“To tweak or not to tweak, that is the question.” Brand Commerce, Act 3, Scene 1. Who knew ecommerce could be so Shakespearean? Actually, it’s not really that serious. But if you’re contemplating tweaking your product pages like Hamlet contemplates the meaning of life, it might be time for a sabbatical. But before you go, consider this.
In ecommerce marketing, there’s an overwhelming number of things you could optimize. And while you could continually rewrite and modify your product pages, that’s usually not productive. You want your product pages to position your brand to be awesome every time someone visits them, but that shouldn’t require constant change.
You don’t need a new product page every day. But there are definitely times when you need to make updates. The trick is recognizing when to leave your page alone and when it needs an update.
Here are five signs that something is rotten in Denmark (Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 4) and that it’s time to update your product page.
1. Customers keep asking the same questions
When prospective customers can’t find the information they’re looking for in your product title or description, some of them are bound to ask about it in the page’s dedicated question and answer section or message you directly. They might be looking for a spec you didn’t think was worth including or a use case you hadn’t planned for.
Whatever the case, it’s important to pay attention to the questions people ask. If the same questions come up repeatedly, or a lot of people indicate that an answer was helpful, that’s a strong indicator that this information belongs in a more prominent section, such as your description, enhanced content, or an image.
Just because the information appears somewhere on your page doesn’t mean customers will see it. You don’t want key information and value propositions buried in the question and answer box. So if a question seems popular or significant enough, find a more visible place for the answer to live.
2. Reviews have highlighted new benefits or use cases
As more customers use and review your products, you’ll inevitably learn about new ways they’ve been using them or new things they appreciate about them. If you see the same sentiments popping up in reviews or strong support for particular reviews highlighting a new value proposition or application, it may be worth updating your description to highlight that positioning. People clearly appreciate that aspect of your product, so making it more discoverable could help your product appeal to other like-minded consumers.
3. Critical assets are no longer accurate
Outdated product images, videos, or copy can quickly land you in trouble. Not only can these assets hinder the product page’s performance, but if your product has significantly changed, these assets can mislead your customers. This inevitably causes an uptick in expensive returns and scathing reviews.
Note: Sometimes outdated product page content isn’t your fault, but if a retailer fails to update your pages with the new content you’ve given them, it’s just as damaging to your brand. Brand Monitor’s content compliance feature tracks your SKUs everywhere they appear and identifies any variations across your pages, helping you hone in on sellers that haven’t kept up with your changes.
4. A retailer found a better way to position your product
It’s not always a bad thing when a retailer doesn’t follow your brand guidelines. Some retailers want greater control over the content that appears on their website, and they need custom assets to ensure your product fits in with the rest of their catalog. Sometimes this leads to valuable discoveries.
Combining a digital shelf analytics solution with where to buy technology featuring universal tracking allows you to compare how your product pages perform across retailers. If a retailer uses custom content on its website and it outperforms your other sellers, it could be a sign that your brand guidelines should follow suit.
5. Your keyword strategy has changed
Over time, you may discover that customers use alternative names for your product category or particular features. If and when that happens, you may want to optimize your product pages for these new terms. It might involve completely reframing your product or simply incorporating the new terms into your title or description.
Analyze your product pages with Brand Monitor
Brand Monitor is the premier digital shelf analytics solution. Monitor your product pages for variations in content, price, share of search, and more, then optimize them across all your distribution channels. With advanced insights into your product pages and your competitors’ pages, you’ll have a tactical advantage in the fight for the digital shelf.
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Schedule a demo of Brand Monitor.
