If you run or design ecommerce sites, one of the biggest responsibilities you have is creating compelling product pages that engage customers and drive sales. And while there are many different industry-specific strategies and product-specific techniques, there are also a handful of best practices that apply across the board.
Product Pages: Where Conversions Go to Die
The product page is the last place a customer visits before making a purchase. In order to get customers here, you invested a considerable amount of time, money, and resources pushing them through the conversion funnel. At this point, the last thing you want to do is lose the lead. Unfortunately, many product pages are nothing more than conversion killers.
If a product page doesn’t do an adequate job of highlighting the value proposition and encouraging immediate action, there’s a good chance that visitors will bounce. On the other hand, if the page is able to reinforce key selling points and provide a smooth interaction, then visitors are much more likely to respond in the form of a purchase.
4 Tips for a High Converting Product Page
The question is, what does a high converting product page look like? Let’s take a look at some of the best practices designers and developers need to focus on when creating these pages.
Healthy Mixture
Product pages need an appropriate balance of content and visuals. In the past, pages featured way too much written content, which bored customers and did a poor job of conveying the tangible value of the products being sold. Today, it’s common to see product pages that feature lots of visuals, but poor product descriptions. The key here is to find a healthy medium.
Integrated Video
In 2016, video is playing an important role in product pages. It clearly displays the value of the product in action. However, you don’t want video to compromise the layout and aesthetic appeal of the page.
One preferred strategy is to incorporate video CTAs that allow users to launch videos if they want to learn more. This product page from Speedy Signs USA is a good example. Notice how there’s a CTA button at the top that reads, “Watch Product Video.” By clicking it, customers are then able to watch a minute-long video on the product without disrupting the flow and layout of the page.
Fast Page Loading Time
Page loading time is a huge deal on product pages. Roughly 47 percent of consumers expect a page to load in two seconds or less, while a one second delay in page response can lower your conversion rate by seven percent.
In order to speed up your product page, enable browser caching, compress image files, optimize CSS delivery, and reduce the number of redirects. It’s best to run your site through a tool like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to learn more.
Elements of Social Proof
Social proof is needed at every step of a conversion funnel, but it’s extremely important when it comes to closing a lead on a product page. Things like client testimonials, customer reviews, sales statistics, and ratings are extremely effective.
The popular deal site Groupon does a phenomenal job of using social proof to drive sales. On all of their product pages – such as this one – they list how many people have purchased the deal. Seeing something like “over 1,000 bought” instills confidence for the buyer.
Prioritize Product Pages
As valuable as product pages are in the grand scheme of monetization, they don’t get nearly enough attention on the web design front. Think about the techniques and best practices mentioned in this article and make sure your product pages are offering the best possible user experience.
