Ecommerce and Retail • Ecommerce Design
Product listing pages: How to turn browsers into buyers
19 Jun 2019 • 8 min read
If your product listing page were an employee, it would be on your sales team—responsible for driving conversions and closing the deal.
A well-crafted product page serves as more than just an informational space on your ecommerce site. A product page is a persuasive, conversion-oriented hub that drives the customer from browsing to purchasing. To achieve this, you must go beyond a cookie-cutter product landing page template.
In this post, we’ll show you how to approach product page optimization. We'll show you how to use the product page as a strong sales tool. You'll also see how SEO for ecommerce product pages can increase visibility.
A product listing page is usually the first place a potential customer sees your product in your online store. It plays a critical role in the online shopper's journey, guiding them from curiosity to purchase.
The design and functionality of your product landing page should reflect this. Persuasive design, detailed information, and a smooth, intuitive user experience are important in convincing customers that they need your product. Poor design choices can cause high bounce rates and abandoned carts. On the other hand, well-designed product pages will boost engagement and sales.
Your product detail page has the responsibility to provide all the necessary information customers need to make informed decisions. Think of a product web page as a digital salesperson. It can answer questions, showcase the benefits of the product, and provide a seamless route to the checkout. Let’s break down the core components of a high-performing product page.
The product name is the first indicator that a customer has found the right item. It should be clear, descriptive, and include essential details such as the brand, model, and key attributes. Including additional product information like size or color ensures that customers know exactly what they’re looking at.
Precise product names are important for the customer experience because they reduce friction in the buying process. Specific product names also enhance SEO by including relevant keywords that help rank your product landing pages.
High-resolution, multi-angle images instill confidence in your customers when they can’t interact with a product. The ability to view detailed, zoomed-in photos from different angles can set your shop apart. Your product detail page should offer zoom functionality and include lifestyle images that show the product in use. This gives customers a sense of scale and real-world application, helping them visualize the product in their lives.
Investing in professional-quality photography can drastically improve the perceived value of your product and your brand. Also, consider optimizing image alt text to enhance SEO on your ecommerce product pages. Descriptive alt tags make your site more accessible and let search engines index your product images. This way, your site will come up when people search for the product itself.
Your pricing strategy should be clear and compelling. If you’re offering discounts, promotions, or bulk pricing, highlight them prominently on the product web page. Including sale labels, percentage reductions, and countdown timers for limited-time offers can create urgency, encouraging immediate action.
Additionally, free shipping offers are a powerful incentive for customers. If applicable, emphasize free shipping on the product page with same-day or next-day delivery options. Consider using a bulk discount table for products sold in volume. This makes it easy for buyers to see how they can save by purchasing more.
Your product listing page must offer clear, concise product information that addresses the key reasons why someone should buy. Keep the information easy to digest, ensuring it resonates with the target customer.
Display the brand name prominently near the top of the product detail page and ensure stock availability is visible. Highlighting scarcity with messaging like “Only 2 left in stock!” can create urgency and drive immediate purchasing decisions.
A CTA button, such as “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now,” is one of the most critical elements of your product page design. To maximize conversions, use a contrasting color to ensure the CTA button stands out. Visual cues, such as a spinning icon after clicking, reassures customers that their action is processing. This improves the overall user experience.
Cross-selling and upselling are powerful tools for increasing your average order value. On your product page, suggest similar products or items complementary to the one customers are looking at. These cross-sell options should be easily accessible, ideally with their own “Add to Cart” button. "Bundling" items this way simplifies the buying process and increases your revenue without requiring a separate sales pitch.
Unexpected shipping costs at checkout can be a major conversion killer. Including a shipping calculator on your product page allows customers to estimate their shipping fees before purchasing. The calculator should be flexible enough to recognize various types of post codes. It should also offer a range of shipping options based on the speed of delivery.
Integrating shipping options directly on the product page is another way to increase transparency in the buying process. In doing so, you reduce friction and improve overall conversion rates.
SEO for product pages is critical for ranking higher in search results. To attract more organic traffic, you need to optimize for search. Here are key strategies for optimizing your product listing pages for SEO:
Choosing the right keywords for your online store is the foundation of a strong SEO strategy. Start by identifying the terms your target audience uses when searching for products like yours. Use keyword research tools to find high-volume and relevant phrases, and look at your competitors’ pages for inspiration. As you build your list, prioritize keywords that balance search volume with buyer intent to ensure they attract motivated shoppers. Consider adding long-tail keywords that are more specific. For example, instead of just using “sofa,” try “modern sectional sofa with washable covers” to attract more targeted searches and match your audience’s exact search intent.
Once you have a solid list, focus on strategically placing these keywords across your product page. Position them in the product title, URL, and description text to help search engines understand the page’s context. Don’t forget to include relevant keywords in headers and subheaders to ensure your content is easily scannable for both users and search engines.
Adding more detail about your products not only helps your customers understand what they're buying, it also improves SEO. Avoid using generic product descriptions provided by manufacturers. This can lead to penalties for duplicate content from search engines. It also prevents you from standing out as a brand.
Create unique, detailed descriptions for every product, answering common customer questions and including relevant keywords to improve search visibility. Try using keywords that relate to the qualities of the product that people might search for. Examples of this might be "organic" or "machine washable" for clothing, or "wireless" or "Bluetooth-enabled" for electronics.
75% of shoppers use their phones to shop online. This means it's essential to optimize your product pages for mobile users. Google’s algorithm prioritizes mobile-first indexing, meaning your mobile site experience can heavily impact your SEO rankings.
Ensure your product web page design is responsive, with fast loading times and easy navigation on smaller screens. Compress images and use mobile-friendly layouts that don’t overwhelm users with excessive content.
Customer reviews not only provide valuable social proof but also contribute fresh content to your product pages. This can enhance your SEO by providing search engines with new, unique content that keeps your page active and relevant. Encourage customers to leave reviews and showcase them prominently on your product detail page. This user-generated content can fill information gaps and make your product offering feel more authentic.
Designing a high-converting product listing page involves more than just aesthetics. Creating a seamless, persuasive experience guides customers toward the checkout. By optimizing your content and integrating SEO strategies, you can turn your product pages into powerful sales engines.
Want more insights on how to design the perfect ecommerce product page? Get a demo.
