How to Optimize Your Squarespace Product Pages
One of the key things that set eCommerce web design apart from just any old-business web design is product pages! Product pages are so important to get right because there are going to be lots of times when that page is the only one your customer ever sees; they may get to it by clicking an ad or social media link, like what they see, and then go directly to checkout!
This is why it’s so important to make sure that you focus on optimizing your product pages almost more than any other page on your website. I see lots of people who spend a ton of time worrying about perfecting their home page layout or writing the perfect about page copy - those things are good but they’re not what’s keeping your lights on and with the exception of maybe your homepage they aren’t going to get viewed nearly as much as actual product pages. If you’re looking to launch quickly, I say pair this with my Step-by-Step Guide on How to Set Up Your First Online Shop and you’ll be in business!
So, being strategic and intentional in your product page design and being mindful of your customer’s experience with those pages is clutch! My tips below keep that user experience in mind. They may never be able to pinpoint exactly why they loved interacting with your business but all of these elements help make sure it’s a great experience that will keep them coming back time and again!
Layout
Luckily, Squarespace makes it super easy to nail the basic structure of your product pages right out of the box - all the key elements are there for you! But you still need to make sure you’re paying attention to how you’re utilizing the different sections if you’re looking to maximize sales. The basic tip: think like a newspaper editor!
What You Can Do To Optimize
Put Important Info Above the Fold - A common eCommerce mistake that I see is too-long product descriptions “above the fold”. In this case, the “fold” isn’t really a page scroll, it’s the “add to cart” button! So, think about what info people need to know and when they need to know it. Only the most important things need to be said before the “add to cart” button. You’ve got to find the “headline” -- whatever the biggest selling point is for your product(s). I love a one-sentence (or even one simple phrase or even a few words!) main description. Something that’s easy to digest, highly skimmable, and on-brand.
Put All Additional Info Below or in Drop Down Tabs - People are going to want to know more but that doesn’t mean you need to word vomit on them all upfront. Once you’ve added just the most important info “above the fold” move everything else into the “additional info” section. It will be there for people who want/need it but it won’t be a roadblock for those that don’t.
Remove the Clutter - If you have a ton to say or offer a really technical product, consider adding drop-down FAQ-style tabs to house all that additional info like sizing info, care instructions, manufacturing/sourcing info, tech specs, or other attributes like dimensions or suggestions.
Be Consistent - Once you know what to prioritize (and also de-prioritize!), stick with that layout for each and every product to create consistency.
Don’t Reinvent The Wheel - Lastly, there’s a reason why most eCommerce pages look kiiiinda the same - because they are effective and that familiarity actually helps people feel comfortable in shopping online. This is not the place to become super creative with funky buttons or odd layouts, it may win you design awards but it will cost you in sales.
Photos
Almost more important than what you say about your product are your product photos! A picture speaks a thousand words so it’s worth spending money here, whether that’s with a pro photographer or even with a photo editor who can help polish up your own photos. Here are my best product photo optimization tips!
What You Can Do To Optimize
Be Consistent in Photo Style (& Make Sure They’re “On Brand”) - If your brand is clean and minimal, simple product photos on white backgrounds make sense. If your brand is vibrant and fun, the same photos would look drab and boring. Once you’ve nailed the photo style for your products, be consistent! This will make even the smallest shops look super professional!
Add Multiple Photos of Each Product - Show the front, back, and sides of products if that makes sense. Show a lifestyle photo AND a minimal “flat lay” style layout. Give your customers an idea of what it’s like to use and enjoy what you’re selling. I would say 3-5 images per product is a great rule of thumb.
Add Photos for Each Variant - Look, most people are super bad at imagining on their own how things are going to look. So you’ve got to show them! If you sell t-shirts, make sure you have a thumbnail image of your design in each color available. Squarespace makes it super easy to sync up images to product variations which can really help take the mystery out of things and help boost conversion rates!
Add Video! - I wouldn’t say this is imperative because it doesn’t make sense for everyone and videos are considerably more expensive and time-consuming to produce than great photos BUT if you’ve got great (high-quality, professionally-produced) videos, they have proven to be really effective! I would suggest adding it as the last thumbnail in your photo lineup.
Content / Copy
It may surprise you that most people get product copywriting completely wrong by thinking that they just need to focus on describing their products to death. The thing is that if people aren’t buying, it’s probably not because you just didn’t tell them enough about you. It’s because you didn’t tell them enough about how your product is going to benefit them. Consumers are ultimately pretty self-absorbed, and rightfully so - you’re asking them to give you some of their hard-earned money in exchange for whatever it is you’re selling. So, cater to those self-interests and keep copy customer-focused.
What You Can Do To Optimize
Use Your Brand Voice - Most people don’t buy products based on bullet points of attributes. They buy products from brands that they feel inspired by and connected to. Your products are a way for them to bring some of that brand home with them so be sure to inject product descriptions with your personality. Describing how your products benefit your customers or how using your product will make them feel also makes it much easier to differentiate from your competitors.
Use Relevant Keywords in Title & Descriptions - Using descriptive, natural language can make your products easier to find by humans and search engines alike- win, win!
Remember That Most People Don’t Read, They Skim - Because of this, you want to really think again about how to prioritize what people need to know when they need to know it. Hierarchy matters when it comes to website copy so put the most important things first and remember that you can always link out to things like product guides or FAQs for anyone who wants to do some in-depth research or reading before buying.
Product Merchandising
Think of product merchandising for your online store like all the little “extras” that make your shop look exciting and that encourage people to buy. These are things that help guide, encourage and entice customers to explore all you have to offer and can boost things like average cart values and also satisfaction rates.
What You Can Do To Optimize
Display Reviews or Social Proof - Most online shoppers will at least glance at a reviews section before buying to get an idea of what others are saying. If you’re new and don’t have many reviews (or you don’t want to open it up to a review free-for-all), you can always just add some selective quotes to a product description so that you at least have a little street cred.
Recommend, Upsell, and Cross-Sell Relevant Products - Using these selling tools can help people discover new products that they may not even know that you had or encourage them to add additional items to their cart that they just couldn’t resist! (More on upsells & cross-sells this here.)
Add Product Tags & Categories - This can help your customers find discover new things or find what they are looking for quickly. (More on how to use product tags & categories on Squarespace here.)
Display Stock Levels or Let People Know About Limited Availability - These built-in Squarespace tools do two things: 1) helps reduce the disappointment of adding something to your cart that is no longer available by the time you check out and 2) create a sense of urgency about products that are going fast to encourage checkouts!
Lastly: Go For The Ask!
This last item seems obvious but it’s the most important thing on the page: the “Add to Cart” button! In web speak, buttons like this are called CTAs (calls-to-action), and making sure yours is crystal clear is key. If you’ve paid attention to the optimizations I’ve noted above, your Add to Cart button should be sitting right above the fold, below a simple, attention-grabbing, skimmable headline. There are great photos, some strategic merchandising tools in use, and additional info below if needed. Most importantly? There’s nothing to distract from the reason why the page exists in the first place - to sell!
