As an up-and-coming eCommerce entrepreneur, you've no doubt got a lot of plates you need to keep spinning.
In amongst your various on and offline tasks, you need to:
Conduct research and analysis to decide on a line of products and a business modelBuild an appealing and functioning website which provides a first-class user experienceOptimize said website for search engines by producing valuable contentEstablish a solid social media presence for your newfangled business
But even after you lay the groundwork, you may still struggle with your ultimate goal: conversions.
There's a good chance that your problems will lie with your product pages, the pages where you showcase your products with an “Add to Cart” button.
As you can imagine, product pages are crucial to your store’s success. This is where the actual purchase takes place. And the last thing you want is to kill conversions because of an inefficient product page.
In order to maximize your potential, and avoid this potential area of concern, ensure you don’t make the following, common product page mistakes.
1. Cutting Corners on Product Images
Being the new kid on the block, you’ll no doubt be on a tight budget. As such, you'll naturally look to cut back wherever possible, which is a good idea. Skimping on your visuals, however, may not be the best way to go.
One of the biggest snags with online shopping is the lack of the ability to try out the products first-hand before deciding. This, together with the numerous online sham websites that exist, is what results in a lack of trust - and consequently, cart abandonment.
What's the best way to assure your visitors that your store is genuine?
One way is by using professional, top-quality visuals. Try to incorporate all of the following in your product pages:
Primary Images
Primary images are the standard, high-resolution images in which the product is emphasized against a pure white background. Consider this as nothing more than a “minimum requirement” of product visuals on any modern eCommerce site.
Your products should be showcased in this fashion to demonstrate professionalism. If you’re doing the photography and edits yourself, you can use online tools like AutoClipping to swiftly remove the background of your image and make it pure white. Also, try to show your product/s from various different angles.
Lifestyle Images
These images are meant to demonstrate your products as they’re being used in routine conditions by an average Joe. Lifestyle shots will enable your would-be buyers to envisage what it would feel like to own your product.
Illustrations
Leverage creative graphics and illustrations, such as infographics, to accentuate your product’s best features. Moreover, an instructional “how-to” illustration can also be designed to prove how easy-to-use your product is.
Videos
Finally, flaunt your product in action by creating short, snackable videos. Sure, video can be expensive, but it’ll boost trust exponentially - and thus, sales.
While DIY is an option here, it's sensible to hire local professionals (photographers, graphic designers, etc.) to do it for you. Either way, don’t scrimp on visuals by uploading bush-league images from your smartphone. Investing in premium visuals will pay dividends throughout the life of your storefront, so it's a worthy area of investment.
2. Writing Lousy Copy
The next most common mistake is writing dreary, humdrum, and uninspiring product descriptions. If you’re selling an exciting and useful product, why not write crisp copy that inspires the visitor to take immediate action.
How do you do this?
The first challenge is to define a clear hierarchy (or structure) of your copy - that is, using headings, subheadings, bullets, and keywords judiciously to make it easier for shoppers to skim through your content. An added benefit of doing this is that it will help to improve your on-page SEO.
Mix compelling copy and inventive storytelling to sway the shopper. Don’t be verbose with your product description or include every little technical detail, concentrate on highlighting all the vital benefits and features that make your product valuable.
Your capacity to imbue your brand's unique voice into your product pages is what’ll make your storefront stand out from the competition. Keep these additional pointers in mind to help you draft more persuasive descriptions:
Describe the unique value proposition (USP) of your product. What features make it superior to all the alternatives available across the internet?State all the benefits of using your product, preferably using bullet pointsLook to anticipate and address any potential questions or doubts that may ariseDecrease buyer hesitation, and promote their confidence, by outlining any warranty or guarantee you offerLook to include relevant keywords in your copy for SEO purposes, but always prioritize readabilityWrite in an easy, casual tone, with concise sentences and paragraphs - and avoid jargon
3. Failing to Earn Customer Reviews
According to Trustpilot, 92% of consumers read reviews on the internet, and 80% of shoppers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations. This means customer reviews are crucial to conversions, and you simply cannot turn a blind eye to them.
Those little star ratings on product pages are indisputably one of the most important factors in a shopper’s final purchase decision. Moreover, the number of reviews is equally significant. The more, the merrier (not negative ones, though) - but the question is, how do you earn more reviews?
One way is to reach out to your customers via good old-fashioned email and request that they take a minute to share their thoughts. As there’s nothing in it for them, normally they won’t do it with one request, so send them warm follow-ups twice - or at most, three times, signaling that their support means a lot to you.
The second, more powerful tactic is to incentivize the first. Simply put, offer your customers rewards and loyalty discounts the next time they shop at your store, in exchange for leaving honest feedback on your website. An added advantage of this method is that it can boost customer retention and brand loyalty.
That said, if you're getting a lot of bad reviews, don’t fret. Respond to each in a timely and gracious manner, and assure your customers that you’ll do everything in your power to correct the problem and make amends - and that the issue will not occur again.
Then, identify and fix the root cause of the problem. Whatever you do, always respond to customer reviews, and never respond disrespectfully. Customer reviews are the epitome of social proof, and the fact is your business cannot thrive without them.
Wrapping Up
Remember the 80/20 rule. Crafting a remarkable product page involves a lot of moving parts, but focusing on these three fundamental elements - visuals, copy, and reviews - will make at least 80% impact on your conversions, if not more.