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So we've successfully reviewed the homepage and the category page. Up until now, our only goal has been to move the customer one step further in their buying journey. Now that they've made it to a Product Detail Page, or PDP, the goal has changed and the stakes are even higher. We're trying to earn the business, and every decision we make on this page can be a difference between a completed purchase or an abandoned cart.
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To maximize the number of page visits that convert into customers, our product detail page needs to accomplish three tasks. First, it needs to answer customer objections. Up until this point, our customers have the basic information they need to make a decision. But they might not have that specific question answered that still hasn't been addressed.
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Things like, what's the texture of the material like? Or will this look big in my room? Is it going to be too small? Or how hard is this to clean? These are all reasons that customers will go looking for something else if they are not addressed. Second, alleviate objections or concerns. It's common for customers to come to your site with pre-existing objections or concerns about your product.
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These are usually things like, I'm not sure I'll be able to put this together. Or this is kind of pricey. Is it really worth spending that much? Third is establish trust and build confidence. Customers will also wonder if they can trust your brand. They will worry about things like product arriving on time or whether it has quality and performance that they were hoping for.
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And without this trust, they won't make a purchase. So how can you make sure that your product detail page completes all three of these objectives? Here are three areas you'll want to review and what to look for. Number one is above the fold. This is the area that customers see immediately after landing on your PDP, but before they do any scrolling.
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This typically includes product imagery, the product name, pricing, a brief description, customization options, and an Add to Cart button. Here are a few things to look for above the fold on product pages. Are there big, beautiful images that show the product in detail? Do they also show the product in use so that customers can imagine how it will fit into their life?
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If the product has multiple variants, like different colors, is there quickly a way to navigate between them? And are the product photos updated to reflect the active selection? If there is a discounted price, are we displaying the former price with a strikethrough, in addition to the discounted price with the percent or dollar off? Are we emphasizing the most compelling reassurances that we offer, like free shipping, free returns, expedited delivery, or money-back guarantees?
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If we don't offer free shipping and we haven't explicitly stated yet, we strongly recommended listing the estimated timeline and the cost of shipping on the product detail page. Any surprises deeper in that checkout process will result in abandoned carts. Number two are product descriptions.
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This area is a great opportunity to inject some of that brand personality. But don't lose sight of the primary goal of the PDP, which is to address customer objections and questions. Storytelling is great, but we also want to include elements like size charts, product specifications, and details about care and maintenance, or compatibility with other products, as appropriate.
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In general, we like to see a product descriptions section that looks something like this-- an engaging headline with descriptive copy. Something that clearly describes the product, but also entices the visitor to keep reading. A benefits-focused paragraph. Expand on the headline above, going deeper into the customer, how they stand to benefit from buying your product.
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And a key benefits list. This is the place for lots of those bulleted lists that lay out product details or specifications in a way that is easier for a reader to scan and interpret quickly. Objection-busting statements are a must. Try to predict what excuses the customer is making in their own head and knock them down one by one, ideally with facts and success stories.
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Number three is social proof and reassurances. One of the best ways to overcome objections is through social proof and reassurances. These are tactics that specifically designed to get people who are on the fence to open their wallet and make that purchase. We generally like to see social proof elements in a few key places-- above the fold.
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For example, a 4-and-1/2-star product score or a free-shipping guarantee above the fold generally improves that add-to-cart conversion rate. We also want to see it at the end of a product description. This is a great place to highlight customer testimonials or press coverage to build consumer confidence. Also, near any purchasing call-to-actions.
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If you have payment fields or transactional call-to-actions on your product page, it can be a good idea to combine them with security certification badges or lock icons. We could spend an entire hour on product page design and optimization. But if you make sure that your PDP is completing these three objectives-- answering questions, addressing objections, and providing social proof or reassurances-- you will have a strong foundation to build your optimization program on top of.
