How Copy Above Product Grids Increases Ecommerce Conversions

How Copy Above Product Grids Increases Ecommerce Conversions

Jul 4, 2021 | Online Marketing

 

Good copy above your product grids can reduce costs, increase conversions and add to the user experience.  This is true even though that same copy sometimes pushes products below the fold.

So how do you have a conversation with branding, design, UX, paid search and operations to get them on board with adding copy above the product grid?  Simple, speak to them in their terms, not in yours as an SEO or content creator.

Below you’ll find three ways that I use with my agency to approach the design, finance, branding and marketing teams.  I use facts, data and examples that relate to their departments.  By relating to them I am speaking their language vs. talking like I would to my team.

Please note I use “collection” instead of “category” when referencing pages because I got feedback many of my readers are on shopping cart platforms that call categories collections.

We Will Save Money From Live Chat, Customer Support & Returns, or Warehousing

In this approach you’ll want to pick a specific category or two and look through live chat records.  You can also talk to the shipping and returns teams to verify the amount of specific products that get returned.

If live chat is regularly answering the same questions about a specific category of products and/or the warehouse is getting the same products back because the products in the category weren’t compatible or didn’t have a feature your customers need, you are in good shape to get copy added to the product grid.

The first thing to do is talk to finance and logistics about the costs associated with returns, warehouse logistics and shipping.  Now create your pitch to the marketing and branding teams about reducing costs and make sure the Finance is included on the email so you have their support.  Now create your pitch using the information you got from live chat and logistics and have some content examples in your presentation.  I’ll use t-shirts for this example.

“If you’re looking for blue t-shirts that are stain and wrinkle resistant for more than 100 washes, and that are designed to hide problem areas like a beer belly, our shirts are a “fit” for you.  Each of the blue t-shirts below is made form our patented fabric that is both machine washable and super comfortable.  Best of all they are stain and wrinkle resistant with a 2 year money back guarantee.”

By having the example copy you can now make a case that by including these details above the product grid you can reduce the need for as much Live Chat support answering questions about wrinkles and being dry clean only.  By adding copy above the product grid you are answering the questions you would normally pay live chat to handle which frees them up for more important tasks, answers questions customers that hate live chat have, and this can save you money.

Adding Copy Increases Your Conversion Rates

The most common feedback I get when I say I’d like to add copy above the products is “We don’t want to push products below the fold?” or “We don’t want our products going lower on the page”.  Oddly enough this is normally said by companies that have large hero images on the tops of their collection pages which also makes no sense.  But that is for a different post.

Having good copy above your product grids can and likely will increase your conversion rates.  But only if you write it for the end user.

In this situation the concern from your company is losing money by pushing products down and potentially decreasing the chance of getting the person to a PDP (product display page).  So instead of sharing non-tangible examples like above I use data to show that copy will increase the likelihood of reaching a PDP, not prevent it.

We’ll go with baby crib mattresses for this example.

Here are the estimated monthly search volumes for a few keywords.

  • baby crib mattress – 8,100
  • baby crib mattress size – 880
  • baby crib mattress pad – 320
  • baby cribs with mattress included – 260

You’ll see that in the phrases above roughly 1 in 10 people are looking for mattress sizes and 1 in 20 people are looking for pads.  There are also questions about safety and cleaning.  In total about 1 in 4 people have questions when shopping for baby crib mattresses and this is where you want to make your case.

Start by mapping out the keywords and their search volumes like I did above.  Next try to get some of the live chat conversations with time stamps to show these questions are real and are not just a trend question because of a recent or social event (i.e. a baby getting hurt on a mattress or a news article about a material being potentially toxic).  Now write sample copy for your pitch.

“Each baby crib mattress from XY brand is not only easy to clean, but is certified safe and non-toxic by AB organization.  If you’re looking for a baby crib mattress with a pad, sort by “with pad” using the filters on the left or look for the purple circle on the product images.  You’ll love the all-natural-odor resistant fabrics and stain-protecting materials.  Not to mention the peace of mind you’ll enjoy when baby has an accident because with your new crib mattress, clean up is a breeze thanks to our patented XYZ.

And best of all each mattress below fits all standard baby and toddler crib sizes.  If you already have your crib picked out, select the brand on the left to find each mattress that will fit perfectly with your style.  If you don’t have a crib picked out, click here to see our selection of baby cribs and save when you bundle the crib and mattress together.”.

Copy Does Not Take Away From the User Experience, Copy Adds to It

In the two examples above I shared how copy above a product grid adds to the user experience.  Good content on your collection pages not only reduces your companies expenses and increases sales, but it also adds to the user experience.  And to prove this I run some tests.

The first is to get the ok to install the copy.  The next is to find which product categories have the most questions or make your customers have to use the sorting and filtering features.

For this example lets use cargo shorts.  Here is the estimated monthly search volume for the phrase.

  • cargo shorts – 49,500
  • mens cargo shorts – 49,500
  • womens cargo shorts – 18,100
  • camo cargo shorts – 3,600
  • black cargo shorts – 2,900
  • khaki cargo shorts – 1,900
  • big and tall cargo shorts – 1,600

The first thing I do is look for which subcategories we will have for a long time (and also convert well).  If we carry kahki but not camo, even though camo has the higher search volume it is irrelevant.  Send camo to the product team for future consideration and focus on what we do have which is kahki.

Now I write the copy for the main collection page for “cargo shorts”.  Because it could be men’s or women’s and we have a couple of colors and sizes, I’ll do my best to incorporate them in naturally.  By doing this and adding internal links we provide a good user experience by helping our customers reach the most relevant page and without having to scroll through a menu or use a search box.  We’re also building site structure so this is a win-win!

Now it is time to measure the positive impact on user experience and revenue.

To measure the impact I set up funnels in Google analytics, I use a tracking tool like this one (this is my affiliate link and I’ll hopefully get a commission if you click and shop without using a coupon code), and we look for increases in total sales and decreases in page views per checkout.  The decrease in page views is because we made it easier to find the right product faster which reduces the time on the site and also reduces the strain on our servers.

“Let’s face it, we all need extra pockets and that is the beauty of cargo shorts!  You always have an extra pocket.  Whether it’s men’s or women’s styles, or if you want a classy kahki cargo short for everyday wear…  And we carry all sizes from petite options to big and tall cargo shorts.”

In the example above I’d use internal links to direct visitors from the main collection page to the sub collections.  It helps them find the products they are looking for faster and also helps search engines learn about the topic and products on each sub category.

Adding copy to your category pages isn’t just for SEO, it is a way to enhance the user experience and increase revenue.  If you’re looking for ideas on how to get started writing your copy or setting up tests, click here to contact me today.

SEO Keywords & Conversions – How an ‘ or – Can Make You Seven Figures!

SEO Keywords & Conversions – How an ‘ or – Can Make You Seven Figures!

Dec 5, 2020 | Seo

There’s a big difference in following proper English and grammar guidelines, and creating a proper experience for your end users.

A professional writer will write a word to follow guidelines created many years ago.  That is the issue.  There is a set structure which is not updated to meet current usage and regular standards.

Using common spoken versions instead of the “technically correct” versions is one of the ways I help my clients bring in more traffic and increase conversions, but only when it is appropriate.

Google does tend to prefer proper grammar and english, but it isn’t always the best experience for your user base (customers, readers, subscribers, leads, etc…).  That is why situationally we break from branding and corporate guidelines and do what is right for the end users.  By doing this in these situations we can increase traffic and increase conversions.

Finding the right balance should be your goal as a business owner, marketer and content creator.

Below are a few examples with explanations of these.

You can find these same terms and phrases using Google keyword tools as well as your own site search depending on how much traffic your website has.  I have the advantage of having some high volume websites as clients.  These are all based on campaigns and niches I have worked on for various clients in the past, but not the actual data or examples.

(please note I’m not comparing specific apples to specific apples in each example.  But I am keeping it in the family like a red delicious vs. a golden delicious, or a granny smith to a honeycrisp.  They are each to demonstrate a specific technique or SEO and conversion tactic).  

Example 1: Mother’s Day vs. Mothers Day

Mother’s Day is only 31 days away so I’ll start with this.  Browser’s and many writing tools will autocorrect Mothers Day to have an ” ‘ ” symbol before the “s”.  But if you look up the search volumes, the non apostrophe version has more traffic.

If you’re a blogger or content creator who does not have to deal with a branding team, this is an opportunity to capitalize where big brands cannot.

Bonus tip – One thing I’ve also seen in different niches is that the ‘s version can lead to different themes and topics.  Instead of a shopping page or review, a listcicle could be the better experience.  Checkout the double bonus tip in the next section for an even better one!  

Group 1: without the apostrophe

Keyword Volume
mothers day gifts 201000
mothers day gift 74000
mothers day gift ideas 60500
best mothers day gifts 12100
good mothers day gifts 9900

You’ll see “best mothers day gifts” above has 12,100 searches but “best mother’s day gifts” has 6,600.  That’s a big difference in traffic and sales!

Group 2: with the apostrophe

Keyword Volume
best mother’s day gifts 6600
last minute mother’s day gifts 4400
top 10 mother’s day gift ideas 4400
mother’s day delivery gifts 2900

Example 2: Microneedling vs. Micro-needling vs. Micro Needling

The spelling here and also capitalization make a difference.  If your audience uses two words and capitalizes both, using this on your website could make it more relatable to them.  But it might not follow brand standards or trademarks.  The added benefit here is that you’re speaking your customers’ language.

Although it may be incorrect.  A single word vs. two words or a hyphenated version can also have a substantial impact on the traffic levels.  Look below to see the monthly search volumes for each.

Bonus tip – I found a slight skew when working on a project for these phrases where the end user for one of the variations in particular also wanted “vampire facials” and assumed they are the same.  By combining vampire facials into the page we are able to let the end user know they found the right place and it may or may not have lead to an increase in conversions by adding the service in.

Double Bonus tip – Use Google Auto Suggest and also the “People Also Ask” to determine if these phrases are shopping ready, research phase, or just interested in what it is.  This will determine where the version of the content should go and the formatting of the page.  

Group 1: single word spelling

Keyword Volume
microneedling 135000
microneedling near me 14800
microneedling at home 12100
what is microneedling 9900
microneedling benefits 6600
microneedling cost 6600
microneedling pen 5400

The interesting thing to note between these two is that microneedling as one word is about a product and a service.  When it is split into two words it is about the results of and questions about a microneedling procedure.

This level of detail and research is exactly what you need to determine where to use which versions, how to relate to your current and prospective customers (or readers) and how to phrase your offering.

Group 2: two word spelling

Keyword Volume
micro needling side effects 1600
micro needling results how long 720
micro needling at home reviews 480
micro needling depth chart 480
micro needling for pitted scars 390
micro needling after one treatment 320

Example 3: A Modifier Makes a Big Difference

This example combines both of the above into a big ticket term, tshirts.  You’ll see examples with the apostrophe as well as single vs double words, and spellings.

Group 1: modifier one word

Keyword Volume
black tshirt 12100
black tshirt dress 2900
black tshirt women 1000
black tshirt for men 880
mens black tshirt 590

Group 2: modifier two words

Keyword Volume
black t shirt 22200
black t shirt mens 5400
black t shirt dress 3600
black t shirt women 3600

Group 3: modifier two words different spelling

Keyword Volume
black tee shirt 2900
black tee shirt dress 590
black tee shirt womens 390

There are some huge differences here.  Group one has less search volume than group two, but the modifiers begin to change as the longtail versions develop.  This is where you need to match your onsite search.  Which version do your customers use the most.

If your customers always want a tshirt vs. a t shirt, you may be able to relate to them better and bring more qualified traffic in.  The buyer base also changes substantially.

In the second group “black lives matter” began populating with a higher search volume than in the first group, and more frequently.  This could be a sign that a portion of the 22,200 monthly searches is not relevant to a plain black t shirt so you may want deduct that search volume.

Basically, if you sell black t shirts but not black lives matter t shirts, then that portion of the searches are not relevant for your store because you do not carry the products.  This is why this search volume should be subtracted from the main number.

In this case, the total search volume for t shirt as two words is still higher than the numbers in group 1 so version two is better volume wise, but not necessarily user experience wise.

Something interesting in the third group with tee vs. t is that girls appears to be one of the larger search volumes.  To verify if this is a thing, and you sell kids and adult tshirts, you will want to search for other color, style and size variations.  If it holds true, you may want to use “tee” instead of “t” in the kids sections and “t” instead of “tee” in the adults.

Branding will likely throw a temper tantrum over consistency here, but guess what, this is a business and businesses need money to pay for the branding.  This is how you grow sales and the business, it is also one of the ones I end up pushing for much harder because it is a bigger win.

Keyword research for SEO isn’t just about volume.  It is finding the right versions of keywords that your audience will use, and knowing when, where and which format to use them in.  This is what makes the difference in your bottom line, even if they are technically not correct.

Qualities of a High-Performing Website that Boost Your Conversions

Qualities of a High-Performing Website that Boost Your Conversions

Oct 7, 2020 | infographic, Seo

In today’s era of online entrepreneurship, simply having a website isn’t enough for your business to survive. You can post pictures of your products with detailed descriptions, but in order for your online business to not just survive but thrive, it needs to perform.

For today’s digital entrepreneur, driving traffic and converting leads are two of the primary focuses for entrepreneurial success. But it’s a lot harder than you might think and presents itself as the most challenging aspect of running a business.

Sure, there’s market research you can conduct and engaging with your audience on social media to expand your reach, but did you know that the design of your website could be the very thing that’s keeping your online business from reaching its full potential?

And the thing about it is that it starts from the very beginning of your site’s creation. First and foremost, you have to pick the best website builder when building a website… That’s going to be a major contributor to how well your website performs. Once your website is built, you can then start implementing various aspects of web design and functionality to ensure you have a high-performing website.

Here are the qualities your website should have for high performance.

Qualities of a High-Performing Website that Boost Your Conversions

Impeccable Visual Design

As humans, we are visual creatures, and the way your website looks is going to play a significant role in how your brand is perceived. According to CXL, it takes one-tenth of a second for a person to form an opinion about another person, and that theory is no different from websites.

Research from Google revealed that it takes 50 ms for a visitor to your website to form an opinion about your business, and some people can form their opinion in as little as 17 ms. In creating a great visual design, you have to keep in mind that the visual design of your website is actually an extension of your brand’s visual identity.

So just make sure you’re implementing certain design principles like color theory and visual hierarchies to boost your website’s performance and overall functionality.

Easy Navigation

When a visitor enters your website, they shouldn’t have a hard time navigating it. In other words, visitors to your site should be able to clearly and easily find what they’re looking for and transition from page to page with ease. If your website is lacking in any way in this area, visitors will leave and find a site that’s easier to navigate.

In fact, poor navigation is one of the top reasons why lots of online businesses have such high bounce rates. One of the best ways to make navigating your site easy is to have a clear and structured menu. Also, to further assist visitors in finding what they’re looking for, you’ll want to incorporate a search bar as well.

Mobile-Friendly Design

When you think of how most people shop online, you’ll quickly realize that most people shop from mobile devices because people are always on the go. Nearly 60% of searches are conducted on mobile devices now; smartphones are the top device people use but tablets are utilized as well.

Lots of online business owners make the mistake of neglecting to make their site mobile-friendly and instead make it only compatible with desktops. This ends up costing businesses thousands of dollars in potential sales. So if you want your website to be a high-performing site, make sure you optimize your site to be mobile-friendly so that it can be accessed across any device.

Fast Loading Speed

When was the last time you waited a long time for a website to load? It’s been a while. People don’t typically sit around waiting too long for a website to load. In fact, if a website doesn’t load in 1.3 seconds, most people will leave that site. The latest a person will wait on a site is for two seconds but anything longer than that, they’re leaving.

The average load time for lots of sites is 8.5 seconds but if you can optimize your site for it to load in two seconds or less, visitors will continue returning to your site. Fast load times also prompt your visitors to visit other landing pages as well simply because they can quickly browse what they’re looking for.

Clear Purpose

All of the above qualities make for a high-performing website but there is one thing that tends to slow a lot of high-performing websites down… It’s a lack of purpose. Have you ever been on a website and not been sure what you were looking at or how that site will meet your needs? Well, it happens all the time.

When building your website, you need to make sure that your site’s purpose is clear from the jump. There should be no confusion to visitors as to what your business is about. Everything from your URL to your landing pages, your business’s purpose needs to be apparent in every facet.

You need to make special efforts to choose the right domain name… Being too trendy, using your name, the current year, and hard to remember names can all negatively impact the amount of traffic to your site and really confuse visitors as to what your site is about. For example, if you’re selling handmade pajamas for children and call your website kellysjamjams.com, people might think you’re selling edible jams like what goes on toast or biscuits.

Not only will a clear purpose be helpful to your visitors but it will also gain your business brownie points with Google’s crawling algorithm. How? Because when users conduct searches, Google can better recommend your site on the results pages when it sees that your site is relevant to a particular query.

Everything from your tags and images to your site’s URL, the better your site’s purpose is apparent, the better chance you’ll have of ranking high in search engines for certain queries. This will in turn, drive more traffic to your site with the potential of boosting conversions.