It’s February, and for many, it is a month loaded with predictions, competitions and love connections. That pesky little groundhog kicks things off, followed by the Superbowl and then it is all about hearts, flowers and candy. This got me to thinking; the online marketplace is much the same. We make predictions about our sales, we dig in for the fight with our top competitors and then we take that knowledge and shower our sites with much needed love and attention. We do whatever it takes to reach out and get new customers. Unfortunately, in the midst of the competition, we miss important details such as forgetting to place our products in the spotlight.
We often lose sight of the fact that we only have a brief moment to grab a visitor’s attention. In the fast-paced, always changing, and improving ecommerce environment, attention spans are short, distractions are plentiful, and no one wants to waste their valuable time only to be let down by poor quality product pages. Remember, you want that visitor to become a loyal customer. The more you do to capture and keep their attention; the better the chances they will convert.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Make online shopping stress-free and easy.
It sounds simple, but often ecommerce sites are outdated and/or lack organization. If you want to win the hearts of your potential customers, ORGANIZE. By simply categorizing your products, you make it easier for customers to find exactly what they are looking for.
2. Outstanding Product Descriptions
It’s tough to figure out what kind of description works best. Should it be light-hearted or serious? Short or long? Try looking at the product description as your sale’s pitch that needs to be SEO friendly to drive search traffic to you. To be outstanding, a product description talks to the audience in mind using tone language appropriately.
For example, if your customers are middle-aged women, do not write a product description using language more relatable to a teenager. Show your audience you know who they are by writing descriptions that stand out and resonate with them.
Geoffrey James sums it up perfectly when he reminds businesses to avoid words meant to impress and stay true to who you are. Product descriptions should be interesting and engaging, as well as informative. Make sure any specifications are clearly laid out and most importantly, make sure your product descriptions align with your brand identity and personality. In other words, be authentic!
3. High-Quality Product Photos
- Product photos are intended to capture the attention of your audience. Potential customers want a guarantee that the desired product matches their expectations. In fact, more than 50% of consumers think a high-quality photo of a product is more important than product information, long description, or rating and reviews. Your goal is to provide your customers with the best picture possible.
You can even take it up a few notches by:
- Incorporating alternate views
- Showing the product in use to give customers the full experience.
- Providing photos for each color or variation in a product
- Allowing for zooming
- Ensuring Consistency in Product Photos
4. De-cluttering
Do some pre-spring cleaning today, regardless of what the groundhog predicts. Get rid of the irrelevant and unnecessary to ensure your audience has the ability to make a well informed choice with a clear state of mind. No matter what others may say, in the case of product pages, “less is more.” Be clear and concise.
That's A Wrap
Today’s takeaways may be somewhat presumptuous; but, we predict that by applying these suggestions will prepare you for the competition and leave your audience loving your products.