How Your Product Details Page Can Make or Break an eCommerce Campaign

Regardless of how shoppers get to your product details page, whether or not it shows them the information they are looking for can determine if they will proceed to add to cart. Today, 81 percent of consumers begin their online searches by typing in the name of the product they’re seeking. They may have discovered that page after encountering one of your ads, or have been prompted to check out your item when buying an adjacent product.

The fact that shoppers are looking for your product by name is huge — they’re investing their time and are wanting to make a purchase. However, this is a critical stage in the shopping journey because they are checking to see if your product and the fulfillment options meet their needs. They’re also still comparing you to your competitors. Creating a product details page that’s simple, informative, and engaging is crucial. Make that purchase decision as easy as possible by immediately establishing trust and providing all of the information they need.

What makes an informative and trustworthy product details page? How do you capture and present the right information? Let’s dive in!

How to Build a Product Details Page That Converts

A well-built product details page is search-friendly—meaning it gives consumers the information they need and makes it easy to find. Using a mix of keywords and product relevant messaging will help your page headline or meta description appear in search engine results. It is also important to be visually oriented and brand consistent. 

Let’s look further at each of these elements so that you can create product detail pages that rank higher in search and convert shoppers. 

1. Make sure the headline and copy reflect your shoppers’ search words.

According to conventional marketing wisdom, eight out of ten people only read headlines, and only two will scroll down to read the copy beneath it. A headline that doesn’t connect to the consumer’s search term can immediately dissuade them from even reading the rest of the page, let alone make a purchase. 

A consistent headline is crucial, but the rest of the copy does the heavy lifting when communicating a product’s unique qualities and benefits. This means including:

• Important details such as its size, materials, ingredients, place of manufacture, and so forth 
• Different use cases for the product

Don’t underestimate keyword research. Knowing the exact words and phrases your audience is searching for will help you better understand their goals and how your products can meet their needs. Search is a key leading eCommerce indicator for brands who are trend watching and looking to provide the answers to their consumers’ questions.

2. Use descriptive, high-definition product photos for visual and narrative branding.

High-resolution professional images from all angles and positions will enhance your product details page. The quality of the photo should be high, but don’t make it look unrealistic. Photos must be trustworthy and authentic. If your product is a cubic zirconia necklace, and you retouch the photo to make it look like an extravagant diamond necklace, you’ll lose consumer trust. 

Adding context to each photo can also help convince consumers to make purchases. For example, a bicycle helmet could be photographed next to a bicycle on an outdoor trail, encouraging consumers to envision themselves using that product. If the approximate dimensions of your product matter to your consumer, show it next to something easy to identify, like a bottle next to a hand. If your product requires detailed measurements, adding a measurement chart to your images can be helpful too. This is also where social proof becomes important, so make sure to invest time in developing a favorable review section with helpful customer images.

Don’t use low-resolution, blurry, or unprofessional photos—they can be a real brand-killer. Avoid overly retouching your modeled images where they become unrealistic, or looking too much like stock images such that you look unrelatable. If you are staying in touch with your consumer profile and their preference, it can inform what types of image to include that can drive conversion. Don’t forget to check sales attribution to see if these adjustments successfully drove sales.

3. Be consistent with all of your product details pages.

Creating a standardized process that your design team can adhere to when listing new products establishes brand consistency and makes your consumers feel safe to shop. At a minimum, each listing should include:

• Multiple featured images
• Gallery photos
• Concise and in-depth description
• Product overview
• Price
• Various options available
• Reviews
• Ratings
• Contact form for follow-up questions

Don’t think that products with different variations need different pages—consistency is key. It helps create brand recognition that consumers can spot from a mile away. Think of companies like Apple, Nike, or McDonald’s. Each one uses elements to make them easily recognizable. In fact, sometimes showing all variations of one product on the same page can actually support the shopping process, and fulfill the shopper’s need to feel like they made the best choice after considering multiple options.

4. Avoid displaying your out of stock products next to competitors.

You don’t want a potential consumer to land on one of your product pages on a retailer site, not only to see your product out of stock, but also encountering a ton of product suggestions from competitors. You can quickly lose sales if consumers aren’t already loyal to your brand. Just seeing other offerings from someone else can take them from potential consumer to lost consumer in seconds. 

Avoid this by listing multiple products on each retailer’s site so that your own products are more likely to appear as alternatives. Better yet, get ahead of this headache by pre-empting the issue when driving shoppers to cart. Use eCommerce technology that ensures consumers are only driven to retailers where your product is currently stocked. 

Don’t lead consumers to products that aren’t in stock. That’s the easiest way to lose the sale to competition. Keep an eye on your consumer demand insight when driving shoppers to different retailer sites, and using that leading indicator when planning inventory. If you plan your eCommerce strategy right, you can even get as granular as geography and fulfillment preference. 

Use Product Details Pages to Help Grow Your Brand

Your product details page can make or break an effective eCommerce campaign, but it’s only part of your overall brand strategy. You also need to know how to use data to help inform decisions, understand the changing consumer journey, and more. 

Get the information you need to take your brand to the next level. Take a look at our eBook The Evolution of eCommerce and How to Accelerate Brand Growth.