Potential customers visit your website but do not convert. They browse your product pages – and this is where they drop off. You know you have a strong brand and the products that your target market needs. So what is happening?
The truth is that e-commerce business owners do not spend enough time on product pages. Crafting a compelling product page is an art. Every detail can mean the difference between a sale and a lost opportunity.
How can you bring your product pages to life to enhance customer experience and increase conversion rates? Learn how to tackle product page optimization with expert tips on everything from high-quality images to search engine optimization, and get inspired by real examples from successful stores.
What is Product Page Optimization?
Product page optimization is the process of reviewing and improving the design, content, and functionality of a web page dedicated to selling a product. It involves optimizing elements like product descriptions, images, pricing, reviews, and call-to-action buttons to create a personalized shopping experience, enhance customer trust in your brand, and increase sales on e-commerce product pages.
What is Product Page Optimization in the App Store?
Don’t confuse product page optimization for your e-commerce store with product page optimization in Apple’s App Store. The Apple App Store provides a feature for app developers to optimize their app listings. This feature allows e-commerce apps to conduct A/B testing on app icon versions, screenshots, and other elements to see which ones perform best.
This article focuses on optimizing product pages in e-commerce stores, but many principles are universal.
11 Elements of a Great Product Page
Every product page is different, and some elements are considered more important depending on the industry, product, and customer needs. For example, a beauty product brand will want to focus on transparent ingredient information and customer testimonials, while a clothing company should invest in high-quality images and detailed sizing and fit information.
However, all of these elements are worth examining as you begin optimizing your product page.
1. Clear Call to Action (CTA)
Your product page’s role is to persuade the customer to click the “Add to Cart” button. Therefore, Maria Bonillo, Strategy Director at SMAKK Studios, recommends starting here. “This is the most important element on the page, and it should stand out from the surrounding content,” says Maria. “The area around the button should be uncluttered to minimize distractions or obstacles for the user.”
In the example below from the sustainable brand Suri, the CTA button has high contrast with the background compared to the rest of the elements on the page, making it stand out to visitors.
The CTA button should be immediately visible when the visitor lands on your product page. “If your product description pushes the ‘Add to Cart’ button below the bottom of the viewport, it’s time for a redesign,” says Maria.
With more than 60% of e-commerce purchases in the U.S. happening on smartphones, mobile optimization is critical. Test your product pages across multiple mobile browsers and devices to ensure that your call to action is visible in the forefront without distraction, regardless of how customers are shopping online.
For instance, the CTA button on Dorai is clear and central on its product pages, and it floats to the top when scrolling, ensuring it’s always accessible no matter where the customer is browsing.
When it comes to writing the text, Courtney Hartman Tessa from Internet Marketing Inc. says it should be simple. “Don’t try to be clever with CTAs. ‘Add to Cart’ or ‘Submit Order’ will suffice,” says Courtney. Make sure not to confuse customers or add friction to the purchase journey with your CTA text.
2.
Product Images and Compelling Lifestyle
Images on e-commerce sites serve multiple purposes. Most importantly, they help customers see and “feel” the details of the product, even if they can’t touch or try it on.
Photography is also a branding marketing tool, conveying an aspirational lifestyle that customers can achieve with your products. Images can also influence the conversion rate, with 85% of shoppers stating that product information and images are important factors when choosing one brand over another.
Mark Perini, founder of ICEE Social, says, “My experience as a web designer has taught me that when it comes to e-commerce, people judge a book by its cover, so invest in good product photography.”
There are two types of images to consider when optimizing product pages: product images and lifestyle images.
Product images typically refer to pictures that focus on the product itself, minimizing distractions and emphasizing details. Products should be captured from various angles, including close-ups to show features like texture, stitching, or shine. These images are often shot against a white or neutral background.
In this example from furniture company ReFramed, the brand’s beds are showcased on a simple, neutral background from multiple angles.
Maria says, “Show multiple angles, allow users to zoom in, and highlight unique features. Good images build expectations and credibility.”
Lifestyle images are beneficial for brand marketing, as they provide an opportunity to showcase your brand’s aesthetic on the product pages. They are a place to display your brand’s aesthetic style, show the faces of your target customers, and provide design tips or product uses. Lifestyle images help customers visualize your products in their lives and spaces. Digital catalogs linked to product pages can showcase lifestyle images for seasonal fashion collections.
For example, product pages in ReFramed feature a gallery of lifestyle images showing family frames in settings, alongside other products, designed within a real space.
High-quality images with appropriate alt tags can also help improve on-page SEO. The optimized page has a better chance of appearing in search results, and optimized images can also show up in image results.
Mark says, “Your products will appear in many places on the web. Make sure you are viewed in the best possible light by making your products truly shine!”
3. Images Linked to Product Variants
Product variants are options that customers can choose from to select the color, size, style, or delivery method of the product. They can also be used to customize the product (e.g., initials). While providing options is a significant advantage, customers need to have a very clear understanding of what the final product will look like.
That’s why linking images to product variants is extremely important and can help increase the conversion rate, according to Alan Schaffer, a director at Bismuth Studios. “People often give strange names to colors, making it hard for customers to be sure they’re choosing the right color,” he says. In short, while you can have clever variant names, ensure that the associated images help customers understand that “midnight train,” for example, is a deep black-blue.
Another benefit of this strategy for fashion and beauty brands is that it helps customers understand if the product will look good on their body or skin tone. Providing images linked to different bodies and faces means customers have a better chance of getting a perfect match—and you potentially have a lower return rate.
No
The LNDR sportswear label displays the product in a different color only when clicking on a variant, but also offers a popup that allows customers to select their size and see the product on a model with the same proportions.
4. Detailed Product Description
Like images, the product description serves many purposes. At the surface level, it describes the product, helping the customer understand what they are ordering. The product description can include the following: a general written description of the product (usually two to three paragraphs), information about the ingredients or material composition, information about allergies and safety, sizing information (usually with an associated size chart) or product specifications, and usage instructions or ideas (such as recipes).
Rosara Joseph, content strategist at VentureWeb, says, “The primary goal of your product pages should be to build user trust by providing all the necessary information to make a purchase decision and making the process as easy and intuitive as possible.”
The simple product page for the Haven large bag contains a lot of product information organized under nested headings.
When the customer clicks on each section, they can browse additional information such as product features, sizing, and warranty details.
Best Practices for Product Descriptions
When optimizing your product description, consider the following best practices:
- Write content that targets a broad audience. Visitors to your website will have varying levels of knowledge about your product. “Ensure that the information you share is helpful and understandable to as many people as possible, without being condescending or talking down to users,” says Rosara.
- Try video. Focused product videos can condense complex details and narratives into a short clip.
- Organize dense information using user experience features. Dropdown tabs, accordions, and content that appears on hover can help keep the page uncluttered.
- Use a clear structure in writing. Precise use of headings and subheadings makes it easier for users to scan content and find what they are looking for.
- Anticipate questions. Answer any questions that the target customer may have directly on the product page. This may include showcasing independent frequently asked questions for each product.
- Focus on the customer. The product text should center on how the product solves the customer’s problem or benefits them.
- Pay attention to search engines. Product text is the ideal place to incorporate keywords that signal to Google that your product meets search term needs. Conduct keyword research relevant to your product description to optimize it for search engine purposes.
On the Flakes website, each product page contains a lot of information from ingredient lists to benefits to customer reviews. Upon landing on the page, beautiful images and a CTA button dominate most of the space, with a small product description.
Visitors can scroll to read the product benefits. In this example, the text focuses on the user’s problem and explains how the product can help. Notice how the CTA button also moves when scrolling!
Product descriptions are especially critical for luxury items. “If you have a simple product with a relatively high price, you need to ensure your text helps justify that price,” says Alan. “Make sure to accurately describe the materials, origins, and passion behind this product.”
Do not assume that customers understand the value of your product. Include as many details as possible to help customers trust their purchases.
5. Consistent Marketing Differentiation
Your brand appears throughout the customer journey at every touchpoint, from social media ads to the homepage of your e-commerce site to product packaging. A memorable brand identity, consistent brand voice and tone, and imagery that reflects brand aesthetics can help customers recognize you in the outside world and build affinity with your business.
Do not
You should ignore brand optimization for the product page. Conduct an audit of your pages to understand whether they represent a true representation of your brand. “The difference between creating an average product page and an exceptional one is your ability to infuse the essence of your brand into the page,” says Mark.
In these examples, the brands Kallo and Frank Body showcase their brand personalities within the product description, with the former opting for a playful poetic style and the latter using a cheeky tone aimed at its young audience.
Your product page needs to function as a standalone landing page as well. “Remember that some visitors may never visit your homepage, so present your brand in the best light possible,” says Mark. This means including the brand on every page.
6. Ambitious Content
You’ve already read about the power of lifestyle images, but what other content can convert browsers into buyers? Customers want your products to help solve a problem, make them better, bring them happiness, or assist them in achieving something. Your product pages should make it easy for customers to see how your products can fulfill those goals.
Rosara Joseph, content strategist at VentureWeb, says, “Make your content answer an aspiration.” “Think about how your product can help your users make their lives more enjoyable or efficient. How does this bike make you a better, faster rider? How will these skis allow you to shred like a rock star in deep powder?”
Frank Body uses video content to showcase the product’s ability to tackle common skin issues, along with images that display the results.
Eleat Cereal employs text and graphics to clearly communicate the benefits of its products.
You might also want to focus on the emotional benefits of purchasing, especially if you sell eco-friendly products or have sustainable business practices. Highlighting this information on the product page can help the conscious consumer understand why the product is good and its benefits to the world and themselves. Here, Rareform highlights the impact it achieves by recycling waste and turning it into usable products.
Maria says, “How does your brand and products fit into a specific lifestyle and how do you make it relevant to your particular consumers? Selling your products is about the story you tell around them—bring them and your brand to life by guiding users through the details that matter to them.”
7. Conversational Text that Speaks to the Target Customer
Artificial Intelligence technology is amazing technology that can help business owners accomplish more. It can even assist you in creating content for your product pages. But be wary of overusing it or not applying enough oversight. Use a tool like Shopify Magic to generate your product descriptions, but don’t forget to add your personal touch!
Your text should strike a balance between being on-brand and functional. Simple recipes, concise headings, and straightforward button text can help visitors find the information they need. But it should match the nature of your brand’s voice.
Maria says, “Recipes don’t have to be boring. Spend the time and effort to talk to your users.” “You have about 0.02 seconds to make an impression on users, so make it a lasting one by having your own voice!”
In the following examples, both MìLà and Lyka present their product pages with straightforward language and a playful touch that makes them more relatable.
Creating a detailed FAQ page is a great way to include more in-depth or technical information away from the main product description. Your answers should sound human and speak to the target audience. When opening the nested question list on Suri’s product page, it’s clear that the technical information is presented in layman’s terms for the average user.
8.
Social Proof Signals: Reviews, Expert Testimonials, and User-Generated Content
Borrow from best practices for landing pages (since a product page can also be a landing page) and add some social proof and expert endorsements to product pages. This helps increase customer trust and confidence, making your claims legitimate. “Especially for new brands, giving consumers a reason to believe adds a layer of trust to the shopping experience,” says Maria.
There are several ways to add trust signals:
- Include User-Generated Content (UGC): Use a Shopify app to pull user-generated content onto product pages using featured tags. This provides visual reviews from real customers. Haven compiles content from Instagram where real customers share their experiences in Reels.
- Incorporate reviews directly on the page: One study found that 46% of consumers trust online reviews as much as recommendations from a friend. Include reviews directly on the product page using a review app. Product ratings can be aggregated at the top of the page.
- Gather and display expert testimonials: Testimonials are perfect for brands in the beauty, health, and food sectors looking to support claims of product benefits. Flakes is a great example of how to utilize trust signals. In addition to reviews, their product pages highlight their partnership with a doctor who contributed to the product’s development.
If you are a new brand and don’t have reviews to showcase on your website, consider sending products to influencers or paying experts to participate in a promotional post. Influencer marketing can provide the social proof you need to launch your brand.
9. Related Products and Recommended Products
Average Order Value (AOV) can be increased by using cross-selling and upselling tactics to encourage customers to purchase additional items. You can do this on the product page by suggesting related or recommended products.
Related products can fit well at the bottom of the product page, like the example below from Beyli. You can also use an AI tool to understand user behavior and suggest products based on browsing and purchasing habits.
10. Purchase and Checkout Options
Giving customers options is not just about offering a product in multiple colors. Providing options that can save them money (like a product bundle) or time (like a repeat subscription) is the way
Source: https://shopify.com/blog/expert-advice-improve-product-pages
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