Optimising your product sheets is essential for attracting customers and increasing your sales on marketplaces and e-commerce sites. A well-designed product sheet allows customers to visualise the product realistically, compensating for the lack of physical contact. Displaying complete product sheets inspires confidence and facilitates the purchasing decision. It is often a prerequisite for selling your products on specialised marketplaces. Additionally, Google has established several quality criteria for product sheets that determine whether a product is eligible for Google Shopping. Thus, enriching your product sheets increases your visibility on sales channels and Google searches.
In this article, you’ll find our tips for optimising your product sheets and maximising your online sales.
1. Write catchy and informative titles
The title of your product is the first thing potential buyers will see. It must be both catchy and informative. Be sure to include relevant keywords that clearly describe the product. With keywords that users search for, your products will appear higher in search results and be more visible to buyers. A good title should answer the following questions:
- What is the product?
- What is the brand?
- What are the main features?
2. Focus on detailed content
According to a 2023 Salsify study, 55% of consumers consider poor-quality product content a reason to abandon their purchase.
An effective product sheet must provide all the necessary information to help the customer make an informed purchasing decision. Whether they appear in an attribute list or other fields specific to the marketplace, the following elements should be included:
- Choose the right category for the product: which will enable it to be properly indexed and have the right attributes to fill in. The categories displayed by the marketplaces do not all have the same mesh. For example, one marketplace may display the “smartphone” category, while another will have a finer mesh with “refurbished smartphone”. A well-chosen category helps consumers find the product more easily. For example, a handbag for carrying a dog should be listed under “pet accessories” rather than “handbags.”
- Include the product’s technical specifications: These include size, colour, material, dimensions, etc. The specifications are specific to the product category. For instance, for a mattress, you would consider dimensions, firmness, thickness, materials, and the presence of springs or slats. In contrast, for a pair of shoes, you would focus on size, style, colour, and materials. These technical specifications are often predefined by the marketplace, and you need to fill in these attributes. It is therefore important to choose the correct product category to have the appropriate attributes to fill in. Depending on its positioning (generalist or specialist marketplace), the attributes may not always be the same or available. What if the marketplace where you want to sell your product doesn’t allow specific attributes for a category? You can then describe these characteristics textually in the description section or another available field. Fill in as many attributes as necessary so that the consumer can see what the product is all about.
- Add a well-written, rich, and informative description: Include as many details as possible to fully inform the consumer about the product. You can include technical specifications if they were not included in the attribute list, as well as the product’s benefits, usage instructions, and guarantees.
- Use a clear and engaging tone while staying true to your brand voice. Avoid overly technical or vague descriptions. Generative artificial intelligence is an excellent ally for improving and enriching your descriptions.
3. Import high-quality images
Images are essential for attracting customers’ attention and giving them a precise idea of the product. Images are undoubtedly the most important element of your product sheet. According to a RetailShake study, products with poor-quality images or no images see a 60% drop in sales.
Here are some tips for effective images:
- Use high-quality images that meet the size requirements of the marketplace.
- Show the product from different angles and zoom in to see the details.
- Include images of the product in use to help customers visualise its application.
- Show only the product being sold to avoid misleading customers.
- It is best not to include icons or text in the images, as they are widely rejected on marketplaces.
As with enriching descriptions, artificial intelligence can help you improve your images. You can, for example, place them in context to immerse your customer in the product’s universe or add dimensions directly to the image. Beyond the quality of the images, it is important to provide enough of them. According to an Emarketer study, customers want to see at least three or four images before buying the product.
4. Encourage customer reviews
Customer reviews play a vital role in the purchasing decisions of future consumers. According to Ifop, in 2023, 92% of consumers will read online reviews before making a purchasing decision.
Encourage your customers to leave reviews by :
- Sending follow-up emails after the purchase
- Making the review process quick and easy
Positive reviews can greatly enhance your products’ credibility, while constructive criticism can provide valuable insights to improve your products and services.
5. Enter the correct GTIN
Our final piece of advice is to enter the correct GTIN when creating your product. This code is the product’s identity card; it is unique and mandatory on certain marketplaces. The GTIN ensures reliable information and better indexing on search engines. Indeed, Google considers the GTIN as the tool certifying that a product is genuine. If your product does not have a GTIN, you can contact the international organisation that issues them, “GS1“.
Conclusion
To conclude, optimising your product sheets is essential for maximising your online sales. Catchy titles, detailed content, and high-quality images are the pillars of an effective product sheet. By encouraging customer reviews and integrating artificial intelligence tools, you can not only improve the quality of your product sheets but also offer a better shopping experience to your customers. Entering the correct product category and GTIN will ensure better indexing and increase the likelihood of your product being found by potential customers. By following these tips, you will maximise your chances of increasing visibility, sales, and customer loyalty.
For more tips on performing well on marketplaces, read our dedicated article.
