The conversation around eCommerce conversion rate optimization (CRO) often focuses on the checkout page.
But to maximize completed purchases, your optimization efforts should begin before the customer gets to the checkout. This is because before a customer heads to checkout, they must first become convinced your product is worth buying — and your company is trustworthy.
So, product pages become a key part of your overall CRO. In this article, we’re sharing how to optimize every element on your product page to encourage more “Add to Cart” clicks.
Product image optimization
Consumers can’t touch, hold, or try on your product when they’re shopping online. So your product images must do the heavy lifting to help customers understand what it’s like to use your product.
The first step to creating great product images is to invest heavily in lighting. Shopify expert Ilana Davis recommends using studio lighting, or if you don’t have a studio, relying on full natural light. Never photograph your products using regular indoor lights, or risk looking unprofessional.
But once you’re past the basics, you can apply consumer psychology research to your images.
One of the strongest insights that has come out of consumer psychology research is this: Images that portray someone interacting with your product perform much better than an image where the product is on its own.
So, when you’re lining up your product images, be sure to include at least one with a person using your product as intended. Also, remember to have the product out of its packaging for the photo.
For example, fine jewelry brand Lena Zaric Jewelry showcases several images where the piece is being worn (compared to just one of the piece on its own):
Finally, to improve consumers’ ability to understand your product, opt to swap one image for a video of the product being used or explained. This adds an extra layer of trust to the purchase decision, confirming that the product exists as described.
Product description optimization
One of the most common questions regarding product descriptions is “How long should my product description be for conversions?”
The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. However, research has shed some light on how to approach length: Hedonistic (i.e. meant for enjoyment) products perform better when paired with longer product descriptions. In contract, the opposite is true for utilitarian products.
The theory goes that people looking for utilitarian products likely want to know the quick facts of the product to see if it can perform the task they need it to. On the other hand, people looking for “enjoyment” products confer more value (and more enjoyment) to the products with longer descriptions.
For example, Golden Steer Steak Company sells enjoyment products, high-quality steaks. So their product page includes an in-depth description that spans the length of a webpage to entice readers to buy the product:
When it comes to the actual copy, there’s one surefire way to improve your descriptions: Focus on the benefits of your product features. In other words, don’t simply list the product features; explain why they are beneficial for the consumer.
Finally, treat the first line of your product description like a headline. It may be the only thing a customer reads, so make it count. We recommend using the first line to highlight the biggest, most important benefit of the product or to share the product’s unique value proposition (i.e. what makes the product different from the competition).
CTA button optimization
With only a small piece of webpage real estate, the design of the CTA button has a lot of influence on whether customers click it. In other words, whether the page itself converts.
Marketing and psychology expert Nick Kolenda reported that one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your CTA button is to make it stand out visually with a contrasting color to the rest of the page.
For example, CBD company Indica Dreams calls attention to their preferred CTA to start a subscription by making it bright orange:
Another strategy to call attention to your CTA button is to include an arrow pointing to the button. CXL did a visual cue A/B test where they found that arrows, particularly hand-drawn-effect arrows, led to more people paying attention to the CTA.
Finally, try adding microcopy just below your CTA button. Use the microcopy to overcome common, lingering hesitations consumers might have, such as worrying about shipping costs, shipping time, or returns.
For example, you might include microcopy that says, “Delivered in 3-5 business days,” to remind customers of the shipping time and alleviate worries.
Bonus optimization tips
Once you’ve optimized the core elements of your product pages, these bonus optimization tips can take your CRO to the next level:
- Make sure your product page design renders perfectly on mobile. Mobile shopping is wildly popular, with 79% of consumers making a mobile purchase in the last six months. And negative mobile shopping experiences have been shown to make someone 61% less likely to shop with you again.
- If you offer free delivery, make it abundantly clear. Free delivery was found to be the number one reason people shopped online in 2020. So don’t relegate this incredible value to the checkout page — add it directly to your product pages.
- Answer FAQs on the product page. FAQs like shipping time and cost or returns information are strong enough to take people off your product page if they aren’t getting answers. Instead, include this information right on your product page to improve the user experience and keep people shopping.
- Include verified reviews on the product page. 87% of consumers read product reviews. Most people who visit your product page look for reviews, so include them in an organic feed to increase trustworthiness.
- Offer live chat on the product page. 51% of the companies that consumers trust the most make it easy to contact people at the company. This suggests that when consumers find it easy to contact someone at a company, they trust the company more. Live chat is arguably the fastest and easiest method of reaching your company.
Go forth and optimize
When you’re sitting down to evaluate your eCommerce store’s performance, don’t forget to check in with your product pages; they are an essential step in the CRO process.
Hopefully, these tips have given you a great place to start optimizing your product pages to encourage more “Add to Cart” clicks.
