Every time you create a category in WordPress, you create an archive page for that category. By default, WordPress adds a category base of /category/ to the URLs of all category archive pages.
Example URL with the /category/ prefix.
Categories help you structure your site. But, to create an ultimate site structure, you need a sustainable strategy. Yoast SEO Premium can help you there! It comes with an internal linking feature, as well as content filters. With those tools, you can keep your content structured, findable, and up-to-date.
Example URL with the /category/ prefix removed.
Read: The perfect WordPress SEO permalink structure and learn how to optimize your permalinks.
How to remove the category prefix with Yoast SEO
In Yoast SEO you can remove the category prefix from the category archive URL.Note: This feature can cause unexpected URL behavior and is not recommended in most cases. Log in to your WordPress website. When you』re logged in, you will be in your 『Dashboard』. Click on 『SEO』. On the left-hand side, you will see a menu. In that menu, click on 『SEO』. Click on 『Search Appearance』. The 『SEO』 settings will expand providing you additional options. Click on 『Search Appearance』. Click on the 『Taxonomies』 tab. Toggle the 『Category URLs』 switch. To include the category prefix, toggle the switch to 『Keep』.To exclude the category prefix, toggle the switch to 『Remove』. Save your changes.