Let’s be honest: ranking for keywords can be a pain.
This is especially true if you’re in the world of ecommerce.
Jockeying for position in the SERPs, your placement could be make-or-break for your bottom line and likewise define where your products stand versus your competitors.
Oftentimes, there’s a common thread between the ecommerce sites that just can’t seem to cut it in the eyes of Google.
That is, poor product pages.
Here’s the deal: product pages can be an absolute SEO goldmine if you know how to optimize them. Rich with keywords and high-converting elements, a well-crafted product page is capable of not only driving traffic but also encouraging on-site visitors to stick around your site.
Sounds nice, right?
Unfortunately, many sites squander their product pages because they’re not paying attention to the right details. If you’re wondering if you’re in the same boat, we’ve got you covered. Below are six common mistakes that kill product pages and what you can do to ensure you’re not making them yourself.
Your Copy is Way Too Generic
One of the biggest problems plaguing many merchants’ product pages is using “out-of-the-box” copy.
In other words, relying on boring, generic language that a million other merchants might be using on their own pages. This is not only bad news in terms of SEO, but also does nothing to distinguish your storefront.
Perhaps WiseMerchant puts it best: “When coming up with product descriptions, for example, avoid just using what your manufacturer has sent you. Instead, come up with charming copy that effectively describes each item.”
What exactly is “charming copy,” though? It might be something that shows off a humorous, distinct brand voice. It could also be benefit-driven language that tries to sell your product rather than just explain what it is. Coming up with unique descriptions is the first step to making sure your product pages don’t fall flat.
You’re Not Paying Attention to SEO
Beyond showing off your copywriting chops, it quite literally pays to mind your on-page SEO.
For starters, make sure that you don’t neglect keywords for the following components of your product pages:
- Your titles and headers (h1, h2, etc.)
- Your meta description
- Your image alt-tags
- Your page URL
- Your body copy
Tools such as Yoast are invaluable for checking these boxes and you’re using WordPress as your CRM. Regardless, these are all places prime for keywords that do not have to feel stuffed or spammy to your visitors. Taking the time to tick these boxes will put you way ahead of the curve when it comes to ranking potential.
Your Internal Linking is Out of Whack
On a related note, don’t overlook the best practices of internal linking not only for the sake of SEO but also user experience. Visitors should be able to seamlessly click from page to the next, either in the form of internal links or recommended products. When shoppers get “stuck” on a product page with nowhere to go, they’re much more likely to bounce.
Your Visuals Don’t Pop
The rise of visual merchandising speaks for itself: shoppers need to see products in action if you realistically hope to convert them. This means showing off a combination of customer photos and product-centric video, for starters. Relying on lifeless photos does little to encourage shoppers to take action, let alone signal that you’re a legitimate storefront.
There’s No Social Proof to Be Found
Similarly, anything you can do prove that you have satisfied customers is a plus. Beyond photos, customer reviews, testimonials and other effective examples of social proof should be front-and-center on your product pages. Many big box ecommerce brands feature star-ratings and review snippets on their pages for a reason: if you aren’t already collecting such feedback from customers, it’s time to start doing so.
Total Lack of Mobile Optimization
Lastly, consider the popularity of mobile ecommerce and the fact that more and more shoppers are hitting up storefronts from their smartphones.
Making your site mobile-friendly through responsive design and a tappable, scroll-friendly page is the first step to ensuring that your mobile traffic isn’t needlessly bouncing. Your on-site experience should be the same whether on a mobile device or desktop: if not, you’re inevitably leaving customers out in the cold.
Product page optimization is a make or break aspect of any ecommerce storefront, all regardless of what you might be selling. Rather than allow your pages to underperform, take the time to fine-tune each of these elements to ensure you’re driving more traffic and converting as many customers as possible.
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