fit the actual viewport display size and converted to WebP format (0.8 MB).
All listing images were automatically resized and compressed on upload.
Lazy loading was implemented so below-the-fold images didn’t load until users scrolled down.
Result: Mobile load time dropped to 2.1 seconds, Core Web Vitals improved, and bounce rate fell by 17%.
Step-by-Step for Founders
Audit your images:
Ask your developer for a Lighthouse report (or run it yourself in Chrome DevTools).
Look for “Serve images in next-gen formats” or “Properly size images” warnings.
Switch to efficient formats:
Use WebP for photos — smaller file sizes, same quality.
Use SVG for icons and simple graphics.
Resize before upload:
Don’t upload 4000px wide images for a 1200px container.
If you don’t have editing tools, ask your dev to automate resizing on upload.
Enable lazy loading:
Images not visible on the screen should only load when scrolled into view.
Use a CDN:
Sharetribe includes a built-in CDN for media hosting.
For more advanced optimization, integrate Cloudinary or Gumlet for automatic format conversion, compression, and delivery.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Uploading print-quality images straight from a camera or design file.
Using PNG for photos — PNG is for graphics, not complex images.
Forgetting mobile users — many of your visitors will be on slower mobile connections.
Optimizing images manually once, but not automating the process — every new listing can introduce oversized files if not controlled.
Pro Tips
For marketplace logos and brand graphics, use SVG files — they scale perfectly without losing quality.
If you allow users to upload images, set file size limits and enforce format conversion on upload.
Use srcset in your image tags so the browser chooses the best image size for the user’s device.
Test your site speed from multiple regions (especially if you’re expanding internationally). Tools like GTmetrix and WebPageTest can simulate load times from different cities.
🛠 Developer Notes
Implement responsive images with srcset and sizes attributes in templates.
Enable loading="lazy" for non-critical images to delay loading until needed.
Integrate Cloudinary/Gumlet for on-the-fly image transformations (resize, compress, format conversion).
Configure caching headers for static assets to reduce repeat load times.
Monitor image delivery performance using Chrome Lighthouse and adjust settings as needed.
5. Heading Structure — Your Page’s Table of Contents
Why This Matters
Headings are like chapter titles in a book — they guide readers through your content and signal to Google what’s most important on a page.
For marketplaces, a clear heading hierarchy:
Improves readability for visitors (especially on mobile)
Helps Google understand page topics and how they relate
Supports accessibility for screen readers
Plays a role in ranking, because Google looks at heading text to understand relevance
Without proper heading structure, even the best content can get overlooked by both users and search engines.
How Headings Work
HTML headings go from <h1> to <h6>:
H1: The main page title — should appear once per page
H2: Section headings under the H1
H3: Sub-sections under H2s
H4–H6: Rarely needed, but can break down very detailed content
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before: SkillHive’s “Dog Walking in Ottawa” category page had:
Multiple <h1> tags for the title and each section heading
Listing titles using <h3> with no <h2> above them
Headings used mainly for visual styling, not structure
After: The page was restructured so:
<h1>: “Dog Walking in Ottawa” (main keyword + location)
<h2>: “How It Works” / “Top Rated Dog Walkers” / “FAQs”
<h3>: Individual listing names under “Top Rated Dog Walkers”
Impact:
Clear hierarchy improved keyword targeting for “Dog Walking in Ottawa”
Google indexed the FAQ questions for potential rich snippets
Accessibility score improved in Lighthouse tests
Step-by-Step for Founders
Check your current headings:
Right-click → “Inspect” in Chrome and look for <h1>, <h2>, etc.
Ensure there’s only one <h1> per page.
Match headings to intent:
Category page H1: “Service + Location” (e.g., “Dog Walking in Ottawa”)
Location page H1: “Location + Marketplace Name” (e.g., “Ottawa Services on SkillHive”)
Organize by importance:
Use H2s for main sections (“How It Works,” “Top Providers”)
Use H3s for sub-points (listing names, feature highlights)
Keep headings descriptive:
Avoid vague headings like “More info” or “Our stuff” — instead use “Pet Grooming Services in Toronto”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Multiple H1 tags — confuses Google about the page’s main topic
Skipping heading levels — jumping from H1 to H4 breaks hierarchy
Using headings for styling only — use CSS classes for styling, not incorrect heading tags
Generic headings — headings should reflect relevant keywords naturally
Pro Tips
Include FAQ sections with questions as H2 or H3 — this increases chances of appearing in Google’s FAQ rich results.
For listing pages, make the provider/service name an H1 and their tagline or service type an H2.
Use location and service keywords naturally — don’t force them in every heading.
On mobile, keep headings short so they fit comfortably on two lines or less.
🛠 Developer Notes
Ensure templates enforce one <h1> per page.
Wrap listing titles in semantic headings that fit the page structure.
Use CSS for visual styling rather than incorrect heading tags.
Implement structured heading order on category and location templates to match SEO goals.
Test with Lighthouse or axe DevTools for accessibility compliance.
6. Internal Linking — Passing SEO ‘Power’ Around
Why This Matters
Internal links are like personal introductions between your own pages. When you link from one page to another, you’re telling Google: “This page is important — pay attention to it.”
For marketplaces, internal linking:
Helps Google discover new pages faster (especially new locations or categories)
Passes SEO authority from strong pages (like your homepage) to new or less visited pages
Improves user navigation, leading to more engagement and conversions
Without a good internal linking strategy, even your best pages can stay hidden from search engines and customers.
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before:
Blog posts existed but didn’t link to relevant category or location pages.
Category pages linked only to listings, not to other related categories or blog content.
Result: New pages took weeks to get indexed, and some never ranked well.
After:
Each blog post now links to at least one category page and one location page.
Category pages link to related categories (“Dog Walking” page links to “Pet Grooming” and “Dog Sitting”) and the most relevant blog posts.
Listing pages include category and location tags that link to their parent pages.
Result: Google indexed new pages in under 72 hours, and users viewed 35% more pages per session.
Step-by-Step for Founders
Map your hierarchy:
Homepage → Links to main category and location pages
Category pages → Link to related categories, top listings, and relevant blog posts
Location pages → Link to category pages within that location, plus related blog content
Listings → Link back to their category and location pages
Use descriptive anchor text:
Bad: “Click here”
Good: “View more dog walkers in Ottawa”
Add internal links naturally:
Place them in the content body, sidebars, or related-content sections — not just footers
Update older content:
When you launch a new category/location, go back to existing pages and add links to it
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Only linking from menus — Google sees navigation links as less valuable than in-content links
Using generic text like “read more” without keywords
Overloading a page with too many links (over 100 can dilute value)
Not linking to orphan pages — if a page has no internal links pointing to it, Google may never find it
Pro Tips
Create hub pages for top categories or locations — these act as central points that link out to all subpages.
Add “Related Services” or “Nearby Locations” sections to category/location pages for cross-linking.
Use breadcrumbs at the top of listings to link back to their parent category and location.
In blog posts, always link to both a category and a location page when possible.
🛠 Developer Notes
Implement breadcrumb navigation on listing pages with schema markup (BreadcrumbList) for SEO.
Dynamically generate related category/location links in templates.
Ensure internal links are crawlable (no nofollow unless intentional).
Regularly run a crawl report (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb) to find orphan pages and fix them.
Use server logs to identify pages with low crawl frequency — increase internal links to them.
7. Search — Sharetribe vs Algolia
Why This Matters
Search is the lifeblood of any marketplace. It’s how users quickly find what they need without digging through dozens of categories.
From an SEO perspective, search can also create highly targeted landing pages — but only if your search system is built to be crawlable and indexable.
Here’s the catch with Sharetribe:
Out-of-the-box Sharetribe search is dynamic. Results are generated in the browser via JavaScript and aren’t pre-rendered for Google to index.
This means Google might see an empty results page instead of the list of services you see in your browser.
For founders who want to dominate search for “service + location” keywords, this is a big limitation.
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before (Default Sharetribe Search):
SkillHive had a search page at /search?category=dog-walking&location=ottawa
The page loaded results dynamically after the initial HTML loaded, so Google couldn’t see the listings without executing JavaScript.
Result: These search result pages weren’t appearing in Google’s index.
After (Algolia with SEO-friendly Pages):
SkillHive integrated Algolia InstantSearch with Server-Side Rendering (SSR).
Created static, crawlable pages for top service/location combinations:
These pages pulled live data from Algolia but were rendered server-side so Google could see the full content immediately.
Result: Category/location search pages started ranking in Google for competitive keywords, driving a 23% increase in organic traffic in three months.
Step-by-Step for Founders
Decide if advanced search is worth it:
If most of your traffic will come from specific service/location queries, it’s worth the investment.
If your marketplace is very niche with limited categories, default search might be fine.
Identify top combinations to target:
Look at your user search data (or use tools like Google Keyword Planner) to find your most popular service/location combos.
Plan to create dedicated, crawlable pages for these.
Discuss options with your developer:
Can you pre-render default Sharetribe search results for top queries?
Or should you integrate Algolia (or another search API) with SSR?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Relying solely on query parameter URLs (/search?category=dog-walking) — these often don’t get indexed well.
Creating hundreds of auto-generated search pages without unique content — this can be seen as “thin content” by Google.
Switching to Algolia but not implementing SSR/SSG — the SEO problem remains if the results are still loaded client-side.
Pro Tips
Even if you stick with Sharetribe’s default search, create manual landing pages for your top service/location combos and link to them from navigation or blog posts.
Add unique static content (like a short description and FAQs) above your search results — this improves SEO and helps visitors understand your service.
Use Algolia’s faceted search to allow users to refine results without changing the base URL for SEO-targeted pages.
🛠 Developer Notes
For Algolia integration:
Use InstantSearch.js or React InstantSearch with SSR (Next.js or Gatsby are great options).
Cache pre-rendered pages for high-traffic queries to reduce API calls.
For Sharetribe default search:
Consider pre-rendering popular search result pages using a service like Prerender.io.
Add static intro text and structured data to these pages for SEO value.
Ensure all search result pages you want indexed are linked internally from your sitemap or other high-authority pages.
8. Category & Location Pages — Cornerstones of Growth
Why This Matters
Category and location pages are the doorways from Google into your marketplace. If they’re built correctly, they’ll rank for high-intent searches like:
“Dog walkers in Ottawa”
“Pet groomers Toronto”
“House cleaners Vancouver”
But here’s the key: Category pages and Location pages are not the same thing. They serve different purposes, and depending on your marketplace model, one will take priority over the other.
Definitions
Category Pages → Focus on a type of service or product, and can display results across multiple locations.
Example: “Dog Walkers” category showing providers in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver.
URL pattern:
/dog-walking
/dog-walking/ottawa
/dog-walking/toronto
Location Pages → Focus on a geographic area, showing all services available there.
Example: “Ottawa” page showing dog walkers, pet groomers, and dog sitters.
URL pattern:
/ottawa
/ottawa/dog-walking
/ottawa/pet-grooming
Three Hierarchy Models
Category-First Structure
URL: /dog-walking/ottawa
Best for: Marketplaces where service type is the primary search factor.
Example: SkillHive — because most customers search for the service before thinking about location.
Location-First Structure
URL: /ottawa/dog-walking
Best for: Marketplaces where location is the primary search factor (e.g., hyper-local marketplaces or services tied to specific areas).
Hybrid Structure
Maintain both URLs but pick one as the primary for SEO and set the other as a canonical version.
Example: Ottawa Dog Walking has:
/dog-walking/ottawa (canonical)
/ottawa/dog-walking (301 redirect or canonical pointing to primary)
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before:
SkillHive had only category pages with no location segmentation — e.g., /dog-walking showed all providers across Canada.
This meant they missed out on local SEO opportunities for “dog walkers in Ottawa” or “dog walkers in Toronto.”
After:
Built category/location combinations: /ottawa/dog-walking, /toronto/dog-walking, /vancouver/dog-walking.
Each page included:
Static intro text explaining the service in that location (unique for each page)
Dynamic listings pulled from Sharetribe
Local SEO enhancements like FAQs, related services, and internal links to nearby locations
Result: Ranked in the top 3 for “dog walkers Ottawa” within 60 days.
Step-by-Step for Founders
Decide your hierarchy (category-first, location-first, or hybrid).
Create dedicated pages for each high-priority category/location combo.
Add unique static content at the top of each page — never copy and paste between pages.
Link strategically:
Category pages link to all location variations.
Location pages link to all category variations.
Track performance in Google Search Console to see which structure ranks best in your market.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using the same intro text for all locations or categories — leads to duplicate content penalties.
Not linking between category and location pages — Google may not find all variations.
Creating too many pages too soon — better to start with your top 5–10 most profitable combos and build out from there.
Allowing category pages to be empty — always have listings or valuable content.
Pro Tips
Add FAQ schema to these pages to increase SERP visibility with rich results.
Include a local map embed (with schema) to reinforce location relevance.
For new markets with few listings, add “Join Us” CTAs to encourage supply growth in that area.
Consider nearby location linking (e.g., “Dog Walking in Ottawa” links to “Dog Walking in Gatineau”).
🛠 Developer Notes
Create separate templates for category pages and location pages — they will have different layouts and SEO elements.
Use structured data:
ItemList for listings
Service for category descriptions
Place for location details
Implement canonical tags to avoid duplicate content when categories and locations overlap.
Use Sharetribe API filters to dynamically pull the right listings for each page.
Pre-render these pages so the listings are visible to Google without JavaScript execution.
9. AI Search Readiness — Getting Into AI Overviews
Why This Matters
Search is evolving — fast. Google’s AI Overviews and other generative search features (like Bing Copilot) are now pulling answers directly into the search results page, often before showing the traditional blue links.
If your marketplace content is structured and clear, AI can pull your answer and place it above your competitors — even if they have a bigger site. If it’s not, you risk being left out entirely.
How AI Overviews Work
AI Overviews look for:
Direct, concise answers to a user’s query
Structured data that’s easy to parse
Authoritative signals (links, engagement, freshness)
Topical relevance based on the page’s primary focus
For marketplaces, this means:
Clear explanations of services
Concise “What, Where, Why” answers
Extra context in structured data (FAQ, ItemList, Service schema)
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before: The “Dog Walking in Toronto” page started with:
“Welcome to SkillHive. Our marketplace connects you with various service providers in your city. Whether you’re looking for pet care, home cleaning, or tutoring, we have you covered.”
Generic, unfocused, and no direct answer to “Dog Walking in Toronto.”
After: The page opened with:
Looking for a dog walker in Toronto? SkillHive connects you with trusted locals, verified reviews, and instant booking — all in one place.
Changes made:
Directly answered the searcher’s question in the first sentence
Kept it under 60 words so it could be pulled as a snippet
Included the service (dog walking) and location (Toronto) in natural language
Step-by-Step for Founders
Lead with the answer:
First paragraph should directly answer “What is this page about?” in plain language
Include service + location naturally
Use FAQ schema:
Add 3–5 common questions with concise answers
E.g., “How much does dog walking cost in Toronto?”
Add structured data:
Use ItemList for listings
Use Service for service description
Use FAQPage for questions
Optimize for conversational queries:
Think: “best dog walkers in Ottawa” or “affordable pet sitters near me”
Sprinkle variations naturally in headings and paragraphs
Keep it fresh:
AI systems value updated content — refresh descriptions, update pricing, and rotate featured listings
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Burying the main answer halfway down the page
Overloading the opening paragraph with keywords — it must sound natural
Using only dynamic content (e.g., listing grids) without static, readable text
Not marking up content with schema, leaving it invisible to AI parsers
Pro Tips
Test your content in Google’s Rich Results Test to confirm schema is working.
Use “People Also Ask” boxes in Google search for inspiration on FAQ topics.
If a page starts getting featured in AI Overviews, protect that position — update it regularly and monitor for changes.
Make sure your meta description supports your AI-friendly intro — while AI doesn’t always use it, Google often does when generating previews.
🛠 Developer Notes
Add JSON-LD schema for Service, Place, ItemList, and FAQPage where applicable.
Ensure server-side rendering so AI crawlers can see the full page without executing JavaScript.
Store FAQ content in a CMS or database table so it’s easy for non-technical staff to update.
Use semantic HTML for Q&A sections (<h2> for questions, <p> for answers).
10. Optional — Using Cloudflare for Speed, Security, and SEO Support
Why This Matters
Even if your marketplace is optimized for SEO, technical performance can hold you back. Google now uses Core Web Vitals — which measure load speed, interactivity, and visual stability — as ranking factors.
If your site loads slowly for users in different regions or suffers from downtime, both your SEO and your conversions take a hit.
That’s where Cloudflare comes in. It’s like building mini-versions of your site around the world, so no matter where a visitor comes from, they load your site from the nearest “branch office.”
How Cloudflare Helps SEO
Speed via CDN (Content Delivery Network)
Caches your site’s static content (images, CSS, JS) in data centers globally
Reduces the distance between your user and your content
Better Core Web Vitals
Faster load times mean better scores for Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and First Input Delay (FID)
Directly improves Google rankings over time
Security & Uptime
Protects against DDoS attacks so your marketplace stays online
A secure, always-online site prevents SEO penalties from downtime
Edge Redirects
Fix canonical issues (like /l/{uuid}) without changing app code
Set redirects directly in Cloudflare’s dashboard
Image Optimization at the Edge
Converts images to WebP, resizes them automatically, and delivers the smallest possible file size based on the user’s device
SkillHive Example: Before and After
Before:
Hosted on Heroku in North America
US West Coast visitors (Los Angeles, San Francisco) saw load times around 4.8 seconds
Occasional traffic spikes caused slowdowns
After Cloudflare Integration:
Static assets cached at Cloudflare’s Los Angeles and San Jose data centers
West Coast load times dropped to 2.5 seconds
Core Web Vitals improved enough for a +0.4 boost in Lighthouse performance score
Edge redirect from /l/{uuid} to SEO-friendly URLs applied instantly — without touching Heroku code
Step-by-Step for Founders
Sign up for Cloudflare (free plan is enough for basic benefits)
Point your domain’s nameservers to Cloudflare (developer can do this in your domain registrar settings)
Enable caching for static content (HTML can be cached too for non-logged-in pages)
Set up Page Rules:
Redirect old URLs to new
Force HTTPS
Cache Everything for public pages
Turn on image optimization (paid feature or use Cloudflare Images)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Caching logged-in content — can expose private data to the wrong users
Not testing redirects after setting them up in Cloudflare
Overusing “Cache Everything” — should only apply to pages that don’t change per user
Pro Tips
Pair Cloudflare with Cloudinary or Gumlet for full media optimization — Cloudflare handles delivery, the other service handles transformation
Use Workers (Cloudflare’s serverless platform) for custom SEO fixes like adding meta tags or structured data to certain routes without code changes in your app
If expanding internationally, use Argo Smart Routing for faster cross-region data delivery
🛠 Developer Notes
Configure cache rules to exclude /dashboard, /login, and other authenticated routes
Set long cache lifetimes for static assets with cache-busting file names (e.g., main.123abc.css)
Use Cloudflare Transform Rules to set canonical tags for problematic URLs
Monitor Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console after integration to track improvements
If you're a Founder building on Sharetribe and want to learn more, reach out to us!
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