Shopify Product Pages: 10 Tips to Increase Conversion Rates

Product pages can make or break your store. Maybe theyre attracting viewers and maybe those visitors are staying for a while – but why arent they buying? Thats where our tips to increase product page conversion rates can help you.

A well-constructed product page is more than a great look and easy navigation, its about engaging with a visitor and gently accompanying them through the sales funnel. Its about thinking laterally, leading with image, offering choice, and backing with social proof.

Not sure what were talking about? You will after this…

10 Tips to Increase Conversion Rates on Product Pages

1. Whitespace is Key

An example of great use of whitespace by Tinker Watches.

When you’re shopping, do you prefer a loud, in-your-face experience with obnoxious promotional signs and klaxons going off every 3 seconds, or do you prefer to stroll through a store at your own leisure?

Whitespace is the ecommerce equivalent of uncluttered shop aisles and tranquil store music. It refers to the blank areas of a page, free of elements, that help draw attention to the page’s actual content.

According to research, whitespace improves readability on your page by up to 20%. But more than this, it gives your leads a sense of liberation; the freedom to shop as they wish and the power to make their own decisions about a purchase. 

This can be incredibly powerful in ecommerce and can certainly help to increase conversion rates on your product pages. Just take a look at this case study, which improved conversion rates by 20% through a simple fix to their whitespace.

2. Know your Products Ideal Description

Excellent product description by Allbirds – short and simple with highlights and core features.

You might be tempted to think that people dont read product descriptions. Maybe the fast pace and the multitude of options in the ecommerce world doesnt provide time or space for customers to really read about the product.

Its true that you can sell some items through appearance alone, but 87% of consumers consider product content like product descriptions to be vital in their decision to buy. And, even though we may be hearing that reviews are the best asset to increasing product page conversion rates, the truth is that in many sectors such as clothing and online grocery shopping, product descriptions are seen as more important.

Yet, like with anything, an overload of content in lengthy product descriptions can turn a consumer off a product. Theres some great advice out there, but no golden rule on the exact length you should be aiming for, so its best to check out the product descriptions of your competitors. Generally, youll want to shorten descriptions for basic products and lengthen descriptions for products that need a bit of explaining.

Remember, too, that youre not only writing for your audience. Google ranks product pages on their SEO score, and product descriptions are a great way of inserting keywords to your page. Use these sparingly and keep the customer engaged, and you might just find your product page on the eye-level shelves of Google.

3. Offer Big Images and Original Photography

Notebook Therapy has great examples of image-centered product pages – original photography and a whopping 12 individual images for the product!

There are two undeniable truths in human nature – we crave originality and we judge by appearance. The trendsetters of the world garner all of our attention, just like the shops that visibly stand out from the crowd.

In fact, a whopping 9 out of 10 people find a product’s appearance to be its biggest selling point. Especially if you’re selling to a younger audience, you’ll want to focus on creating a product page with large, clear, and attractive images. Ever wonder why Instagram and Pinterest are so immensely popular with both shoppers and marketers? It’s all about the image.

Here are just some of the ways that images can boost conversion rates on product pages:

• Images draw attention – Roughly 79% of your shoppers will be skimmers, which means they briefly scour your product page for useful information. Images force skimmers to stop and pay attention to what matters.
• Images are shareable – Far more so than descriptions, images are instantly and easily shareable across social media. Instagram and Pinterest are fully image-focused and are flooded with product pictures, while Facebook is not far behind.
• Images are great for SEO – Google loves images. With the growing importance of visual searching, a great alt text of an image could get your product to the top Googles image results.

If youre dropshipping on Shopify, its hard to overstate the importance of original photography. Websites like Notebook Therapy and Aesthentials really make drop shipped products their own through original photography. Its an incredible way to stamp your uniqueness and create a following for your store, leading to substantially more sales.

4. Get Visitors Animated with Videos

Right Channel Radios uses videos to demonstrate and explain their products, leading to higher conversions across product pages.

Just as image-centered product pages are becoming the new norm, so too is video. In a world where 54% of consumers want to see an increase in video content and one where leads can be 85% more likely to buy after watching a product video, its time to get rolling!

Videos keep your visitors engaged and offer them valuable information about a product that they might miss wh skimming over a products description. For more complicated products, videos can easily explain what it is, what it does, and how to use it, all via a reliable face or voice that helps leads put trust in a product.

Aside from that, videos are amazing for a sites SEO. Not only will you convert more leads on product pages, but youll also be able to attract more in the first place, seeing as pages with video are 53 times more likely to reach the first page on Google.

5. Optimize for Mobile

Everlane has great mobile design, featuring easy scrolling and large buttons across dropdown menus.

All the stats point towards a shift to mobile. Its even got a name; m-commerce; and its expected to account for the majority of online sales by 2021. Its more than a trend, its both the now and the future of shopping, and if you want your product pages to maximize conversion rates, youll have to climb aboard the m-commerce train.

Fortunately, optimizing for mobile is not such a daunting task. There are many great page builders across Shopify that can help you easily configure your website for mobile use. They can assist in realigning elements, streamlining text, and prioritizing different sections according to scrolling patterns.

To really tie it all together for your site, you could consider hiring a website designer or contacting the Shopify Experts. However you do it, make sure your site is mobile-ready; with 73% of customers ready to switch off poorly designed mobile sites, you cant afford to.

6. Get into Upselling and Cross-Selling

Helly Hansen uses upselling and cross-selling to really help boost conversion rates on product pages.

Upselling a cross-selling wont be new to you. Considering the immense benefits that both sales tactics can bring to the businesses employing them, the chances are that youve been subjected to them in almost every shopping experience youve had.

Upselling is the suggestion of a more expensive product or service than the one the lead is currently viewing. Cross-selling, on the other hand, is all about suggesting other products that go nicely with the product currently being viewed. Utilizing both in a subtle and not overly pushy way can increase product page conversion rates by up to 30%.

These two tactics can be used before, during, and after a sale, but on Shopify product pages, the best way to upsell and cross-sell is through apps. There are several apps to choose that offer conversion-driving features, such as:

• You may also like… (upselling) – Redirects lead to a better, more expensive item, potentially one on sale.
• Frequently bought together (cross-selling) – Offers items that go well together and provides a discount for buying both.
• Product bundles (cross-selling) – Suggests two or more other items that go well together, along with services such as gift-wrapping or free shipping for a discounted rate.
• Spend threshold offers (upselling and cross-selling) – Offers free gifts, free shipping, membership discounts, etc. as long as customers spend a certain amount of money.

7. Manage your Product Options Wisely

The 3 product options on Factory 43 give customers freedom of choice without making them feel overburdened.

Weve all heard it said, and have probably said it ourselves – theres too much choice nowadays. Well, theres certainly one thing worse than an overwhelming amount of choice – an underwhelming amount of choice.

It turns out that having either on your product page is bad news for your conversion rate. A selection of choice allows your potential customers to personalize their product through color, style, size lettering, material, etc., but too much choice can overwhelm them, which can actually drive down conversion rates.

A really interesting study in California found that conversion rates for 6 choices against 24 choices can actually be 10 times higher. The experiment was done with jam at a gourmet food market, but you can achieve the same sorts of results by offering fewer, smarter options for your leads.

Theres no exact golden rule for what constitutes too much or too little; youll just have to experiment. Take a look at your Shopify analytics to see the number of options on product pages that increase your conversion rates, as well as how many harms your sales. 

8. Add Customer Reviews and Trust Seals

A conversion-boosting product page by Soko Glam, featuring lots of customer reviews, the chance to leave a review, and trust seals for reviewers.

As it should be in the world of commerce, converting that first-time lead is all about trust. With no physical evidence to go on, youre expecting them to make a decision to hand over money, which is a huge step. There are two things that can help them on their way here: customer reviews and trust seals. 

The power of customer reviews lies in social proof – the idea that people are more likely to perform an action deemed favorable by other people. In ecommerce, its the reason why 91% of young people nowadays trust online reviews as much as their own friends and family.

Adding a section for customer reviews can do amazing things for visitors trust levels. Generally speaking, the more reviews you have, the better, as it gives leads to a feeling of security to know that others have used the product. Giving them an option to leave their own review is also some insurance that, should they purchase the product, they can have their honest say about it afterward.

In a similar way, trust seals also help to raise trust levels in visitors. Trust seals (or trust marks) are small badges that prove a site, a product, or a reviews authenticity, which 48% of online shoppers say is a big factor in whether or not they trust an unknown store. Theyre an amazing way to boost buyer confidence and increase conversion rates on product pages – just ask Clean Energy Experts, who upped their conversions a staggering 137% with just one trust seal.

9. Get Lateral with Social Media Integration

Club Fit Wear promotes its popular social media at 3 points on its product pages, convincing customers to trust and buy.

If our last stat led you to think that social proof is a powerful force, try this on for size: 87% of shoppers are influenced to buy through social media. In recent years, digital marketers have been rapidly turning away from traditional advertising and towards social media to grow brand image.

So, it takes time to establish a decent social media presence, but an excellent way to start is by linking each of your products with your social media accounts. With Shopify, this can be done easily through apps that allow users to share their experience with your product across Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and the rest.

To get the ball rolling, it might be an idea to have a promotion. Cash, gift, or discount incentives for sharing your products get customers clicking those social media buttons, eventually leading to more followers and a stronger pull of social proof. Even having evidence of your social media popularity is enough to significantly boost conversion rates on product pages.

10. Offer Help through Live Chat

Khara Kapas keeps customers happy by answering inquiries rapidly through live chat.

Live chat is all about providing product clarity. Its simple psychology, really – if a customer can ask a professional about a product, theyre more likely to buy it. Live chat experiences have, on average, an incredible 92% satisfaction rate, with many countries (including the U.S) preferring this type of customer service over email or phone.

Happy customers are more likely to buy, so make sure your live chat is available across all of your product pages. Providing them with the information they need regarding products, discounts, shipping policies, etc. is a surefire way to increase conversion rates on product pages.

Make a connection with an enquirer within 5 minutes and youre 10 times more likely to move them towards a sale. 63% of them are more likely to return to your website, giving you a chance to make repeat sales and create a following.

What to take away from our Product Page Conversion Rate Tips

Those are just 10 ways you can increase conversion rates on product pages, but remember that finding the perfect anatomy of a product page involves long-term experimenting, analyzing, and overhauling.

Theres no golden formula for the perfect product page; youll need to figure out what works for your store and your visitors, but following the steps above will give you an amazing foundation from which to watch your conversion rates soar.