8 strategies to designing an online catalog that converts
It's a great step forward when you decide to go from print to online with your catalogs. However, one of the key things to look out for is finding an attractive way of showing your products or services through your online catalog. The design can determine whether visitors bounce away or follow through with a purchase. Luckily, there's plenty you can do to turn your flat PDFs into engaging and profitable catalogs.
1
Use CTAs
2
Enable checking out
3
Videos, images and more!
It's a great step forward when you decide to go from print to online with your catalogs.
However, one of the key things to look out for is finding an attractive way of showing your products or services through your online catalog. The design and interactive elements (or lack thereof) can determine whether visitors bounce away or follow through with a purchase.
Luckily, there's plenty you can do to turn your flat PDFs into engaging and profitable catalogs.
In this post we'll show you which elements you should use in your digital catalogs to make those visitors want to buy.
1: Use CTAs
A well placed call-to-action can make a huge effect on converting browsers into customers. They invoke a clear action for the readers and it gives them a logical next step.
The colors and the contrast with the background can make a huge difference in making your readers aware of the option of buying and the way they can buy.
Luckily, this is quite easy to do. The first and most important thing you need to look for is the color contrast of the buttons with the background and adding animation to make the CTAs stand out.
Another thing you can do is make the buttons a bit bigger. But be careful not to irritate the customer if there are already too many products on the page.
Keep in mind that you need to find the right balance.
2: Enable checking out
When making the leap from print to online catalogs, it's also extremely important to provide a way to check out or "finish" their catalog experience.
It could be...
Direct integration on your website and ecommerce
Exporting all products in the catalog basket to your webshop
External links to your website
Creating a wishlist
Send to friends or family by email
WhatsApp or Viber messaging
One of the best ways to turn visitors into customers in your digital catalogs is by making it super easy to shop directly from the catalog.
We are impatient online, and the more steps we have to take to buy, the less likely it is that we swing out our credit card.
Here, you can see how Oriflame fully integrated their digital catalog with their website and ecommerce.
3: Enrich the catalog with product videos
You can't ignore videos in your marketing efforts. Viewers are between 64-85% more likely to purchase from you, when they've seen one of your product videos (source).
So it's a good idea to invest in videos. Here, you can see how a video can be used to enhance the experience of the furniture being displayed in the digital catalog.
4: Use powerful product images
When it comes to online catalogs it's critical to catch the user’s attention quickly. You can do this in different ways, but one of the best ways is to use images.
As the shopper can't pick up the product and see what it feels like, product images are key in selling online.
Make sure your images are large, high-resolution and highlight the key features of the product.
6: Show products from different angles and variants
Furniture retailer FOGIA really highlights the importance of this in their digital catalog.
On several pages, they also have an icon with "See more pictures". This opens up a carousel showing the product in more colors and from more angles. This makes it easier to imagine how the product looks in real life and showcases the different options.
It's invaluable to their shoppers.
7: Limit the number of products per page
You might get away with 20 products per page on your printed catalog. But not online.
There are way too many distractions, so you need to keep the user focused and engaged. And, despite what you might think, pages overflowing with products will do exactly the opposite.
Fewer products per page helps the user focus more. Without printing costs to consider there is no limit to spreading your products across additional pages!
Here, you can see how the display of few products gives them more space to shine and entice.
8: Create compelling product descriptions
Now that you have more space in your catalog, take advantage of it by providing more value for your readers with product descriptions. They make you understand the meaning behind the product or brand and make you want to keep exploring.
A good example of this is consumer good retailer COOP with their spring catalog. Product descriptions are accompanied with stories of the designers behind them, incorporating a little bit of personality and storytelling.
Conclusion
Now it's time for you to take the next step towards creating online catalogs. Use all the available tools to improve your digital catalogs and achieve your sales and marketing goals.
It doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming. Often even very small changes can help give your visitors that engaging experience that turns them into paying customers.
Start with the ones most relevant to your business. You can always add on more features to make the digital experience in your catalog even more compelling and engaging.
