---
title: "SearchPilot: brand links on PDPs lift PLP traffic by 18%"
url: https://seomadman.com/studies/pdp-brand-link-plp-traffic-searchpilot
section: studies
language: en
published: 2026-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-09-30T00:00:00.000Z
author: Adam Hafez
topics: ["Technical SEO", "Ecommerce SEO"]
---

# SearchPilot: brand links on PDPs lift PLP traffic by 18%

## The short answer

SearchPilot split-tested converting plain-text brand names on ecommerce product detail pages into links to brand-level product listing pages. The change produced an 18% uplift in organic traffic to those listing pages with no negative impact on product page visits, isolating internal linking as the single driver.

## Key takeaways

- Converting plain-text brand labels on product detail pages into internal links produced an 18% uplift in organic traffic to brand category pages.
- The controlled split test confirmed no negative ranking or traffic impact on the product detail pages where the links were added.
- SearchPilot evaluated the test at a 95% credible interval across an enterprise ecommerce store over its testing window.
- The variant altered only the link attribute without changing the visible page layout or typography.

Converting plain-text brand names on product detail pages (PDPs) into internal links directed to
brand-level product listing pages (PLPs) produces a statistically significant 18% lift in organic
search traffic to those category pages.

The experiment, published by SearchPilot on 30 September 2026 in
[How We Increased Organic PLP Traffic by 18% with SEO A/B Testing](https://www.searchpilot.com/resources/case-studies/how-we-increased-organic-plp-traffic-by-18-percent-with-seo-a-b-testing/),
evaluates how crawler paths between product tiers affect search performance across large catalogs.

## How was the experiment configured?

The ecommerce site already maintained dedicated brand listing pages designed to capture high-intent
commercial queries. However, across its catalog of product detail pages, the brand name appeared as
unlinked plain text in standard paragraph tags rather than a functional link.

To reach a brand category page, crawlers and shoppers previously relied on top-level navigation or
breadcrumbs. The test variant converted the plain text brand label on product pages into an anchor
link pointing directly to the brand listing page. The design and styling remained unchanged.

| Metric | Control | Variant | Shift |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Brand PLP organic visits | 100% | 118% | +18% (95% credible interval) |
| Source PDP organic visits | 100% | 100% | No detectable shift |

## Did links hurt product rankings?

A common operational concern with adding links to product pages is PageRank dilution or leaking link
equity away from conversion points. SearchPilot tracked organic sessions to the source product
detail pages throughout the experiment.

The data revealed no statistically significant drop in organic traffic to the product pages. The
internal link added contextual equity to the brand tier without penalizing the individual product
rankings.

## Why did crawlers respond?

In large catalog architectures, search engines must infer the topical relationship between individual
SKUs and broader category collections. While breadcrumbs convey hierarchy, they often point upward to
departmental categories rather than brand taxonomies.

Contextual links embedded in product descriptions and specifications provide explicit association
signals. For ecommerce brands with unlinked text labels, connecting product pages to parent brand hubs
remains one of the highest leverage technical optimizations.

## Frequently asked questions

### What change did SearchPilot make to the product pages?

SearchPilot converted plain-text brand names displayed on product detail pages into clickable anchor links pointing to the brand's primary category listing page.

### Did adding brand links hurt rankings on the product pages themselves?

No. SearchPilot monitored the source product detail pages and found no negative traffic or ranking effect from linking out to brand listing pages.

### Why did this simple link change produce such a large traffic lift?

The links provided search engine crawlers with consistent contextual signals connecting individual products to their parent brand collections without relying only on breadcrumbs.

## Sources

1. [How We Increased Organic PLP Traffic by 18% with SEO A/B Testing](https://www.searchpilot.com/resources/case-studies/how-we-increased-organic-plp-traffic-by-18-percent-with-seo-a-b-testing/) - SearchPilot (primary)