We like to think of product listings as the meat and potatoes of your e-commerce site. They’re the detailed ads that provide all the info you could ever want about a product. Google Ads, Amazon, and Craigslist all feature product listings in some way or another.
But as tempting as it may be to simply info-dump on your product listing, that’s usually not the best way to boost site performance or get the user-business relationship started on the right foot. Take a moment to review our tips for how to make the most of your product listings. Which of the following could they benefit from most?
Visually-Attractive Design
Product listings are often the worst contenders when it comes to web design. And look, we get it. You have a lot of information to convey, so often, quantity takes the place of quality. But you can still share all the information your customer needs without overwhelming them in the process.
Minimalism
Whether you’re experimenting with a hidden navigation bar or testing out some sleek typography, minimalism is ideal for product listings. This is especially true for reaching younger consumers, who tend to prefer aesthetics and listings “cut to the chase.” When in doubt, include smarter content in those listings rather than more of it.
The Quick Look Feature
Ever been hundreds of products deep in an online catalog and wanted to take a closer look at one without leaving the main page? That’s where the “quick look” feature comes in handy. It’s also a great way to show that product from different angles or in different colors. We’re all about convenience in the digital marketing biz.
Mobile Compatibility
An estimated 3 out of 4 dollars spent today in online purchases happens through our mobile phones, and that number only rose this past year with a wave of quarantine-related impulse buys. Besides this, there are 211 million mobile searchers in the U.S. alone! In other words, you should have optimized your listings for mobile by, well, yesterday.
Photo Elements
At the risk of sounding like a cantankerous old man, our attention spans are much shorter these days. Studies show that they only last a mere eight seconds, or shorter than that of a goldfish. Nothing makes us click away faster than a wall of text during what was otherwise a casual online shopping experience—no wonder visually-oriented content is on the rise!
83% of respondents to a recent survey said that photography is highly influential in making a purchase. But merely slapping a photo on a listing won’t do the trick, so what will?
Show Products in Action
You know that feeling when you find a nice pair of jeans online, but you can’t imagine what they’d look like on you? Or you find the perfect kitchen appliance, but have a hard time visualizing it in your daily life? Photos of products in action are the answer to that. These don’t require actual human beings to be in the photo, but many benefit from having one.
Whether you have a model looking confident in those jeans or a hover feature over that appliance listing to view it as a GIF, you’re giving your customers a much more well-rounded viewing experience.
Keep It Simple
You can’t beat a minimalist white background for your product listings. Just ask Amazon. What better way to give your listing a professional air and let the product speak for itself?
Of course, some products are an exception to the rule, especially if you want to show them in action. Ask yourself whether a backdrop enhances or distracts from your product, and go from there.
Know Your Angles
A head-on picture of that blouse may look pretty, but doesn’t do much to boost customer confidence. What does it look like from the backside? In a close-up? Where does the fabric crease? Where are the hidden pockets and zippers? What will you look like sitting down in it as well as standing up?
In other words, ask yourself: Which angles give your customer the full story while still showing your product in the most flattering light?
Site Mapping
Site mapping is the process of modeling a site’s content that provides structure and clarity to both shoppers and search engine crawlers. Site maps can be as simple as hierarchical lists with links, as long as they’re organized in some way by topic. If you’re a business with many products to sell and keep track of, site mapping is a worthy investment.
Want to start site mapping those product listings, but unsure where to start? Try downloading a product listing template (hint, hint: many of them are free!).
Optimize Your Product Listings Today
We get it—product listings can be tricky. From web design to photography to knowing the ins and outs of search engines, it can be a lot for businesses who just want to make sales. That, of course, is why we’re here. Contact us to learn more about making the most of your product listings.