The anatomy of a products website
A products website is a unique type of site. It differs from an e-commerce website as the products you sell are not bought and paid for online, usually because of the complexity of the products you sell or the customisation that is required for every order.
Products websites are not the same as standard lead generation websites, either, where the offering is more service-based. Examples of a typical lead generation website include a business consultancy service, financial planner, or PR agency.
A products website often differs from these sorts of websites because of the level of product detail you need to publish, i.e., specifications, technical documentation, etc. Also, there may be both product and service elements to what you offer, such as providing both product supply and installation services, and your products might have multiple variations that you need to explain.
Plus, products websites also differ from brochure-style and corporate websites, as there needs to be a significant emphasis on your products and product-related resources.
A unique approach
As products websites are unique, they require a unique approach to ensure they have all the features and elements needed to maximise performance and results.
Of course, a products website needs all the essential elements of good website design, including an effective SEO structure, solid branding, user-friendly navigation, fast-loading pages, and responsive design.
What about all the unique and specific elements that a products website needs, the elements that make up the anatomy of a products website? In the following sections, we will look at these elements, including the Home page, About page, and Product pages, all of which are essential for a products website. We’ll also look at other elements, including technical and resources sections.
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The Home page on your products website
The main elements you should include on the Home page of your products website include:
Hero image and value proposition
Include a hero image below the main navigation at the top of the page. This image would show your products being used or being made.
Your value proposition is the text that sits over (or next to) the hero image and it describes the customer value you offer – the main differentiating benefit you create.
An overview of your brand
Provide a short overview of who you are, the types of products you sell, who you sell to, and what makes you different from the competition.
Focus on things that your potential customers will be thinking about when searching for the products you sell. For example, the fact you operate from a large facility is unlikely to be of much interest to potential customers, but explaining that you manufacture locally probably is something they would want to know.
Your products
You should also include a section on your Home page that shows your main product categories with quality images. Adding brief introductory text to each category can be helpful, along with links to relevant Product pages.
Benefits of choosing you
You can get into the benefits of your products on the individual Products pages. Your Home page, however, should focus on the benefits of buying from your business and how you stand out from the competition. Examples include your position in the marketplace (largest, longest operating, etc.), free delivery, guarantees, customisation options, and speed of turnaround.
Product information
Including additional product information on your Home page will help visitors delve deeper or get a different perspective. This could be highlighting your most recent blogs, for example, or a gallery of recently completed projects. Information on solutions per sector can also be helpful, or how-to guides. An example of the latter would be a measuring guide for a curtain or flooring manufacturer.
Calls to action
Your Home page will need clear and visible calls to action, asking visitors to make an enquiry, request a quote, book a consultation meeting, etc.
Contact details
To make it as easy as possible for people to contact you, include your contact details on your Home page. It can also be useful to add a form that visitors can complete if they are contacting you out of hours.
Product pages
Your Product pages are the most important pages on your site. They should explain the features of your products and the benefits, but they should also help visitors visualise using the product.
Other important elements include:
Simple navigation – make it as easy as possible for customers to find the products they are looking for. If you have product categories, make sure they are descriptive. The same applies to product names.
Stunning images – not just of the product, but also the product being used.
Page template – your customers will find it easier browsing through the products that you offer if each page has a similar template.
Description – include a detailed description of the product.
Features – presenting the product’s features in a list is also helpful.
Advantages/benefits – you should also add a list of the product’s benefits.
Variations – if your product has variations, make this as clear as possible, including the use of images and other visuals. For example, if the product has colour variations, include an image of each colour rather than a text description.
Calls to action – make it easy for the visitor to make an enquiry or request a quote.
Cases or ‘suitable for’ advice – for some product types, it can help to include situations where they are a suitable option. For example, whether they fit specific equipment, or suit certain weather conditions.
Detailed specifications and technical details – include these if they apply to your product. Often it is helpful to include such information in a PDF download.
Related products – adding a related products section at the bottom of each Product page will make it easier for your visitors to browse and find the right product.
About page
Tempting as it is to use your About page to talk solely about your company and staff, resist. Customers are less interested in you than in what you can do for them. By all means explain what you do, and why/how you do it, but keep it all customer-focused.
So, for instance, if you manufacture in-house from locally sourced ingredients, or if you sell a carefully curated range of products from other manufacturers, explain why your method or approach is of benefit to the customer.
Of course, you can also use your About page to introduce your business and add personality to the brand. You should explain your background and experience in the industry, as well as highlighting important characteristics of your business – personal customer service, family-owned and operated, etc.
Other important elements include some examples of your customers (for B2B sales), along with any awards, certifications and affiliations, as well as information on sustainability, social and environmental policies.
Read our detailed article about the Company Profile / About page here.
Technical and resource sections
If the products you sell have detailed specification documents, technical documentation, installation guides, manuals, how-to guides, or other resources, you should consider adding this information to a special section on your site. Including these documents on your site can help customers make a buying decision while also increasing the credibility of your offering.
Bringing everything together
There are a lot of elements you need to include on a products website to provide the best user experience and to ensure you get the maximum number of enquiries. By following the guidance on this page, you can build your website into a powerful sales and marketing tool for your business.