The Heartbeat of Your Website: Crafting Your 'Product' Pages
- Sebrinia Welch
- Oct 4, 2023
- 6 min read
Menu:
The Multiple Ways to Craft Your "Product" Pages
When I am looking for a restaurant to eat at or a place to get takeout, like most, I turn to Google Maps or a food-delivery app in hopes of finding a delicious place to eat. I eat primarily plant based - very limited meat, dairy, and eggs. So on top of a place that has great reviews, I am on the lookout for restaurants that have options I can enjoy.
When I find a restaurant that states it has “vegan options,” I am thrilled and start to look at their menu. However I cannot tell you the number of times I start reading the options, to find there isn’t a lot of information to tell me about each dish. Typically, if I look at 2 or 3 options without the details I need to meet my dietary needs, I click out of their page and look elsewhere.
Whether it is a menu on a restaurant’s website, product details available through an online store, or a program description on a nonprofit’s website, the “Products” page of a website is a key element for a small business or nonprofit when guiding visitors through the Consideration stage of their customer journey, onwards to making their decision.
Your target audience has specific interests, wants and needs and they are on the look out for the right solutions to meet them. The goal is to not just to provide the information about what you offer, rather you should be working towards convincing them that your small business or nonprofit has just what they are looking for.
The Heart of Your Website
While the “About” page shows the heart of you and your organization, it’s your “Product” pages that provide the lifeblood of your website. One page or multiple, these are the centralized location for information required for a visitor's decision making process.
When I say “Products,” this represents anything that your small business or nonprofit offers to your target audience. For small businesses, “Products” can be physically items, services your provide, memberships or subscriptions, or classes or workshops you lead. For nonprofits, “Products” could defined programs that you run, education you offer, resources you provide access to, or opportunities and events you organize.
In addition to providing information to potential customers or supporters, the “Product” pages also provide these benefits for small businesses and nonprofits:
Inspiration and Persuasion: Beyond just listing details, effective “Product” pages can help convince visitors of the value of what's being offered by your small business and nonprofit, motivating them to click those “Donate Now,” “Add to Cart,” or “Checkout” buttons.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Strong “Product” pages, optimized with relevant keywords, can rank higher in search engine results. This can drive organic traffic and increase visibility, leading to visitors towards making their decisions.
Assist with Navigation: A well-designed “Product” page, organized for easy navigation, helps visitors find what they're looking for quickly, reducing frustration and bounce rates.
Continue Building Trust & Credibility: Detailed, clear, and accurate information about what you're offering shows professionalism and transparency and by using high-quality media, thorough descriptions, and authentic testimonials or reviews, you can instill confidence in future customers or supporters.
Set Yourself Apart from Competitors: With unique and well-presented “Product” pages, you can differentiate your small business or nonprofit from others similar to you, highlighting what makes you stand out.
The Multiple Ways to Show Your Heart
Much like the versatility in designing your homepage or "About" page, your "Products" page can take on various forms. The specific layout and presentation will largely depend on the nature of what you offer:
One Page Overview - This is where your visitors click “Products” on the menu bar of your website and they can see all the offerings in one spot.
Drop Down Menu - This is when a website visitor hovers over the “Products” item in the menu bar and they can see different options or categories of products.
Online Store or Menu - This is usually when a visitor clicks on “Shop” and they are navigated to a page of various options where each item has its own individualized page.
Combination - This is when you combine any of the above to fit the needs of your website and help your visitors navigate through their options.
Top 5 Elements of a Strong “Products” page
It’s important to think about what questions your visitors may have, what solutions or needs are they looking for, and what details they may need to make their decision.
Here are few elements to consider for your “Products” page(s):
1. Craft Clear Descriptions: Give your visitors a clear understanding of what your small business or nonprofit offers, highlighting the features, benefits, and unique selling factors of becoming a supporter of your organization.
2. Upload High-Quality Media: Provide a visual experience to your website visitors with high-resolution images or videos. Let them see what you offer in its best light and, if applicable, from multiple angles or used in different scenarios.
3. Showcase the Value Proposition: It’s crucial for your visitors to understand what to expect if and when they decide to become a customer or supporter. Clearly listed prices or suggested donation amounts, along with any discounts, packages, or benefits. For nonprofits, make sure you are transparent on how donations are used and the impact they create.
4. Use Social Proof: Build trust and credibility with potential customers or donors by adding genuine reviews, case studies or quotes from satisfied customers, volunteers, clients, etc. Make more of a connection with visitors by using photos or videos of the individuals providing the testimonials.
5. Add a Clear Call to Action (CTA): Help guide your visitors toward the next step, whether that's making a purchase, signing up for a service, or making a donation. Use an eye-catching button and use motivating language, like "Buy Now", "Learn More", "Donate Today", or "Get Started".
BONUS: Add FAQs & Detailed Specifications: Anticipate your future customers' or supporters' needs by preemptively addressing common questions and providing more in-depth details that they may want, like specifics about the product's dimensions or materials, usage guidelines, what to expect, timeframe, donation process or fund allocation.
RESOURCE: Guiding your “Products” Page Build
As you build your “Products” page, remember to think about your target audience: what do they need from your small business or nonprofit to feel like they are ready to commit to being a buyer, supporter, donor or volunteer?
Their journey should not stop on the “Products” page, rather it should persuade them to move into the Decision or Conversion stage with your organization. While you do not need to answer all the following questions, do make sure your “Products” page(s) motivates them to completing your CTA task.
1. What does the customer/supporter need to understand?
What problem does your product or service solve for them?
What are the unique selling points or value propositions?
How does what you offer stand out from other options?
Are there different pricing tiers, packages, or donation levels? Do you offer discounts, membership benefits, or loyalty programs?
2. How will the “products” be presented visually?
Do you have high-quality images or videos showcasing the product, service, or the impact of a donation?
Can you show the product or service in action or demonstrate its benefits?
3. What questions or concerns might visitors have?
Can you address these proactively in an FAQ section?
Are there warranties, guarantees, or testimonials that can alleviate these concerns?
Is there a clear way for visitors to connect if they have questions, like offering live chat, detailed contact information, or consultation options?
4. What do past customers or beneficiaries have to say?
Can you incorporate genuine and authentic testimonials, reviews, or impact stories?
5. What action do you want visitors to take after viewing the page?
Is the call-to-action clear, compelling, and easy to find?
Have you optimized the user experience to make this action as straightforward and easy as possible?
6. Is the information organized logically and is it easy to navigate?
Are the most important details immediately visible?
Can visitors easily find additional information if they want to delve deeper?
Your "Products" pages serve as the vital core of your website, energizing your entire digital marketing strategy. Beyond simply informing your target audience during their consideration phase, these pages produce rich content that can enhance the SEO efforts for your small business or nonprofit.
Furthermore, they bolster promotional campaigns and fortify your social media and email marketing tactics. Therefore, empower your website by crafting robust, efficient, and optimized "Products" pages!
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