How to create high-converting landing pages for your online store - what the gurus don’t tell you (4/5)

Today we will be answering the question "Landing pages vs Product pages: Which one should you use"?

Driving paid ad traffic to product pages frequently leads to underwhelming results. According to Monetate, the conversion likelihood of visitors landing directly on a product page is merely half that of those landing on a dedicated landing page. 

This significant difference in conversions arises from product pages often neglecting eCommerce best practices and overlooking the evolving trends in online shopping that shape consumer expectations.

In almost every case, product pages tend to present generic content and design in an attempt to cater to a broad audience simultaneously. In the end, this can be considered their main purpose. Unfortunately, this approach falls short of harmonizing with paid advertisements and floods the product page with distracting links or information, that ultimately can prevent potential buyers from completing purchases. 

On the contrary, landing pages enable focused attention on a single product (or even a category), guiding visitors through a tailored journey toward conversion. They offer greater precision, and customization, and can have much higher conversion potential.

Statistics from nearly 2 billion shopping sessions in the first quarter of 2018 display the advantages of landing pages over product pages:

- Visitors on product pages view 42% fewer pages (averaging 8.8 per session) compared to viewers of landing pages (averaging 12.5 per session).

- Product page conversion rates fall behind post-click landing page conversion rates (1.5% vs. 2.9%).

- The average revenue per session on product pages ($1.72) amounts to roughly half that of landing pages ($3.43).

All of those backed by data examples emphasize that eCommerce professionals must comprehend the inherent distinctions between eCommerce landing pages and other site pages, as well as their potential impact on endeavors to optimize conversion rates (CRO).

If your visitors typically arrive at your site's homepage or a product page, this can introduce them to your brand or product details, but in most cases, these pages are not highly-optimized for conversion and lack engaging and customized calls to action.

Curiously, visitors who land on product pages are 72% more likely to leave quickly compared to those who land on dedicated landing pages.

Pro tip:

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. If you are driving “hot” traffic to your product page and if the product is relatively low-priced and can be purchased based on emotion, then you should skip any additional pages or steps and optimize for the most flawless checkout experience that a person can have.

Why do visitors bounce off product pages more often, compared to dedicated landing pages?

The reason is that landing pages are carefully crafted with a precise message and are optimized to achieve specific conversion goals.

Simply put, product pages mainly provide information, while landing pages are designed for conversion. As a result, each employs distinct elements to match its intended purpose.

Here's a brief comparison between the differences between product pages and landing pages:

Landing Pages

- Feature a main, specific call to action (CTA).

- Eliminate irrelevant elements like site navigation.

- Contain content centered around a singular objective, aimed at specific audiences.

- Include product descriptions tailored to specific audiences.

- Optimized for marketing campaigns, less for SEO.

Product Pages

- Incorporate a clear CTA, with potential for multiple CTAs.

- Offer supplementary pathways, including site navigation and product categories.

- Host general content designed for a wide audience.

- Includes product descriptions and recommendations.

- Optimized for SEO to attract organic traffic.

A deeper overview of the differences between product pages and landing pages

Let's utilize the t-shirt example to clarify the disparity between product pages and landing pages.

If a shopper's quest for "Best T-shirts for Summer" guides them to a product page, they will encounter general t-shirt details along with a "Buy Now" button. The page also incorporates site navigation, leading to categories such as "Shorts" and "Hats", plus links to other recommended apparel.

In contrast, if the search directs them to a landing page, they are greeted with a message spotlighting the benefits of trendy, durable t-shirts. On the page, probably only a singular type of personalized CTA button will be used. 

Also, they can feature additional motivators, such as exclusive offer (giving a 30% discount on their purchase) stimulating the user to take action. This type of landing pages also forgoes site navigation and omits other product displays, their goal is to convert the visitor into a customer.

Of course, both examples have a CTA designed to encourage purchases.

However, the product page maintains a broader scope. It can also functions as an introductory “gateway" to the website and to facilitate exploration of other products or categories. With CTAs with varying messaging (buy now, check related products, save for later, etc.), it caters to customers who might not be ready for immediate purchases but seek more options and comparisons.

On the flip side, the landing page boasts a solitary message and one type fo CTA (can be used on multiple locations across the page). The message aligns precisely with the message of the campaigns that led the visitor to the page, matching the customer's intent upon arrival. The associated offer resonates directly with this message, charting an uncluttered path toward conversion. 

Despite the nuances, both product pages and landing pages have very important duties on your site. It’s just that they are tailored for different tasks, relevant to your broader marketing campaigns. 

With everything said until now, remember - landing pages aren’t always designed to sell (that’s where product pages come in). 

Also, don’t forget that traditional product pages aren’t always the best place to send traffic from a specific campaign. The messaging might not match the campaign, which means it won’t speak to that specific audience.

To summarize the differences between landing and product pages, let’s look at the main elements of each.

‍Landing pages

🛒 Are designed to drive one action

🛒 Can use multiple CTAs that all go to the same place

🛒 Will often remove site navigation to funnel visitors to the CTA

🛒 Target a specific audience and campaign goal

🛒 Uses messaging hyper-focused on campaign goal

🛒 Not specifically made for SEO purposes

‍Product pages

🛒 Are designed to sell one product but also suggest others

🛒 Will use multiple CTAs that go to various site pages

🛒 Always include site navigation for easy shopping around

🛒 Target the brand’s general audience

🛒 Use general messaging that describes the product and brand

🛒 SEO-optimized to capture lots of traffic

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Now, after we know so much about the types of different landing and product pages, it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room…

In the next article, we will teach you how to build highly optimized for conversion landing pages. Stay tunned.

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