Complete titles are the cornerstone of product content and should include the brand or Manufacturers Name, the Manufacturers Part Number (MPN), and applicable attribute values – size, color, and more – while making full use of character limits. Having titles that are normalized also leads to a more consistent and optimized shopping experience. In addition, titles should be tailored for the intended audience; a B2B buyer expects a different title from a B2C buyer.
Online buying decisions are often made on bullet points and reviews alone. Shoppers expect that the main values and functionality will be defined in easy-to-consume bullets that are generally located immediately under the product title. The content of bullet points should change based on the category and in general be normalized within a category. For example, the bullet points for TVs should contain screen size, resolution, screen type, mount type, supports standards, and any other features. Icons are often used to further communicate product features.
Depicting your products with as much completeness and clarity as possible is a must. Images should include a leading main image (“hero image”), left, right, rear, and lifestyle images, plus “What’s in the box” and special features. Large images engage the buyer and quickly tell the product’s story; they must be at least 1,000 x 1,000 pixels at 72 DPI; however, 3,000 x 3,000-pixel images are preferred. Many well-known ecomm platforms show 10 or more images, and leading brands fill them all. In addition, product videos are now mainstream and a key component to higher conversion rates. Videos can be series level or product specific and should be well produced, short, to the point, and shown in a responsive frame for viewing on any device. Having installation, family, series, and instruction manuals available for download also leads to an optimal shopping experience.
It is imperative that images display quickly on websites; slow resolving can lead shoppers to look elsewhere. Image delivery times of 300 to 500 MS are generally accepted to be “instant” on shopping sites and can be achieved with global content delivery networks (CDN’s). This technology uses cached images globally so that a server is close to any shopper, resulting in pictures quickly loading.
Brands and manufacturers have discovered that A+ or rich content increases conversion rates by 3% to 10%. This unstructured content tells a product’s story in a concise, complete, on brand, and responsive way, delivering a more fully immersive experience that the brand can control on its channel partner sites. A+ or rich content is most often delivered through web services, so the final product is consistent and reflects the brand’s priorities. This feature also enables quick updates as a product goes through its lifecycle.
With normalized content, the attribution is based on category-level templates and can vary from a few dozen to 100-plus for complex products, such as servers. Attribution is one element that drives search and is often used in product comparisons. Products that have normalized attribution across categories allow for comparisons in which all the product’s specifications can be viewed against other products within the same category, regardless of brands. Product comparisons are a good way to engage buyers, leading to increased conversion rates. Brands rely on data providers to create and update taxonomies that enable normalization. A leading taxonomy can have as many as 5 leaf levels to enable use of more relevant data values and avoid mashing together products into a single category. Taxonomies can change with technology; a healthy taxonomy should be dynamic as technology and use cases change.
Leading data providers also include the options and accessories for products, which increases average cart values. Having the proper accessories – including warranties, service contracts, and seat licenses – is extremely important in B2B sales, where multiple components are often required for a working system.
As ecommerce grows, so do the audiences, which requires multiple languages and localization. This is another advantage of a data provider that delivers robust and multilevel taxonomies; they are more easily localized, which is becoming a requirement in the growing ecommerce world.
Product finders enable a guided shopping experience based on a buyer’s requirements and can increase the speed at which decisions are made. A buyer can quickly determine which product(s) meet their requirements by deciding on required features from dropdowns menus. Better finders also include price and availability to ensure an optimal experience and increased sales. The art and science of online product content have been evolving over decades, and they are rising to meet the challenges of today’s demanding shoppers. But brands need to understand and leverage the many content options available, and continue to update and innovate with their listings. Putting a product’s best foot forward online has never been more important, and the right syndication partner will bring you much closer to continued success in this highly competitive game.
Lloyd Wood is Senior Manager of Online Account Sales at GfK Etilize, the world’s largest product content syndicator. He can be reached at lloyd.wood@gfk.com.
GfK Etilize has been the world’s largest product content syndicator for over 20 years and provides leading global brands with content services that have led to increased sales and conversions for all sizes of brands. GfK Etilize has long been known for providing a multilevel taxonomy which includes thousands of categories and powers thousands of distributors, reseller, government, and industrial client’s sites.
