It is no longer a secret that more and more people are placing online orders via mobile devices. For a long time, mobile devices were used for browsing, while purchases were later made on desktops for the sake of clarity. However, online department stores, especially Amazon, are now adapting better and better to mobile devices and are constantly improving user-friendliness so that purchases are also increasingly being made on mobile devices. The decision is understandable: Why boot up your PC first when you can easily order the product you want from your cell phone or tablet? It can be assumed that the number of mobile purchases on Amazon will continue to rise in the future. So that your products can also be ordered via mobile devices on Amazon sells we have created this article.
Anyone who ignores this development when optimizing their products is missing out on a promising opportunity to generate significantly more purchases. But what exactly needs to be considered when optimizing? What are the differences between the mobile and desktop versions? These questions are answered in the following article.
Differences in the presentation
Desktop version
The following illustration shows the desktop version of a product detail page:
At first glance, we already get a lot of information about the product: the title, the product image and thumbnails of potential additional images, the average rating, the price, the availability, the possible delivery date and the bullet points are displayed. This information is already quite informative and in some cases is enough to make a purchase decision. However, if a potential customer wants even more information, they have to scroll to see the product description, product details, reviews and customer questions and answers.
Mobile version
The mobile version of the same product is shown in the following illustration:
In direct comparison, it is noticeable that significantly less information is visible here at first glance. Only the title, the average rating, the product image, the price, the possible delivery date and the availability are visible. Before a potential customer can access further information, they have to scroll for a while, because in between there is the Buy Box, advertisements, sponsored and similar products and the questions and answers section. A clear difference compared to the desktop version is that in the Amazon app, just like in the mobile browser, the product description appears before the bullet points. These only appear below it, as do the product details. Another difference is that the smaller user interface naturally also means that the product images are displayed much smaller than on the desktop.
Comparison
It is clear that the product detail pages are displayed differently depending on the end device and a solution must be found for the optimization that works for both variants. If the focus is placed too heavily on one of the two displays, the other may suffer as a result.
The presentation of the search results is also different. As can be seen in the following two images, the desktop version usually shows significantly more results at a glance than the mobile version due to space constraints. This fact makes it all the more important to carry out appropriate optimizations in order to appear among the first search results. In addition, the mobile version of Amazon cuts off the title by significantly fewer characters.
Desktop search results:
Mobile search results:
Mobile optimization measures
Now that the most striking differences between the mobile and desktop view of Amazon have been highlighted, here are some tips and hints for optimizing the mobile Amazon version. It is important to note that none of these approaches will have a negative impact on the desktop version. The goal is to optimize the products so that they perform optimally on both mobile and desktop.
Title
If you browse a little between different products on Amazon, it is not uncommon to find product titles that are far too long. These often consist of a collection of keywords, which is often confusing and not very meaningful for potential customers. In the mobile view, this type of title design is even more problematic, as there are significantly fewer characters available. If the title is cut off before the prospective customer can make sense of the product, it will hardly appeal to them. For this reason, the following tips should be observed when formulating the title:
Find an appropriate length
The desktop version of Amazon has different character limits for titles depending on the category. However, titles are often cut off after a maximum of 130 bytes. The mobile Amazon app usually only displays up to 65 bytes. If you want the title to be displayed in full in every display, you should keep it under 65 bytes.
At the same time, however, the title is also the most important place to include relevant keywords. The best way is therefore probably a compromise: a title that contains the most important keywords and makes the purpose of the product clear within the first 65 bytes, so that no information is lost that is important for the interest of a potential customer.
The following image shows some titles from the Amazon app. While the bottom three titles have been cut off due to their length, the first one is missing important keywords, such as "bicycle".
Formulate in a customer-friendly way
There is no advantage for anyone if a product ranks for numerous relevant keywords due to its title, but this does not appeal to customers at all. It is important to package relevant keywords in a customer-friendly way. The title should be formulated primarily for the customer, not for the Amazon algorithm. Try to choose a title that makes the product attractive to the customer with as few but relevant words as possible. To improve clarity, separators such as commas or hyphens can be used.
Product description
Unlike the desktop version, the product description is displayed on mobile before the bullet points. The product description is often neglected, yet it offers the best opportunity to share initial detailed information about the product and the brand in order to convince potential buyers, especially in the mobile view of Amazon.
As the text is displayed relatively small on smartphones in particular, it makes sense to divide the product description into paragraphs, insert headings and take advantage of the limited HTML formatting options. As product descriptions are often only skimmed, the reader's attention can be drawn to particular aspects in this way. The aim should be to design the text in such a way that it does not have a deterrent effect on the reader, but offers them the information they are looking for in a clear manner.
The product description should not be a repetition of the bullet points or a mere string of facts. A narrative text that provides the user with valuable information about the product and the brand, for which there is no space in the bullet points, is much more appealing. The bullet points should therefore be kept short and concise.
EBC and A+ Content
The following applies to both the mobile and desktop versions: If you have the option of using EBC or A+ content, i.e. enhancing the product description with images, text, comparison tables and other content, you should use it. Especially in the mobile view of Amazon, most prospective customers scroll down because the product image and title alone usually do not provide enough information for a purchase decision. They will come across the product description first.
If potential customers find clearly designed EBC or A+ content there, it is usually much more appealing and informative than a product description consisting purely of text. In this way, the advantages of the product can be optimally presented and, if necessary, emphasized with corresponding images. The presentation of the content differs slightly depending on whether you are shopping on mobile or desktop. However, the content automatically adapts to the end device so that nothing is cut off or displayed too small.
Bullet points
The bullet points should provide a brief, memorable overview of the most important product features. The Amazon Style Guides recommend limiting the individual bullet points to around 150 bytes. This is a good length for clearly presenting the benefits of a product at a glance. More extensive details can be included in the product description. Small eye-catchers in the bullet points can also help to draw the reader's attention to certain aspects. For example, each bullet point can begin with a striking word in capital letters.
The bullet points should also be formulated clearly and emphasize what makes the product special. It is important to find a balance in terms of the information provided. Desktop users see these first and are significantly influenced by them in their purchase decision. It is therefore essential that the most important aspects are included. Mobile users, on the other hand, have just read the detailed product description and are not interested in finding the same detailed information there again. A short, concise summary of the key benefits would be ideal, giving the user a final incentive to buy.
Product images
The product images are logically displayed smaller on mobile devices than on the desktop. For this reason, care should be taken to upload high-resolution, zoomable images in which the product makes up at least 85% of the image. In addition, a pure white background should be chosen from which the product clearly stands out. Additional text or symbols can easily distract from the product, especially in the small display.
One aspect that is often not considered is that the mobile version requires a little intuition to know that you can switch between product images by swiping. Users who are not familiar with this principle may not be aware of this function. As a result, some interested parties may only see the main product image. For this reason, it should speak for itself and present the product convincingly. After all, the product image is one of the most important factors in the purchase decision.
Conclusion
It can be said that with a few simple optimizations, your own product can be optimally presented both on the desktop and in the Amazon app or mobile browser. Especially with the mobile version, it is important not to overwhelm prospective customers with keywords and information. However, clear, easy-to-understand titles and bullet points are just as appealing when shopping on the desktop. In any case, it makes sense to call up your own products from a mobile device in order to get your own impression of the clarity of the information and to optimize it if necessary.
