What to Consider When Creating a Product Comparison Page

A product comparison page is an effective solution that allows a business or individual to transmit significant quantities of information in a layout that makes it all easy to digest. When consumers are browsing the web in search of a product or a service, they are unlikely to just settle on the first retailer or provider that they find. Comparisons are an integral part of the consumer experience, so a website that neatly distills the state of a market into one handy page should become a valuable resource that demands user engagement.

The key features of an effective product comparison page

Web designers have a range of strategies for creating a product comparison page, including API integration that can collate information about brands and products. While this keeps information up to date, not all sites are compatible with API integration. Another method is to acquire all of the information manually, although this can be time-consuming.

Whatever your method for accumulating data, there are a few things that are essential for product comparison pages.

A range of brands

Product comparison pages should place the biggest brands in direct competition with smaller, up-and-coming names. If a consumer just wanted the largest name in the industry, they could have relied on Google. A product comparison page should dispassionately rank the services of both big and small companies.

One example can be found at the British-based insurance comparison site MoneySuperMarket, as its car insurance section includes an eclectic variety of providers. Big names like AA and RAC stand alongside smaller companies like Sheila’s Wheels and Clements, so consumers may end up considering a name that would have otherwise gone under their radar.

A clear rating

While comparisons should provide sufficient info to enable the user to reach their own conclusions, it is useful to have a clear overall rating for each brand or product. This gives greater responsibility to the host site, as it becomes an opportunity to build consumer trust towards your brand. One example of this can be found at TopRatedFXBrokers, which compares the services of the best forex brokers.

Objective facts like deposit limits and bonus sizes are presented in a table, but TopRatedFXBrokers’ comparison page also includes a subjective rating of the site. Aspiring forex traders can click on a link to a review for each platform, so that they can quickly gain further information about their prospective brokers. By having a rating system, viewers are immediately guided to the brand that provides the best overall service. 

A simple layout

Comparison pages should be straightforward to navigate, given that their very existence is driven by a desire to save time for consumers. This is an area where trivago.com excels, with this site designed to help travelers find the best deal for their hotels. The site’s intuitive layout allows users to see the lowest price for a room and the ratings given by past visitors, while its map system enables viewers to easily identify the locations of various accommodations.

The search function at trivago.com also makes it possible to filter the style and cost of hotels in locations all over the world. It is a handy feature for users to be able to sort the product comparison page based on what is most important to them. That could be the overall price, the length of a contract, the size of a welcome offer, or the average score of user reviews.  

The value of product comparisons

Product comparisons don’t just have to be about saving consumers money or directing them to the best possible service. You may wish to put your favorite albums ever into a comparison table, which can be sorted by running time, the release year, and your personal rating. You might want to create a tool like comparemovies.info, which provides access to a vast database of movies for comparison.

Comparemovies.info differs from other comparison tools in that users choose their own movies to contrast, but the service effectively collates the key info required to stack up one film against another. Statistics include the movies’ IMDb scores, box office revenues, and their success at award ceremonies. That kind of comparison system can be successful as a means of generating discussion and engagement on a personal blog.

Whether you’re hoping to guide your site viewers to recommended commercial pages or you merely want a sensible layout to display your personal interests, consider product comparisons as a method for helping your website to stand out and make your site structure more memorable. By including lots of important data in the intuitive layout of a product comparison, you give the consumer everything they need to be able to make an informed choice.