Product Page Audit

SKILL.md

---
name: Product Page Audit
description: Score product detail pages on image quality, copy effectiveness, SEO, mobile layout, and trust elements with improvement priorities.
---

# Product Page Audit

Score and diagnose your product detail pages across five critical dimensions — image quality, copywriting effectiveness, on-page SEO, mobile responsiveness, and trust signal presence — then receive a prioritized improvement roadmap that tells you exactly what to fix first for the highest conversion impact.

## Quick Reference

| Decision | Strong | Acceptable | Weak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image count per listing | 7-9 images including lifestyle, infographic, scale reference | 5-6 images covering key angles | 1-3 generic product shots only |
| Title keyword placement | Primary keyword in first 5 words, benefit-driven | Keyword present but buried mid-title | No keyword strategy, brand-name-only title |
| Mobile image readability | Text on images readable at 375px, tap targets ≥44px | Mostly readable, minor pinch-to-zoom needed | Text unreadable, images cropped poorly on mobile |
| Trust signal density | Reviews, badges, guarantee, social proof above fold | Some trust elements but below fold | No visible trust signals on page |
| Description structure | Scannable bullets + narrative paragraph + specs table | Bullet points only or paragraph only | Wall of text with no formatting |
| SEO meta completeness | Title tag ≤60 chars, meta desc ≤155 chars, alt text on all images | Title and meta present but suboptimal length | Missing meta description or duplicate title tags |
| Price presentation | Anchored pricing with savings shown, clear per-unit cost | Price visible but no anchoring or context | Price hidden or requires clicks to reveal |
| Call-to-action clarity | Single prominent CTA above fold with contrasting color | CTA present but competing with other buttons | CTA below fold or visually indistinct |

## Solves

- **Conversion rate diagnosis**: Identify exactly which page elements are suppressing your add-to-cart rate rather than guessing blindly
- **Image quality gaps**: Find resolution issues, missing lifestyle context shots, unreadable infographics, and poor mobile thumbnail crops
- **Copywriting weaknesses**: Detect missing benefit-driven language, keyword gaps, readability problems, and weak emotional hooks in titles and descriptions
- **SEO leakage**: Uncover missing meta tags, duplicate titles, unoptimized alt text, and poor title tag structure costing you organic traffic
- **Mobile experience failures**: Catch tap target issues, unreadable image text, broken layouts, and slow-loading elements on mobile devices
- **Trust deficit identification**: Find missing reviews, absent guarantees, hidden return policies, and lack of social proof that erode buyer confidence
- **Competitive benchmarking**: Compare your page elements against category leaders and proven best practices to identify your biggest gaps

## Workflow

### Step 1 — Collect page data and context
Gather the product page URL or detailed description of all page elements. Collect information about the product category, target audience demographics, price point, and competitive landscape. Ask for current conversion rate if available to calibrate improvement priorities.

**Key questions to resolve:**
- What platform is this listing on (Amazon, Shopify, TikTok Shop, Walmart, etc.)?
- What is the target customer profile and their primary purchase motivations?
- Are there specific competitor listings to benchmark against?
- What is the current conversion rate baseline?

### Step 2 — Audit image quality and strategy
Evaluate every product image against category-specific best practices. Check hero image impact, lifestyle context variety, infographic clarity, scale/size reference inclusion, and mobile thumbnail readability. Score each image individually and identify gaps in the image sequence story.

**Evaluation criteria:**
- Resolution: minimum 1500x1500px for zoom functionality
- Hero image: clean white/contextual background, product fills 85%+ of frame
- Lifestyle images: show product in use by target demographic
- Infographic images: text readable at mobile thumbnail size (≥16pt equivalent)
- Image count: 7-9 images for optimal engagement
- Sequence logic: does the image order tell a compelling product story?

### Step 3 — Audit copywriting effectiveness
Analyze the product title, bullet points, and description for keyword inclusion, benefit-driven language, readability score, emotional hooks, and information hierarchy. Check that copy addresses the buyer's primary objections and desired outcomes.

**Evaluation criteria:**
- Title: primary keyword in first 5 words, ≤200 characters, benefit or differentiator included
- Bullets: lead with benefit, include specific metrics/numbers, address top 5 buyer concerns
- Description: scannable structure, brand story element, cross-sell mentions
- Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 6-8 for general consumer products
- Keyword density: primary keyword 2-3 times, secondary keywords 1-2 times each

### Step 4 — Audit on-page SEO factors
Check title tag structure, meta description optimization, image alt text completeness, heading hierarchy, schema markup presence, and internal linking. Verify URL slug optimization and canonical tag implementation.

**Evaluation criteria:**
- Title tag: ≤60 characters, primary keyword included, unique across site
- Meta description: ≤155 characters, includes call-to-action, primary keyword present
- Image alt text: descriptive, keyword-rich, present on every image
- Schema markup: Product, AggregateRating, and Offer schemas implemented
- URL structure: clean slug with primary keyword, no unnecessary parameters

### Step 5 — Audit mobile responsiveness
Test the page layout, image rendering, tap target sizing, text readability, and load performance on mobile devices. Check that critical purchase elements (price, CTA, reviews) are accessible without excessive scrolling.

**Evaluation criteria:**
- Tap targets: minimum 44x44px with 8px spacing
- Text size: minimum 16px body text, 14px for secondary text
- Image behavior: proper responsive sizing, no horizontal scroll
- Above-fold content: product title, price, primary image, and CTA visible
- Page speed: ≤3 seconds load time on 3G connection

### Step 6 — Audit trust signals and social proof
Evaluate the presence, placement, and effectiveness of reviews, ratings, trust badges, guarantee statements, return policy visibility, social proof counters, and authenticity markers.

**Evaluation criteria:**
- Review display: star rating and count visible near price, snippet quotes shown
- Trust badges: payment security, shipping guarantee, authenticity verification
- Return policy: clearly stated above fold or within one scroll
- Social proof: "X people bought this," "trending," or UGC references
- Brand credibility: brand story, origin information, certifications displayed

### Step 7 — Generate prioritized improvement roadmap
Compile all findings into a scored report with an overall composite score (0-100) and individual dimension scores. Rank all recommendations by expected conversion impact (high/medium/low) crossed with implementation effort (easy/medium/hard) to create a prioritized action plan.

**Priority matrix:**
- P1 (Do immediately): High impact + Easy effort
- P2 (Schedule this week): High impact + Medium effort
- P3 (Plan for next sprint): Medium impact + Easy effort
- P4 (Backlog): Lower impact or high effort items

## Example 1: Shopify DTC Skincare Product Page

**Input provided:**
- Product: Vitamin C Brightening Serum, $42, sold on Shopify DTC store
- Target audience: Women 28-42, skincare-conscious, willing to pay premium for clean ingredients
- Current conversion rate: 1.8% (industry avg 2.5%)
- 4 product images, title "Vitamin C Serum - Brightening Face Serum"

**Audit findings:**

Overall Score: 52/100 (Needs Significant Improvement)

| Dimension | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Images | 38/100 | D |
| Copy | 55/100 | C |
| SEO | 48/100 | D+ |
| Mobile | 65/100 | C+ |
| Trust | 45/100 | D |

Image Audit: Only 4 images found (benchmark: 7-9). Missing lifestyle application shot, before/after comparison, ingredient infographic, and texture close-up. Hero image has product at 60% frame fill (should be 85%+). No scale reference image included. Infographic text would be unreadable at mobile thumbnail size.

Copy Audit: Title missing key benefit language — should lead with outcome ("Brighten Dark Spots in 14 Days"). Bullets are feature-focused rather than benefit-led. Description is a single paragraph with no scannable structure. No mention of specific results or timeframes. Readability score: Grade 11 (target: Grade 6-8).

SEO Audit: Title tag is 28 characters (underutilizing available space). Meta description missing entirely. Only 1 of 4 images has alt text. No Product schema markup detected. URL slug acceptable.

Mobile Audit: Layout responsive and functional. CTA button adequately sized at 48px height. Price and add-to-cart visible above fold. Minor issue: ingredient list requires horizontal scroll on screens <375px. Load time: 2.8 seconds on 3G (acceptable).

Trust Audit: 23 reviews displayed but no review snippets on page. No trust badges present. Return policy in footer only (not near CTA). No social proof counters. No ingredient certification badges despite "clean beauty" positioning.

**Priority roadmap:**
- P1: Add meta description, write image alt text (30 min, SEO +8pts)
- P1: Add 3 lifestyle/infographic images (2 hrs, Images +25pts)
- P1: Add trust badges and move return policy near CTA (1 hr, Trust +15pts)
- P2: Rewrite title with benefit-first structure (30 min, Copy +8pts)
- P2: Restructure bullets as benefit-led with specifics (1 hr, Copy +12pts)
- P3: Add Product schema markup (30 min, SEO +5pts)
- P3: Create before/after comparison image (1 hr, Images +8pts)

## Example 2: Amazon Electronics Listing

**Input provided:**
- Product: Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, $29.99, sold on Amazon US
- Target audience: Budget-conscious tech buyers, ages 18-35, commuters and gym-goers
- Current conversion rate: 8.2% (category avg: 12%)
- 6 product images, A+ Content enabled, 847 reviews at 4.2 stars

**Audit findings:**

Overall Score: 61/100 (Room for Improvement)

| Dimension | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Images | 58/100 | C |
| Copy | 62/100 | C+ |
| SEO | 72/100 | B |
| Mobile | 68/100 | C+ |
| Trust | 55/100 | C |

Image Audit: 6 images present (target 7-9 for electronics). Hero image strong with product on white background. Missing: ear-fit size comparison, charging case dimension infographic, and gym/commute lifestyle shot. Image 4 infographic has text at 10pt equivalent — unreadable on mobile. Color accuracy appears inconsistent between images 1 and 3.

Copy Audit: Title well-structured with primary keyword "Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds" leading. Bullets include battery life specifics (good) but lack comparison context. Description uses A+ Content but modules are image-heavy with minimal indexable text. Missing emotional trigger language for gym/commute use cases. No mention of included accessories in bullet summary.

SEO Audit: Backend search terms properly utilized. Title within 200-char limit. Alt text auto-generated by Amazon (suboptimal but present). Indexing for 12 relevant keywords confirmed. Missing: variation keyword targeting across parent-child listings.

Mobile Audit: A+ Content modules render well on mobile. However, bullet points truncate at 3 lines requiring "Read more" tap, and primary benefit language is cut off. Video thumbnail present but auto-play disabled reduces engagement. Image zoom functions correctly.

Trust Audit: 847 reviews visible with 4.2 stars — good baseline but several unanswered negative reviews in top-10 most helpful. No "Amazon's Choice" or "Best Seller" badge. Warranty information buried in description rather than bullet points. Brand story section enabled but contains generic content.

**Priority roadmap:**
- P1: Respond to top negative reviews with resolution offers (1 hr, Trust +10pts)
- P1: Redesign infographic image 4 with 16pt+ text (1 hr, Images +8pts)
- P1: Rewrite bullets to front-load benefits within 3-line mobile truncation (1 hr, Copy +10pts)
- P2: Add gym/commute lifestyle image and ear-fit comparison (2 hrs, Images +10pts)
- P2: Add warranty/guarantee info to bullet points (30 min, Trust +6pts)
- P3: Optimize A+ Content with more indexable text modules (2 hrs, SEO +5pts)
- P3: Add variation keyword targeting for color options (1 hr, SEO +4pts)

## Common Mistakes

1. **Auditing without knowing the platform**: Amazon, Shopify, TikTok Shop, and Walmart each have different listing requirements, character limits, image specifications, and SEO mechanics. An audit that applies Amazon standards to a Shopify page (or vice versa) produces misleading recommendations. Always confirm the platform before starting.

2. **Ignoring mobile-first evaluation**: Over 70% of ecommerce browsing happens on mobile, yet auditors often evaluate desktop layouts. Check image readability, button sizing, text truncation, and above-fold content on a 375px viewport first, then desktop second.

3. **Treating all dimensions equally**: A page with perfect images but zero reviews will still underperform. Weight trust signals and copy quality higher for high-consideration purchases, and image quality higher for impulse/visual categories. Context matters.

4. **Recommending too many changes at once**: A 30-item improvement list overwhelms sellers and nothing gets done. Limit P1 recommendations to 3-5 items maximum. The priority matrix exists for a reason — use it.

5. **Scoring without benchmarks**: A score of 65/100 means nothing without context. Always benchmark against category averages and top-performing competitors in the same price range and platform.

6. **Missing the image sequence story**: Individual image quality matters less than the narrative the image set tells collectively. Images should flow: hero → lifestyle → features → specs → social proof → scale reference. Evaluate the sequence, not just individual shots.

7. **Overlooking page speed impact**: A visually perfect page that takes 5+ seconds to load on mobile loses 40%+ of visitors before they see anything. Always include load time in the mobile audit.

8. **Ignoring price presentation psychology**: How the price is displayed matters as much as the price itself. Check for anchoring (strikethrough original price), per-unit breakdown, savings callout, and payment plan options (Afterpay/Klarna). This is often the single highest-impact change.

## Resources

- [Output Template](references/output-template.md) — Structured audit report format with scoring rubrics
- [Image Audit Guide](references/image-audit-guide.md) — Detailed image evaluation criteria by platform and category
- [Conversion Optimization Reference](references/conversion-optimization-reference.md) — Evidence-based conversion benchmarks and improvement tactics
- [Quality Checklist](assets/quality-checklist.md) — 45-item quality assurance checklist for audit completeness