Google Product Listing Ads (PLAs) can greatly benefit from well-optimised product images – we are not talking about image file sizes here, although important – we are looking at how you merchandise your product offering. Generic product photography can be unappealing and unmemorable, so it’s important to use your own unique images in your PLAs. By using your own images, you will be able to differentiate yourself from other ads and grab the consumer’s attention.
It’s also a good idea to incorporate your brand into your images in a subtle way (a small step towards stopping others from swiping your work), such as by including your logo or brand colours. Just be careful not to add a watermark to your PLAs, as this is not allowed.
Remember that the image size for PLAs is quite small, so it’s important to choose a tight crop of your product that still showcases it well. If you’re selling LED strip lights, for example, make sure to show off the product’s flexibility and how it can be bent and twisted. It’s also crucial to have the product properly lit in the image.
Optimising your product images can lead to a higher click-through rate and a lower cost per click. It can also improve your ad positioning in Google. If you need help with product photography or would like to learn more about affordable and high-quality options, consider signing up for a newsletter or contacting a professional.
Negative ratings and reviews may be disappointing, but they can provide valuable insights for businesses looking to improve their products and services. In the age of social media, it’s crucial for businesses to handle negative comments with care and compassion in order to maintain a positive reputation. By responding to negative feedback in a timely and empathetic manner, businesses can show their commitment to providing excellent products and services.
As an ecommerce business owner, you are always looking for ways to improve your website and increase conversions. One strategy to consider is social proofing, and in particular, the use of ratings and reviews.
Social proofing is the idea that people are more likely to take a certain action if they see others doing the same thing. For example, if a customer sees that other customers have given a product a high rating, they are more likely to buy that product.
Question; are you on good terms with your warehouse and logistics team? I sure hope so, as this is the team that, above all others, can quite literally make or break your eCommerce operations.
Just in case you are short of time, here is what the data shows:
In short
What you need to do:
Push cut-off order times to be as late as possible
Shorten delivery times
Why you need to do it:
Increased revenue via improvements on key metrics:
More visitors
Increased conversion rates
Potential average order value improvement
Likely to increase your return on ad spend
Have time to read more? We have taken an in-depth look at the reasoning behind it and the best practices to deploy for your success.
The Good
Why do the likes of Amazon, Next PLC and countless supermarkets offer a late cut-off time for next day orders? It’s simple; it has a huge impact on the conversion rate (the percentage of people who visit a website and then purchases an item).
Here’s a real-world eCommerce site that had a cut-off time of 1pm:
Order cut-off time at 1pm gives peak conversion rate just prior to cut-off
Have you noted how traffic stays relatively stable throughout the day, yet the peak conversion rate comes just before the cut-off time? This is where the customer panic begins to set in, as they want to get the order in quickly to ensure next day delivery. Then, of course, you can see how the conversion rate declines throughout the rest of the day.
The Bad
Early cut-off times means your warehouse and courier(s) will need to do better. What you’ll tend to see is that traffic to your site grows from 9am onwards and will stay stable throughout the day, with the last peak at 9pm – the prime eCommerce sales time. However, if you have a cut-off at 11am, you’re going to find a mad rush to get orders in, with a peak conversion rate just prior to cut-off – leaving the rest of the day for other potential customers to ask the question; what do I do?
Do I…
a) Put an order and wait an extra day or
b) Go to a competitor with a later cut-off time?
Of course, the above question is still asked even if you have a later cut-off time; it’s just that it is being asked later in the day, capitalising on more of the visitors before the cut-off.
Say the aforementioned eCommerce site had to change their cut-off order time to 11am in the morning. The sheer number of orders coming in would mean the warehouse would not be able to keep up, and the rate of problems would increase. An earlier cut-off time would ensure the warehouse staff had more time to check orders were going out correctly. Here’s the impact:
Order cut-off time at 11am pulled back the peak conversion rate just prior to cut-off
Bringing the cut-off time forward by 2 hours also brought forward the peak conversion rate, which is by no coincidence the closing hour prior to cut-off.
The Ugly
No cut-off time is the worst of the worst. It leaves a big question on people’s minds; “When will I receive this item?” – sure, they may get to the checkout process, but what does “Parcel Force 24hrs delivery service” mean if the cut off for the current day isn’t shown?
Conclusions
So, what did we learn?
The later the cut-off time, the better.
Earlier cut-off times means you let more potential customers order with competitors.
Earlier cut-off times are better than showing no cut-off time, which means you are losing customers to both early and late cut-off time competitors (people need certainty).
Show your cut-off times on product pages – don’t make the customer work for it and look for times within delivery/shipping pages or at the checkout process.
Best to show cut-off time with a countdown timer. This gives the customer an exact cut-off time making them aware of how long they have to place an order.
