Like rich snippets. Google’s rich snippets add a bit more to the product search experience. You don’t have to be a developer to use rich snippets for your product searches. If your product pages don’t list a price or include an image, for example, then your schema won’t work. You can find the information for adding Reviews and Rating schema code here. Most of these apps will integrate with Google’s rich snippet feature so that your product ratings also appear in search results. The schema markup for price allows you to put that information front-and-center on the SERPs. Adding pricing schema will be a similar process to adding any other type of schema. Which is why using Video schema is a great option if you’re already adding rich snippets to your product pages. What are your results from using Google’s rich snippets or rich ads to market your products?
Google is a behemoth when it comes to product searches.
It even beats out Amazon in product search reach, which is insane when you think about it.
Amazon is basically a dedicated product search engine, but 35% of all online purchases start with a Google search.
Not that Amazon isn’t keeping pace. It’s just that Google has a few things that Amazon doesn’t.
Like rich snippets.
With the sheer amount of people searching for products and product reviews on Google, getting to the top of the SERPs should be a priority.
Rich snippets give shoppers the ability not only to see products relevant to their search but also get their questions answered, read reviews and compare prices from one place.
It’s like a complete product encyclopedia.
That’s why more e-commerce companies need to get on the Google rich-snippet bandwagon.
The importance of rich snippets for e-commerce
Rich snippets are bits of code that make it easy for search engines to organize information.
Type almost any product description into Google search and you’ll see at least one type of rich snippet appear, if not multiple types.
Having a rich snippet gives you an immediate boost to your SEO.
Studies show that having a rich snippet can increase click-through rates (CTR) by 677% and drive 20-40% more traffic than product links without them.
Any type of content can get a rich snippet with the right code.
But they’re especially effective for e-commerce product links because consumers are highly visual when it comes to shopping.
There’s a reason why products with high-quality images sell better than products with poor-quality or no images, for example.
Shoppers want to see, compare and research before they buy. Snippets give them that option.
Take a look at the following image:
Which link stands out the most?
If you’re looking at the organic search results, you’re probably going to gravitate toward the one with the clear star rating.
That’s a rich snippet for e-commerce in action.
In an experiment from Catalyst Search Marketing, one brand saw a 150% improvement in CTR when they added review stars (rich snippets) to their product pages.
But that’s not the only way to do it.
Your eye probably also went to the other images at the bottom of the search page:
This is actually Google’s own snippet designed to clarify your search.
If I click on the last image, for instance, I get more rich and featured snippet results.
This tells me which stores carry the product I want and how much it costs at each store, and it answers related questions I might have about the product.
That’s a ton of helpful information from one product search. Like I said, it’s an encyclopedia.
If I search for the same thing on Amazon, on the other hand, I see this:
I get some of the same results (pictures, product ratings, prices), but I have to clarify my search results, and if I have questions (like, is this the latest model?), I’m out of luck.
Google’s rich snippets add a bit more to the product search experience.
But it’s important to note that there’s more than one type of snippet you can use.
In fact, there are five of them.
And you probably want to use them all in some way or another.
1. Product Schema
Rich snippets involve the use of code called Schema Markup, or Schema.
So when I say, “Product Schema,” what I mean is code that showcases basic product information.
You might see this information displayed like this:
Or like this:
Or this:
What makes it product schema is whether or not it features a product and relevant information about it, like color, size, and so on.
There are many different ways you can list that information, some of which might be more helpful for your searchers.
If a product has specific dimensions compared to similar products, for instance, you want to list that in your product markup.
You can find the different types of Product Markup at schema.org, but it looks a bit like this:
If you’re not a coding expert and that looks overwhelming to you, fear not.
Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper is a bit more user-friendly.
You can select the “Product” type and input the product page URL, and the helper will guide you through the rest of the process.
Once you’ve filled in all the relevant fields, simply click “Create HTML.” This will give you the code you need to copy and paste into your website.
Adding the code to your website might be another challenge because you have to put the code in a specific place.
If you’re using a platform like WordPress, there are a few plugins that can help you input code.
Other sites like Shopify have apps and add-ons that can place your code for you.
You don’t have to be a developer to use rich snippets for your product searches.
Of course, if you still feel hesitant about using product schema, you can always bring in a developer to help you out.
Just be sure that your product pages contain all relevant and current product details.
If your product pages don’t list a price or include an image, for example, then your schema won’t work.
No developer will be able to get you the results you want unless your pages are optimized.
2. Reviews and Rating Schema
Around 90% of consumers will read at least one online review before they buy online.
So it’s worth it to add reviews to your product pages.
Adding reviews to your product schema is a great way to boost shopper confidence.
Take a look at the rich snippet when I search for the PlayStation 4:
In the corner is a series of “trusted reviews” from other sites that have reviewed the product.
Sometimes these will feature product reviews from a specific URL listing, but if your product is being reviewed or compared on another site, this is a great place to showcase them.
If I scroll down a bit on the snippet, I see a link for more reviews.
That link leads me to a Google Shopper review page with more detailed reviews:
This gives me a better idea of whether or not this product is really worth buying, and it provides me with links to the cheapest stores near me that sell it.
But reviews and rating schema don’t have to be this complicated.
Just having a star rating next to your product is still good enough to pique interest.
In fact, the star rating is the number one factor used by consumers to judge a product or e-commerce business.
Even if your product schema looks like this:
It’s still better than a product listing without it, right?
Even if your product doesn’t have a high star rating, showing that it’s been rated and reviewed can still be a booster for SEO.
If nothing else, it stands out from the other product listings without images on the SERPs.
You can find the information for adding Reviews and Rating…
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