How to Optimise Shopify Product Pages for Maximum Conversions

Getting people onto your Shopify product pages is one thing. Getting them to actually buy something? Well, that’s a whole different kettle of fish.

Because even if your products are the bee’s knees, there’s no guarantee your visitors are going to know it.

Maybe they love what they see but haven’t the faintest idea which size to order. Perhaps the photos aren’t giving them the full picture, or there’s one little question standing between them and the checkout.

And just like that, another potential customer disappears into the internet wilderness.

That’s where Shopify product page optimisation comes in.

The trick is making it as easy as possible for people to go from having a good old nose around to actually buying something. Better photography, clearer descriptions, a little reassurance in the right places and fewer hoops to jump through can all make a difference. 

So, before you start pulling your entire Shopify store apart, here are 8 things worth giving some attention.

Looking to improve more than just your product pages? We’ve also put together a guide to improving your Shopify store as a whole.

What is Shopify product page optimisation?

Shopify product page optimisation is the process of improving how individual product pages look, work and communicate information to help customers find what they need and buy with confidence. 

That includes everything from product titles and descriptions to imagery, reviews, buying options and page performance.

1. Write Clear, SEO-Friendly Shopify Product Titles

There’s a time and place for being clever with words, but your product title probably isn’t it. People want to know what they’re buying, and a good product title should do exactly what it says on the tin.

Start with the basics. What are you selling? What makes it different? And what does somebody need to know before they go any further? 

The Everyday Essential might sound rather lovely, but The Everyday Essential – Organic Cotton Tote Bag gives people a much better idea of what’s actually up for grabs.

And while you’re at it, spare a thought for the search engines. Using relevant keywords naturally can help Google understand what your products are all about. 

But no need to cram every search term under the sun into one title. Nobody wants to buy a bag called Organic Cotton Tote Bag Shopping Bag Eco Tote Reusable Shopper Bag.

Give it a go: Look at your five most visited product pages. Would somebody unfamiliar with your products understand exactly what’s being sold from the title alone?

2. Make Your Shopify Product Page Layout Easy to Navigate

A good product page has quite a few jobs to juggle, but some are more important than others. Customers want to know what they’re buying, how much it’ll set them back and how to get their hands on it.

So make sure the essentials are easy to spot, particularly when somebody’s browsing on their phone.

A little visual hierarchy can make a world of difference. Clear headings, plenty of breathing room and an obvious next step help customers find their way around without too much head-scratching. 

And when it comes to buttons, don’t get too clever. ‘Add to basket’ might not be a masterpiece of creative writing, but at least everyone knows what it means.

When it came to redesigning Higher Nature’s Shopify website, we wanted to take the unnecessary legwork out of shopping. Clearer navigation, a more intuitive mobile experience and easy-to-find subscription options all played their part in helping customers get from browsing to buying.

Give it a go: Open one of your product pages on your phone. Can you work out what the product is, what it costs and how to buy it without hunting around?

3. Write Shopify Product Descriptions That Help People Buy

There’s only so much excitement you can squeeze out of a list of product specifications.

We’re not saying you should chuck all the technical details out of the window. Far from it. But there’s a difference between telling somebody a jacket has a waterproof membrane and explaining why that’s rather handy when the British weather decides to do its worst. 

The best descriptions manage a bit of both.

And please don’t make customers wade through three paragraphs of flowery nonsense just to find out whether something’s machine washable.

Shopify has a few handy tricks up its sleeve. Metafields let you organise additional product information and keep things consistent across your store. 

Meanwhile, accurate product details and structured data can help Google understand what you’re selling, potentially making your products eligible for richer search results. Just check what your theme already includes before adding anything extra.

Give it a go: Pick a product description and read it as though you’ve never seen the item before. Does it answer the questions you’d have before buying, or just tell you how wonderful the product is?

4. Use Better Product Photography and Imagery

The trouble with shopping online is that customers can’t pick your products up, give them a once-over or see what they’re really like in person. So, your photography needs to step up to the plate.

One photograph from a flattering angle isn’t always going to cut it. Give customers a proper look at the details, show your products in action and help them picture what they’re actually getting. Videos and 3D views can be useful, but only when they’re adding something worthwhile.

How big is it? What’s the texture like? How does it look when somebody’s actually using it?

And while you’re showing everything off, spare a thought for loading times. Beautiful photographs are lovely, but there’s not much point if people have to wait an eternity for them to appear.

Use appropriately sized images, efficient formats and descriptive alternative text where it’s needed.

Give it a go: Look at your best-selling product. Are there any details a customer would struggle to understand from the existing images? One useful photograph might be worth more than another paragraph of description.

5. Make Shopify Product Variants Easy to Choose

There’s a fine line between offering plenty of choice and giving customers a headache. Whether it’s sizes, colours or different finishes, make sure your product options are easy to understand and even easier to select.

It’s also worth checking that the imagery matches the selected product where your setup supports it. Nobody wants to order the blue version of something while staring at photographs of the green one.

With the right Shopify setup, customers can see images that match the product option they’ve selected. 

Handy, isn’t it? Add a decent size guide or some useful dimensions, and there’s a lot less room for confusion over what’s actually going to turn up at their door.

Give it a go: Choose a product with multiple options and try selecting different variants. Is the price clear? Can you see what’s available? And would you feel confident you were ordering the right thing?

6. Build Trust With Reviews and Clear Product Information

There’s a big difference between knowing your products are brilliant and convincing somebody who’s never heard of you. A few praises sung from real customers, photographs of your products out in the wild and clear information about delivery and returns can make that decision feel like a breeze.

It’s something we kept front of mind when creating the brand and Shopify website for Swallow Co. When you’re selling science-backed supplements, customers need to understand what they’re buying and feel confident in the people they’re buying from.

So we brought together clear information, thoughtful design and a healthy dose of personality to make the whole experience feel a little more approachable.

The trick is putting that reassurance where it’s actually useful.

If somebody’s hovering over the add-to-basket button wondering whether they can return an item, making them disappear into the depths of your website to find the returns policy probably isn’t helping.

Reviews are particularly useful when they answer the questions other customers are already asking. Does it fit true to size? Is it easy to assemble? Does it look like the photos?

And while we’re on the subject of questions, a short FAQ or expandable information section can be handy for covering the things people regularly want to know.

Give it a go: Think about the questions your team gets asked before somebody makes a purchase. Are the answers easy to find on the relevant product pages?

7. Recommend Relevant Products With Shopify

There’s nothing wrong with encouraging customers to add a little something extra to their basket. But the trick is making recommendations that actually make sense.

Buying a coffee machine? Some decent beans might come in handy. Shopping for a new outfit? A few matching pieces could save them another half-hour of scrolling.

Shopify has the perfect tool for this, too. Its Search & Discovery app lets you set up related and complementary product recommendations, provided your theme supports them.

 Just don’t get carried away. A few genuinely useful suggestions are worth far more than throwing your entire catalogue at somebody.

Give it a go: Look at the recommendations on your most popular products. Do they genuinely complement what somebody’s buying, or are they just filling space?

8. Measure and Improve Your Shopify Product Pages

There’s no need to start pulling your Shopify store apart every time sales take a little dip. You’ve got a whole load of useful information at your fingertips, so why not find out what’s actually going on before deciding what needs fixing?

The proof is in the pudding. Shopify Analytics can tell you a fair bit about what’s happening in your store, and other tools can help fill in the gaps.

 But rather than getting carried away with how many people are visiting, look at what they’re actually doing. Are they adding products to their baskets, making purchases or getting stuck somewhere between the two?

Before you start shifting buttons around and rewriting every description in sight, make sure you know what you’re trying to improve. 

Test a few considered changes, keep an eye on the results and remember that more clicks don’t necessarily mean more sales. It’s the numbers that actually matter to your business you’re after.

Give it a go: Pick one important product page and identify a problem worth investigating. Make one considered improvement, measure what happens and use what you’ve learned to decide what to tackle next.

Are Your Product Pages Pulling Their Weight?

There’s not much point putting all that effort into attracting customers if your product pages send them packing at the final hurdle. 

Sometimes a clearer description, better imagery or a smoother route to the basket can do your Shopify store the world of good.

At Giant Peach, we bring together Shopify design and development, UX and SEO to create shopping experiences that look the part and make buying a breeze.

Fancy giving your product pages a bit of a boost? Let’s talk.