People in an SEO course often ask the questions Google hates answering.
Hilary Chapman from our Treasure Map crew posted one in the Facebook group, and it is a clear example of portfolio bloat: your portfolio categories multiply faster than rabbits.
Hilary’s question is one many creative professionals run into.
The real-world question that kicked this off
Hilary said:
“My client does videography across six services, but their portfolio categories are out of control, 60 of them! Projects are tagged all over the place, and the sitemap looks like spaghetti. Do I chop it down to just the six? And what do I do with all those messy category pages: delete, redirect, or burn with fire?”
She might not have said the last part, but that was the energy.
I call this too many portfolio categories, not enough logic.
The main problem: Google’s confused (and that’s never good)
You have six actual services and 60 portfolio categories. That is like pouring a six-pack of beer into 60 cups: you end up with foam and frustration.
This is a problem for four reasons.
1. Google doesn’t know what you actually do
Search engines work best with simple signals. When you split your site into a million tiny portfolio categories, Google can’t tell what you specialize in. You whisper 60 different stories instead of one clear message.
2. Your site’s authority gets spread too thin
Every category page uses crawl budget and link equity. Instead of six solid portfolio categories, you have 60 weak ones fighting for attention like seagulls at a picnic.
3. You’re competing with yourself
Two of your own portfolio category pages might show up for the same keyword. That is called “keyword cannibalization,” and it is as unpleasant as it sounds.
4. Visitors get lost and leave
If people can’t figure out where to click, they leave, and Google takes notes.
Poor navigation leads to poor engagement, which leads to poor rankings.
The fix: one page, one purpose
Hilary’s instinct was right. Cut back to six portfolio categories that match your six services, and place each project in just one category.
This makes your site clear, crawlable, and logical. The structure looks like this:
Homepage
→ Service Page (Wedding Videography)
→ Portfolio Category (Wedding Projects)
→ Individual Project Pages
Now Google can look at the site and conclude, “They do wedding videos,” instead of wondering, “Are they in weddings or aerial drone testimonials for dog grooming businesses?”
To see how this structure fits into a full entity strategy, read [Step-by-Step: How To Implement Entity SEO].
The magic of staying focused
When you group everything under six main portfolio categories, you tell Google, “We’re experts in these six areas.”
It’s like focusing your flashlight instead of waving it around. Your “topical authority” (the SEO term for Google trusting you) rises.
Your users also stop wandering through endless tags like “behind-the-scenes” or “happy clients” and see your real work.
What to do with the 60 old portfolio category pages
You still have a landfill of old portfolio category pages. Don’t panic. The following options clean it up without setting off SEO alarms.
Option 1: Redirect to the closest matching service page (best choice)
If “Wedding Highlight Videos” fits under your wedding service, redirect it there.
All the old portfolio category link equity then flows to the right place instead of leaking away.
Option 2: Redirect to the main portfolio page
If a category doesn’t fit anywhere cleanly, send it to your main portfolio categories page.
Consolidating beats confusing.
Option 3: 410 Gone (the nuclear option)
If you have portfolio categories with zero traffic and no use, mark them “gone.”
No redirects, no clutter.
Use this only for pages that are truly dead weight.
Before you hit “delete everything,” do this
Run a quick audit before swinging the axe:
- Check which portfolio categories still get clicks or backlinks
- Match each old category to one of your six services
- Set up proper 301 redirects
- Update your sitemap and internal links
- Watch for crawl errors in Search Console afterward
It is grunt work, like cleaning your garage, and you feel great when it is done.
Once your categories are organized, make sure your keywords pull their weight. Read [SEO Keyword Placement: The 4 Critical Spots That Actually Matter].
The long game: why this actually works
Deleting 54 pages is scary. Here is what you get:
- Clearer signals: Google knows what you do
- Stronger authority: Your links and content support the right portfolio categories
- Better experience: People find content faster
- Higher rankings: Less confusion leads to more clarity and better SEO
- Simpler upkeep: Six categories are much easier to manage than 60
It is the digital equivalent of trading a cluttered junk drawer for a toolbox that closes.
The big takeaway
If your portfolio categories are a mess, line them up with your real-world services.
One page, one purpose.
That is how you help Google and your visitors understand what you are about.
Before you add another category, ask yourself, “Does this make my portfolio categories clearer, or only prettier for me?”
Most of the time, it is only prettier.
To understand how entities shape SEO strategy from the ground up, read [Two Ways To Think About Entity SEO].
Join the crew
If you like real-world SEO advice that sounds human, you would fit in with our Treasure Map group.
We discuss portfolio category problems like this all the time and fix them in plain language, with solid strategy and a little caffeine.
To learn how entity-based SEO works in the real world, take the Treasure Map Course. I break down these strategies step by step and show you how to help Google understand your business.
Have you dealt with portfolio category bloat yourself?
Tell me how bad it got. I have seen worse.