5 Best Practices of Product Search

By Rob Wight

Think back to the last time you were in the market for a new printer, camera or sofa. If you used a search engine like Google or Bing, chances are you were served up a mess of things from videos to news results to images. That mess probably included ads that were pretty far off the mark. For example, if you searched for a printer, you probably saw some advertisements for ink cartridges.

Blended search results can be a hassle for anyone shopping online. What makes the difference when preparing your products for search engines? Consider these guidelines as your foundation for product search optimization:

1. Build up your data feed. Send as much data as possible to your search engine destination. Retailers send information to Google or Bing via a data feed. A row represents a product and a column contains data points. It helps comparison shopping engines understand the product on a deeper level.

Five columns to six columns is a somewhat basic start. In order to achieve the best results, go with more columns and more personalization. If you think about a consumer shopping for a TV, consider all of the data points they might be interested in: size of the screen, number of pixels, manufacturer, etc. All of these nuggets are separate data points. Retailers should aim for at least 25 data points.

2. Relevant content. It's important to have clear and detailed product titles and descriptions. In addition to the manufacturer's name, it's helpful to include other things in the title and description. Consider a model number and any differentiating attributes. For example, with apparel you should include the color and size in the title. Key terms in the title and description ensure the context will remain relevant outside of a retailer's site. This way, consumers who know what they're looking for can have the convenience of finding the right product at the right time.

3. Use photos. A picture is worth a thousand keywords. Having good, clear images is vital for comparison shoppers and search engine rankings.

4. Include prices. Obviously a shopper wants to know how much a product costs. It's important to include all the relevant price data, including regular price, sale price, shipping cost and taxes. Different venues display prices differently. If you include all of the information, the search engine has a better opportunity to display the correct price.

5. Add promo text. This is one thing many retailers overlook. Promotional text will tell consumers if you're offering something extra like free shipping or a gift with purchase. Deals, specials and promotions are important for comparison shoppers and should be included in the data you submit.   Recognize that consumers flock to the internet looking for products to simplify the shopping experience.

Sometimes shoppers know exactly what they want, but most times they're looking to browse and compare. In an effort to serve the needs of all potential buyers and to keep up with ever-changing technology, you must be optimized for product search. Following these guidelines will allow you to leverage your products in a way that gives you a better shot at capturing more online sales.

Rob Wight is founder and CEO of Channel Intelligence, an e-commerce technology company. Rob can be reached at rob.wight@channelintelligence.com.