Optimising product listing pages (PLPs) for better ad performance is essential to drive more traffic, increase conversions, and improve return on ad spend (ROAS). Well-optimised PLPs can positively influence the effectiveness of your ad campaigns, ensuring that visitors are more likely to engage, convert, and make purchases.
So let’s have a look at some key strategies for optimising product listing pages:
Improve Page Load Speed
A slow-loading product page increases bounce rates, negatively impacting both user experience and ad performance. Nowadays, users expect a page to load in under 2 seconds. Google prioritises fast-loading pages in its ad algorithms, so optimising your PLP speed is crucial for every London eCommerce agency.
Some ways to do that include compressing images as much as possible without losing quality, using fast hosting and implementing a content delivery network (CDN), removing unnecessary JavaScript and CSS, and optimising HTML for faster rendering.
SEO and Keyword Optimisation
Using targeted keywords cannot be underestimated. Ensure your product listing pages are optimised for relevant terms matching your ad campaigns. Align your on-page SEO with the search keywords and phrases users are likely to use when searching for products. Use them in meta titles, meta descriptions, product descriptions, image alt tags, and headings. Also, long-tail keywords and ad group keywords from paid search campaigns should be incorporated to ensure better ad relevance. And make sure your unique product descriptions are also keyword-rich, but avoid stuffing.
Optimise for Mobile
There’s no going around it: a significant amount of ad traffic often comes from mobile devices. Ensure your PLP is mobile-friendly, as a mobile-optimised site can improve both user experience and ad quality score. Some ways to do this are using large clickable buttons, ensuring text readability, and having a clean and simple layout that displays products well on small screens.
High-Quality Visuals
High-quality images and videos that load quickly are crucial for showcasing products effectively. Multiple images, zoom functionality, and product videos can improve engagement and click-through rates from ads. One way to do that is to use descriptive, keyword-rich alt text for your product images. This helps not only with SEO but also with ad relevance. If running Google Shopping or other product-based ads, ensure your PLPs dynamically display high-quality images that match the product ads.
Clear and Engaging Product Descriptions
Make sure that product descriptions are concise yet informative, highlighting the most important features and benefits. This helps users who arrive via ads to quickly understand the value proposition. To do this, use bullet points for easy scanning and emphasise unique selling points (USPs) such as free shipping, product guarantees, or limited-time offers. Also, make sure the ad copy is consistent. Ensure the messaging in your ads aligns with the descriptions on the product pages. If customers click on an ad for a specific feature, make sure that feature is prominently highlighted on the PLP.
Optimise Internal Linking and Navigation
A well-structured and intuitive navigation system can greatly enhance user experience and improve ad performance. Make sure your PLPs offer easy-to-use filters, allowing users to sort products by categories such as price, brand, rating, or size. This makes it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for, reducing bounce rates and increasing the chances of conversion.
To do so, incorporate related products, bundles, or complementary items directly on your PLP. Showing “Customers also bought” or “Frequently purchased together” sections can not only improve user engagement but also boost average order value (AOV).
A breadcrumb trail can also help users understand where they are in your site’s structure, making it easier to backtrack and explore other product categories without getting lost. This improves overall site usability, which in turn boosts ad quality scores.
Test and Optimise Continuously
Optimisation is not a one-time effort; it requires regular testing and updates to maximise ad performance. Implement A/B testing on your PLPs to determine which elements drive the best engagement and conversions. Experiment with different layouts, product descriptions, call-to-action (CTA) buttons, image placement, and pricing formats. Analyse which combinations perform best in terms of reducing bounce rates and increasing conversions from ad traffic.
Continuously test different ad copies and their alignment with the landing pages. Use tools like Google Analytics and heatmaps to track how users interact with your PLPs. Identify where they drop off, which elements they engage with, and what leads to conversions. Adjust your PLPs based on these insights to improve both organic and paid traffic performance.
By following these optimization strategies, your product listing pages can become more effective at converting traffic from ad campaigns, ultimately improving the performance of your ads by aligning user experience, content relevance, and technical performance.
