Tips to Optimize Your Small Business Online Product Pages

If your small business has an online store to sell your products, an effective product landing page can be the difference between making a sale or losing a customer to your competition. Product pages are typically the place where users go to make a final purchasing decision when doing business on the Internet, so it’s important that your page includes all the right information they need to inform this decision. With these best practices, you can make sure your product pages are set up for success.

Lead with the Most Important Information Above the Fold

You only have a short amount of time to get someone’s interest and encourage them to convert once they land on your product page. In fact, studies have shown that, on average, a user spends less than 15 seconds on a web page.

Because of this, it’s critical that your product pages are concise, attention-grabbing, and allow users to easily gain the most important information. You should display the most important information above the fold toward the top of your product page. This means that users should see the most critical information without having to scroll farther down your page. Information to have above the fold may include the product description, product images, pricing, and an “Add to Cart” button.

Depending on your demographic, you should design your product page with consideration towards how those people read the page, such as reading from right to left or left to right. If your audience reads from left to right, and if visuals are important for your product, you should display an image on the left side. However, if functionality is more important, you should lead with the product specs on the left side. This allows for the consumer’s attention to be focused on the elements that you find most important.

Key takeaway: Is your product page structured in a way that allows users to quickly learn the most important information in less than 15 seconds?

Write a Compelling Product Description

One of the most important parts of a product page is a clear and concise product description that tells the customer what the product is and why it is beneficial to them. Research has shown that nearly 80% of website users quickly scan a webpage instead of fully reading the content. It’s important that the product description is direct by including straightforward information that can help a user make their purchasing decision. Your product description should also address any common questions that customers may have.

Key takeaway: Does your product description provide the key product information in a clear, concise, and easy-to-skim way?

Bring Your Product to Life with Images

Because customers cannot physically interact with products when shopping online, they rely on photos to help inform their purchasing decision. In fact, 67% of users claimed that product images are very important when browsing a business on the Internet and making a purchasing decision. 

Make sure that you include product imagery on your site that conveys the product’s size, texture, color, fabric, or any other aspects of the product that would be important to a potential customer. If possible, include multiple images with different angles to help your customers visualize what the product is like in person.

You can also consider using lifestyle images to tell the story of products and help customers imagine how they would use the product in their day-to-day lives. This may include incorporating different locations and people to give your audience more context about the product and how it can be used. For example, if you sell running shoes, you may include a photo of someone running with the shoes in addition to a close-up, still shot of the shoes. Fortunately, today’s smartphones are equipped with excellent cameras that make it easy for small business owners to take professional, high-quality product photos.

Key takeaway: Does your product page include images that give customers a complete, accurate visual of your product and how it can be used?

Give Shoppers a Clear Call to Action

In addition to imagery and product descriptions, it’s important to include a clear Call to Action (CTA) on your page. A CTA will tell users which action they should take after reviewing the information on the product page. A good CTA button should:

• Make it simple for a user to add a product to their cart in a single click

• Be easy to find and positioned prominently on the page

• Stand out from the other content on your page

• Use action-oriented and simple language

Key takeaway: Does each of your product pages include a CTA that will grab a user’s attention and clearly tell them what action they should take on your page?

Leverage Customer Reviews

According to Podium, 93% of consumers claimed that online reviews affect their purchasing decisions. Because of this, including customer reviews on your product pages can be extremely effective. Customer reviews are a great way to validate your product and answer any additional questions that you may not have covered in your descriptions or images. They can provide key insights into the actual product usage that can influence a user to make a purchase.

If you decide to include reviews on your page, make sure that they’re visible and easily accessible. You can also include both individual customer reviews in addition to an overall rating.

With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to create effective product pages that grab the attention of the customer and encourage them to purchase your product.