Bol.com

How do you optimise your product listing on bol?

Lars Hurkmans·Co-founder·13 November 2023·Reading time 8 minutes

You optimise your listing on bol through three elements: images that grab attention and convert, a product description with clear USPs and complete specifications, and reviews that build trust. Specifications drive your findability directly; images, description and reviews mainly work through your conversion, which improves your position indirectly.

How does your listing affect your findability and sales on bol?

Your listing determines both whether the bol algorithm shows your product and whether a visitor buys it. The algorithm matches the most relevant products to the consumer's search query, which creates a better shopping experience and higher sales chances. We discussed that extensively in this article on the bol algorithm; below we summarise the key points. We leave the title out of scope here: how you optimise that is covered in our article on keyword strategy.

Category positions and the buy box

The visibility of your product in bol's search results depends on the category position, which is mainly determined by the frequency of clicks and sales. Recent activity counts more heavily than older activity, and a sudden rise in sales (momentum) can quickly push a product up the ranking. Important to know: factors such as price, delivery time and seller performance contribute indirectly to the appeal of your product, but don't directly affect the category position.

Conversions and external promotion

Conversions have no direct impact on the category or buy box position within bol, but are crucial for promoting products on external channels such as Google Shopping. bol sees products with high conversion rates as more valuable for external promotion, which results in greater visibility on other platforms.

The influence of the listing elements

Each element of your listing has a specific role in how you score within the bol algorithm:

1. Images: your main image is essential for drawing visitors to your product page, which contributes marginally to the algorithm ranking. The other images increase the conversion rate, which leads to more sales and therefore a rise in category positions and better findability. On top of that, higher conversions increase the chance of inclusion in sponsored products via Google Shopping.
2. Product description: just like extra images, a good product description boosts conversion, with similar effects on the ranking and the chance of inclusion in sponsored search results. On top of that, the description counts towards determining whether you get the sponsored ad spot within bol for certain keywords.
3. Product specifications: these directly affect your findability, because they determine which categories and filters you're found under.
4. Reviews: reviews attract more clicks and can boost conversion. A product with many positive reviews has a bigger chance of being noticed by potential buyers and can tip the scale in their purchase decision.

By optimising these elements you not only increase your chance of a sale, but also improve your position within the bol algorithm, leading to better findability and more sales opportunities. Below we work out each aspect.

How do you optimise the images in your listing?

Images grab attention and play an important role in the customer's decision. Start with the basics and improve gradually; understanding the importance of each type of image is essential for long-term success.

The importance of the main image

The main image is your first impression. It's what customers see first when they search, and can make the difference between a click and moving on. Top sellers on bol use images that:

1. Are clear and detailed: the image shows the product clearly and fills the frame, with a clean, white background.
2. Come across as professional: even if the photo wasn't taken in a studio, it radiates professionalism through sharpness and lighting.
3. Are appealing: an image that shows the product at its best invites a closer look.

Functions of additional images

While the main image grabs attention, the additional images tell the story. They should:

1. Offer diverse perspectives: show what the product looks like from different angles.
2. Illustrate use cases: show how the product is used in everyday settings.
3. Highlight important features: do you have unique selling points? Show them clearly.

On top of that, the following aspects are important to include:

• Number: aim for 5 to 10 images per product. That's a guideline, not a hard limit; it offers enough room to show various aspects and use cases.
• Lifestyle shots: create context and show how the product can be used in real life.
• Close-ups: shots that highlight quality and texture.
• Size indications: visualise the size and dimensions of the product.
• Video: a video showing the product in action often also helps boost conversion.

Step-by-step improvements

Start with the basics: clear, detailed images from multiple perspectives. You don't need to invest in expensive photography right away; start with what you have and improve gradually. Image editing tools such as Photoshop can help with this. As you grow, you can invest in more professional photography.

Keep analysing and improving your images. Look at which images perform best and adjust your strategy accordingly. With good images you increase your conversions, which indirectly contributes to a higher position in the rankings on bol and thereby to your findability. More on that connection is covered in findability and conversion on bol.

How do you write a strong product description?

A strong product description informs and differentiates your product from the competition. It's about balancing informative content with an appealing presentation. This is how you build a compelling and distinctive description.

The structure of a strong description

1. Introduction: start with a short, strong intro that immediately grabs attention. This part captures the essence of your product in no more than 500 characters.
2. Unique Selling Points (USPs): identify and describe up to five unique selling points. Each USP section can hold up to 500 characters, in which you go into detail about what makes your product special.
3. Package contents: clearly state what the customer can expect to receive, including main products and accessories.
4. Product specifications: detailed technical information such as brand, dimensions, colour, material, weight, shape and any certifications. This section matters both for the customer and for a better Google ranking.
5. Product tips: add useful tips to improve the user experience and prevent potential returns and negative reviews.

Additional requirements

• Bullet points: make sure you have at least five bullet points of 100 to 200 characters each, to highlight the key features and benefits.
• Description length: keep the total length between 2,000 and 5,000 characters, so the description is both informative and offers an SEO advantage.

Competitor analysis and MarktMentor's Listing Builder

By analysing the negative points in competitors' reviews, you can highlight how your product solves those problems or better meets needs. This is how you differentiate your product in the market. How you approach that systematically is covered in finding differentiation through reviews.

MarktMentor's Listing Builder helps you draw up professional, distinctive and SEO-optimised product descriptions, combining keywords, competitor analysis and review insights within bol's guidelines.

With these guidelines you make sure your product descriptions on bol aren't just informative and appealing, but also contribute to better findability and higher conversion rates.

How do reviews strengthen your listing?

Reviews provide social proof that influences customers' purchase decisions. They work in three ways:

1. They strengthen credibility: positive reviews build trust with potential customers and show that your product is tried and appreciated.
2. They increase conversion rates: good reviews can tip hesitant customers over the edge, leading to higher sales figures.
3. They offer valuable feedback: both positive and negative reviews give insight into what customers appreciate or miss in your product.

bol's review policy and guidelines

bol applies strict guidelines for posting reviews to safeguard authenticity and relevance. For example, sellers aren't allowed to write reviews about their own products. Reviews need to focus on the customer experience and be written in clear, correct language. On top of that, reviews for certain product categories, such as slimming supplements and baby food up to 6 months, are disabled due to legal restrictions.

Strategies for collecting reviews

Collecting organic reviews can be challenging, but with the right approach you increase the number and quality of your reviews on bol:

1. Follow-up email: send an email after purchase with an invoice and a friendly request for a review. Make sure this stays within bol's guidelines.
2. Offering extras: consider adding a small gift, such as an e-book or a thank-you card, to your orders. That can give customers a positive feeling and encourage them to write a review.
3. Using QR codes: add a QR code to your product or packaging that leads directly to your product page, making it easier for customers to leave a review.

How do you remove an unjustified negative review?

bol only lets you remove a negative review if it isn't about the product. Reviews on products within bol need to actually be about the product. So a consumer isn't allowed to post information about the delivery of the item or the courier service. bol sees those elements as belonging to the seller's performance, not the product, partly because multiple sellers can sell the same product on bol. If you receive a negative review that also discusses delivery or service, you can report this to bol and they'll remove the review for you. More information is in bol's terms for product reviews.

What do you pay attention to when optimising your listing?

An effective listing on bol revolves around three elements: images, product description and reviews. In summary:

1. Images: your first chance to make a strong impression. Start with basic, good-quality photos and build up to professional, diverse images that highlight every aspect of your product.
2. Product description: a well-structured description, with clear USPs and detailed specifications, contributes to a higher conversion rate and better SEO results.
3. Reviews: essential for social proof and trust. Be proactive in collecting reviews through follow-up emails, extras and QR codes.

Each of these elements helps determine how your product is perceived and how well it sells. Optimising your listing isn't a one-off action: keep analysing your images, description and reviews, learn from your competitors and use your customers' feedback to keep improving.