7 ways to optimize product pages for the holiday season

As an online merchant, you know how important product pages are to the success of your store. They’re where you display your products, convey their value, and, if you’ve done everything right and the stars align, make the sale.

And yet, the humble product page often takes a back seat to more conspicuous areas like the homepage—especially during the lead-up to Black Friday, when all anyone seems to care about are flash sales and low, low prices.

But here’s the thing: even the glitziest sales and lowest prices can’t compensate for a subpar shopping experience. If you really want visitors to convert, you need to deliver an experience that gives them everything they need to become a customer.

 

Tune up those product descriptions.

Still using the manufacturer’s copy? According to the Nielsen Norman Group, you could be costing yourself up to 20% in potential sales.

By writing original product descriptions, you give your store a boost in SEO, along with a personal touch that sets you apart from your less affable competitors. That means using language that will both resonate with your audience and convey your brand.

Just remember to keep things concise. And if you really must get verbose (say, for complex but relevant product specs), use a “View More” link or tabs.

 

Have a clear call-to-action.

The main goal of your product page is to drive conversions, so make it easy for shoppers to buy!

Make sure your call-to-action button is in a prominent, easy-to-see spot (always above the fold). Try to avoid cluttering it with other content. Consider leaving white or blank space around the button to make it stand out.

You should also use plain language on your call-to-action button. There’s no need to complicate things with fancy wording that may confuse shoppers. Using well-known terms like “add to cart”, “buy now”, or “get” are your best bets.

 

Give your product photos and videos some love.

Quality product photography is super important when it comes to building consumer confidence and boosting conversions, particularly for things like clothing, electronics, and home goods. If your product images are low-resolution or poorly lit, consider hiring a professional photographer or brushing up on your DIY photography skills and shooting them yourself.

Want a super-fast fix that doesn’t involve a camera? Bonanza Background Burner removes busy, unsightly backgrounds and replaces them with a clean, white backdrop to make your products pop.

Video is becoming a huge part of driving ecommerce sales. According to Google, 25% of mobile shoppers in the US use YouTube videos to help them to decide what to buy.

Instead of trying to shoot videos for every single product in your catalog—mucho dinero—take a page from Everlane’s book and create some short-and-sweet clips for your top sellers.

Always be sure to optimize your photo and video content for SEO by having small file sizes (we prefer a maximum of 200kb) and include a relevant file name and alt tags.

 

Add a wishlist or “save for later” button.

This is a great way of gathering email addresses for remarketing purposes. It’s also handy for customers who want to remember products they might be interested in purchasing later.

Apps like Wishlist Plus let you quickly and seamlessly add wishlist functionality to your Shopify store, giving you insight into frequently-wishlisted items. You can even share lists with family and friends on social media, boosting your sales chances and acting as word-of-mouth advertising for your store.

 

Highlight positive reviews and customer testimonials.

It’s important to maintain customer confidence throughout the buying process. One of the best ways of doing this is by harnessing the power of customer satisfaction.

If you already have a testimonials page elsewhere on your site, consider transferring some product-specific write-ups to your product pages.

Some Shopify themes (like Empire) let you integrate reviews seamlessly into your product pages, or you can grab Shopify’s free Product Reviews app and add reviews to whatever theme you use.

 

Offer “recommended” and “similar product” suggestions.

Personalization is on every merchant’s wishlist this year, and for good reason.

In a study conducted by Exact Target and Forrester Consulting, 96% of marketers agree personalization plays a key role in the retention and loyalty of customers. The bad news: it takes more than plunking a customer’s first name into an email.

The good news: apps like Personalizer use powerful algorithms to show customers related and trending products that they are more likely to buy, increasing both average order value and conversion rate.

 

Enable social sharing on your store’s product pages and posts.

Make it easy for customers to share your store’s content on social media. Focus on the three to five platforms where your audience is most active. (If you’re doing things right, these should be the platforms where you’re most active, too).

See this Shopify infographic for a breakdown of which social media platforms that drive the most sales.

 

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