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7 Tips to Highlight Product Features on Your Website

Whether your customers are shopping for tennis shoes or a marketing automation tool, they care about your product’s features. Features (along with price and design) are one of the main factors people consider when comparing products.

 

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Would you buy a computer without knowing how much storage it has?

Or a pair of yoga pants without knowing whether they stretch?

Despite their importance, many brands fail to make their product’s features clear on their websites—and that could cause revenue to drop.

Your product’s features are massive selling points, so they need to be clear and compelling.

Here’s how to get your product features right.

 

What Is a Product Feature?

A product feature is a characteristic of your product that differentiates it from other products in the market.

It could be how it looks (a design feature), how you can use it (a functional feature) or what it comes with (an added-value feature).

Let’s take running shoes as an example.

The material of the shoe is a feature, so is the technology in the shoe.

Both are highlighted in this example by Nike.

 

What about a software product?

Features typically center on the product’s functionality (what you can do with it), but they can also include integrations or data security.

Slack’s feature page below highlights these types of features:

Features don’t have to be unique to your product, though.

As design, technology, and manufacturing processes evolve, some features become standard.

You’d be hard-pressed to buy a smartphone without a touchscreen, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a feature brands can talk about.

Whether your product comes with ten features or two, you need to be talking about them across your website including your product descriptions, landing page, and even your homepage.

Make your product features clear so customers can easily compare you to your competitors.

It’s even more important if your product boasts the best features in the industry.

The more you shout about them, the more likely consumers are to take notice—and maybe make a purchase.

 

7 Strategies for Highlighting Product Features

You know what features are, and you know why they’re important to include on your site.

Now let’s look at seven ways e-commerce stores and SaaS tools can effectively leverage them.

 

Include Social Proof

Talking about how great your features are is nice, but every other company does the same thing.

Even if your product features are superior, customers may not believe you.

After all, only one-third of customers trust the brands they buy from.

You need social proof to convince them your product delivers.

Add quotes and testimonials from your customers or trusted third parties that mention your product features to relevant pages. Better yet, include images and videos of them using your product.

Featuring real people showing off your product’s features instantly makes them more credible and makes it much more likely consumers will trust your brand.

UK maternity brand Isabella Oliver does a great job of this, including a quote from Vogue in the product description of a maternity tank dress.

 

Speak to Your Target Audience

You need to understand your target audience to write about your product features effectively.

If you have buyer personas, make sure to refer to them while writing.

This will help you prioritize which features your customers care about most.

Start by looking at reviews for your product and those of your competitors—G2 is a great place to start for software companies and Amazon for e-commerce brands.

Identify the top features customers talk about and prioritize them.

Be wary of trying to target everyone.

This is particularly important for SaaS products that can have a dozen different use cases.

Each target customer should have a dedicated landing page where you speak exclusively about relevant product features.

If you try to speak to everyone on one landing page, you’ll end up not targeting any audience well.

Everlane is an example of a brand who knows their target audience and what they care about.

Each product description includes a link to the factory it’s made in and other information related to sustainability.

 

Focus on the Benefits

Consumers only care so much about what makes your product special.

What they really care about is how it benefits them.

Talk about a benefit whenever you mention a feature.

Writing about benefits requires a bit more effort and creativity.

Your product’s features are fairly obvious, especially to you.

What isn’t so obvious is how the user benefits from them.

Think about your customer personas and spend some time reading product reviews.

These will help you get into your customers’ minds and focus on the benefits they care about.

If you really want to do a good job, interview your customers to find out exactly how they benefit from your product.

It takes a little more effort, but this is hands-down the best way to tease out the benefits of your product.

One of Hootsuite’s most popular features is the ability to track social media mentions on their dashboard–but that’s not how the brand sells the feature to its users.

Instead, they focus on the benefit: finding out what customers really think.

They even follow this up with another user-generated benefit of the feature.

 

Draw Attention to the Important Details

There are some features you’ll want customers to take note of more than others.

That’s why it’s important to create a hierarchy of features and look for ways to draw attention to the features consumers care most about.

To do this, break your page into sections and devote each section to a specific feature.

Use a bold heading to grab your reader’s attention and back this up with short, sharp copy and eye-catching imagery.

Google takes this to the extreme by letting each feature take up all of the screen’s real estate.

There’s no way to miss them:

Another is to remove the navigation menu from your landing page.

With no way to move away from the page, users are forced to focus on your sales copy and read about your product’s features.

Don’t get carried away using this tactic, however.

Most customers won’t be happy with you removing the navigation bar, especially if you’re an e-commerce site.

 

Make Information Scannable

Your customers are busy, and most aren’t going to read every word on your page.

Instead, they’re going to scan it for key bits of information.

It’s your job to make your product features as scannable as possible while still getting across the core message.

Bullet points are an excellent tool because huge chunks of text are a massive turn-off for readers—especially if you want to share a lot of information.

Target includes a bullet list of each product’s features on their listing page, so you don’t even have to click them individually to get the need-to-know information.

 

Use Video and Images

Words aren’t the only way to get across your product features.

Images and videos are usually a much better way to get across exactly what your product can do.

Images are an easy way to show customers how key features look and work.

They are particularly powerful for design-focused features and most e-commerce products in general.

Bonus points if you include user-generated photos in your descriptions.

UK furniture brand Made did a great job of including user-generated images in their product listings.

Potential customers can see exactly what each sofa will look like in a range of settings.

Videos take a little more work, but they can be even more effective.

For example, you could create an explainer video that highlights your product’s core features, or a separate video for each feature.

Your feature-led videos can also be used as part of your onboarding process and by your sales team during client calls.

They can even boost your search rankings, especially if you host them on YouTube.

 

Write Blog Posts and Emails

If you have a SaaS product, blog posts, emails, and other forms of content marketing are one of the best ways to highlight your product features—particularly if those features come in the form of new software releases.

Make sure your blog posts talk about the benefits that users can gain from the new features and don’t just talk about the features alone.

Plenty of screenshots are also a good idea, so is a video if you can create one.

Unlike other forms of content marketing, there’s no need to post these articles regularly.

Writing them when you have a new feature to describe is enough.

Email updates should also be sent sparingly.

Only email when you have a new feature to announce and keep your email succinct.

Only include the key details in the email and link to a more in-depth blog post if necessary.

Existing users will learn about the new features when using the software, so it may be wise to only send an email about features that may re-engage lost customers.

Asana’s blog is filled with feature-focused blog posts.

Note that many don’t focus on individual features. Rather they cluster feature releases around a particular topic and write about that instead.

 

3 Examples of Product Feature Highlights

If the examples above weren’t enough for you, I’ve got three more examples of brands that do a great job highlighting their product features.

 

Apple

Few companies are better than Apple at creating buzz about their products.

There aren’t many better at highlighting their product’s benefits, either.

Apple makes a point of creating a new banner for every feature, pairs each with a user benefit, and includes high-quality images and graphics.

Even if you already have an iPhone, reading their product pages makes you want to upgrade.

 

Amazon

Amazon is famous for its in-depth product listings, but those listings are also great at highlighting each product’s most important features.

The clear layout makes it easy for customers to skim the product description, and bullet points highlight the most important features.

There’s even a video showcasing the product in detail.

 

Tesla

Tesla combines several of the tactics mentioned above to highlight the key features of the Model 3.

Each feature is given a hierarchy—security is first—and takes up the entire page.

They also use graphics to illustrate points and annotations to draw attention to specific features.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Product Features

 

What are product features?

Your product features are any characteristic of your product that makes it stand out and separates it from your competitors.

It can include the look and design of the product, how it’s made, or what you can do with it.

 

What are examples of product features?

For an e-commerce product, the material the product is made with can be a feature—if it’s made from recycled plastic, for example.

For SaaS products, features include the functionality of the product.

The ability to instantly message colleagues is a feature of Slack, for instance.

 

What’s the difference between a product feature and a benefit?

A feature is a characteristic of your product.

A benefit is how a customer can use that characteristic to overcome a pain point.

 

How can I highlight the features of my SaaS product?

A sales page is an excellent way to highlight all of the features of your SaaS products.

Blog posts, videos, and demos are also great ways to highlight SaaS features.

 

How can I highlight the features of my e-commerce product?

Your product description is the best place to highlight the features of your e-commerce product.

Make sure they are easy to read and stand out from the rest of your copy.

 

The Conclusion of My Product Features Guide

Showcasing your product features is a hugely underrated tactic.

Marketers and salespeople will tell you to focus on the benefits of your product rather than the features.

While benefits are important, they rely on explaining your features clearly first.

Features are also one of the most common ways potential customers compare your product with your competitors.

Take time to determine which features are most important and get opinions from current customers if you can.

Then use the seven tactics I’ve listed above to make them as clear as possible on your site.

Which features of your product are you most proud of?

Source: neilpatel.com

Best HTML Editors

Coding becomes faster and easier thanks to HTML editors’ spell-checking, syntax highlighting, and auto-completion features, among others.

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission.

Everybody makes mistakes.

Some big, some small, but some of them are downright annoying.

And one of the most notorious headache-causing mistakes you make is messing up your code.

Coding is everything when it comes to web development. So you simply have to get it right for better security and to avoid glitches in the future.

Luckily, there’s a very effective solution to ensure this.

Just like how Grammarly and Hemingway can improve your text by checking them for spelling errors and improving readability, web developers can use HTML editors to write and improve their code.

Even those who don’t have any coding knowledge can create websites and put them online.

Coding becomes faster and easier thanks to HTML editors’ spell-checking, syntax highlighting, and auto-completion features, among others.

In this guide, we’ll look at the best HTML editors available to take your websites to the next level without much effort and time on your part.

Excited? Let’s dig right in!

The Top 5 Options for Best HTML Editors:

• Atom – The Best for Advanced Customization
• Notepad + + – The Best for Front-End Developers and Web Designers
• Brackets – The Best for Beginners
• Sublime Text – The Best for Multi-Language Support
• Adobe Dreamweaver CC – The Best for Web Developers

 

How to Choose the Best HTML Editor for You

HTML editors–both free and paid–come with several cosmetic features. Based on your business needs, you’ll find some to be absolutely necessary, while others you may not need at all.

We’ve compiled a list of features that we think a good HTML editor should have. You may not need all of them, but here is what you should be looking for when choosing an HTML editor.

Color-Coding or Syntax Highlighting

HTML has a tag-based markup language. You need an HTML editor with syntax highlighting or color-coding features to light up these tags. Doing this will help you identify the tags quickly, which, in turn, will make working with blocks of code easier.

Autocomplete and Suggestions

The autocomplete and suggestions feature helps to quickly fill in longer code at the press of a button.

The editor gives you pop up suggestions based on your work–all you have to do is click on it, and the code will autocomplete. Think of how you type text messages on your phone or when you do a quick Google search.

You can also automate creating closing tabs through this feature.

Find and Replace

We highly recommend looking for code editors with the find and replace feature, as it allows you to locate certain strings and replace them with something else very quickly.

Plus, HTML is constantly changing and updating standards and deprecation of inefficient tags. So, you’ll definitely find yourself wanting this feature sometime in the future to update your website.

Version Control

Editors with version control enable you to see the previous versions of your code and rollback when needed. As a result, you can store all the copies without making separate documents, and we know how crucial this is when you’re working with other developers.

Multi-Cursor Functionality

The role of multi-cursors is simple: It allows you to write code in multiple places at once. In other words, you can edit code simultaneously. This is especially useful when you want to add duplicates of the same tag.

FTP Support and Error Detection

Getting HTML editors with FTP support lets you connect to WordPress and upload changes you want to make without any hassle. As a result, you won’t find yourself logging into FileZilla or your preferred FTP client every time we want to update anything.

Live error detection is equally important.

HTML is a markup language and not a programming language, which is why it doesn’t compile. It also means you can’t test your code. With live error detection, though, you’ll know immediately whenever you write something incorrectly.

In addition to these, there are several other features like code folding and autosave. We mentioned what we think is vital and can help increase productivity and accuracy. However, you have the flexibility to choose, depending on your requirements and preferences.

Note: If you’re looking for a code editor with advanced features and platform integration, you‘ll need an integrated development environment or IDE rather than a text editor. While IDEs are similar to HTML editors, they are more beefed up designed for advanced developers.

 

The Different Types of HTML Editors

HTML editors are of two types. Although the core values of both are kind of similar, they have different features. It’s why the target clientele for each category is slightly different.

Let’s discuss this in more detail.

HTML Text Editors

HTML text editors are basic programs. You can use it to write basic coding projects, do simple HTML editing, and check for errors on the go.

You’ll find several free versions of text editors available online that are downloadable on all major operating systems. What’s more, these programs are general-purpose and can be used for multiple computing languages.

Keep in mind that basic text editors require you to write all HTML code by hand. You have to perfect every piece of syntax manually, so be prepared for a bit of trial and error.

HTML text editors are great for learning HTML. But if saving time is a priority, the next editor type would be more suitable for you.

WYSIWYG

No, this isn’t gibberish or a typo.

WYSIWYG is an acronym for “What You See Is What You Get.” Developers pronounce it as “wis-ee-wig.”

It’s a type of HTML editor that views content in the live product exactly like the preview. This helps enhance accuracy when you’re building or making changes to a website.

Think of WYSIWYG as the halfway point between coding from scratch and an instant template builder like WordPress.

Being more advanced than standard text editors, WYSIWYG editors allow users to write code, edit directly from the page and insert paragraphs and headings–all the while generating HTML code automatically. Creating or updating the layout of a site is possible within seconds as well with this editor.

#1 – Atom – The Best for Advanced Customization

Atom is a free, open-source code editor developed by the GitHub team and maintained by the GitHub community. It comes with enough packages and theme collections, runs light, and loads super fast, making this HTML editor one of the best you can find.

It’s a modernized WYSIWYG HTML editor available for Windows, Mac, and Linux and is built for collaboration. Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced professional, Atom is everyone’s favorite with its premium feel and customization flexibility.

Think of it as an advanced text editor that has several features commonly limited to high-level coding programs.

It also comes with a hackable text editor! It’s a feature that enables developers to edit, extend, change, and share the program source code and design their own packages to improve Atom.

Multiple pane support is another feature we like. You can split the interface into as many windows as you need to compare and write code side-by-side.

Other features include syntax correction and highlighting, autocompletion, project management, and Teletype (users can collaborate with other developers in real-time).

Atom is entirely free of charge! So you don’t have to shell out any money to use this excellent editor.

#2 – Notepad + + – The Best for Front-End Developers and Web Designers

Fast working, time-tested, and foolproof, Notepad + + is one of the most popular HTML editors used by millions worldwide. It’s an open-code editor that offers multi-language support, which isn’t restricted to only HTML and CSS.

One of the primary reasons for Notepad + +‘s popularity is its feature-rich interface.

You get syntax folding, syntax highlighting, multi-view, document map, multi-document interface, auto-completion, bookmarks, and a fully customizable GUI. And even after this long list, there’s still more.

Notepad + + was developed for Windows-based machines, but Linux users can use it via Wine. As the name suggests, this editor is like an upgraded version of the Notepad software, which is already available in Windows by default. You also get its repository on GitHub.

A mobile version is also available if you fancy that.

Environmentalists would love Notepad + + as well. It has programs that run on less CPU power in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.

Notepad + + is free for all! So no extra money or hidden costs for you to worry about.

#3 – Brackets – The Best for Beginners

Brackets is another widely popular HTML editor for programmers compatible with different operating systems like Windows, Mac, and Linux. It comes with a built-in package manager that allows users to search and install any supported package they like.

We would highly recommend this open-source HTML editor for beginners due to its smart auto-completion feature that makes coding incredibly fast and accurate.

Bracket’s coding UI can be split into multiple panes, making writing and comparing codes between different files easy and precise. Its integrated file system browser enables you to access files within your PC.

Plus, it has a find and replaces feature that allows developers to fine-tune the code when appropriate. This can be useful for novices and experienced professionals to ensure their website stays up-to-date.

Styling and customization are super easy and simple, so coding won’t ever get boring with Brackets.

The pre-installed syntax themes feature dark and flashy bright colors. With no shortage of packages on the platform, you can add as many features as you want, based on your use-case and preference.

Brackets is completely free! You can download it directly from the official website.

#4 – Sublime Text – The Best for Multi-Language Support

Sublime Text is the advanced version of Notepad + +. It comes with the standard features of Notepad + +, along with more modern ones to suit the sophisticated needs of the more experienced users.

You get cross-platform support, split editing, multiple-selection editing, proprietary command palette, and syntax editing to make web development simpler. The editor is incredibly powerful and promises high performance. However, you have a steeper learning curve ahead of you in exchange for this flexibility and power.

One of the more advanced features of Sublime Text is “Goto Anything.” Using this, you can find and replace the code within a considerably shorter period. The distraction-free mode is another great feature that displays only the code by hiding other elements.

You can use keyboard shortcuts to execute tasks quickly–provided you can remember them. Everything is easily customizable in the editor as well, whether you want to personalize key bindings to snippets to menus.

Accessible on Windows, Mac, and Linux, Sublime Text also supports different languages like C, HTML, C++, C#, Java, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, and many more.

Sublime Text has a free version available that’s enough for beginners, but if you want access to all its features, you have to pay a one-time cost of $80.

#5 – Adobe Dreamweaver CC – The Best for Web Developers

Most of our other options work great for front-end development, but having an HTML editor that facilitates back-end development is also necessary, which is where Adobe Dreamweaver CC comes in.

Made by renowned company Adobe, this editor is hands down one of the most famous and influential options on the market. You get all sorts of plugins and premium features that you wouldn’t normally have access to with other HTML editors.

Whether it’s creating more responsive sites or editing the website code, Dreamweaver makes everything possible.

This editor is a closed source software, designed to work within the Adobe ecosystem. It supports both the textual and WYSIWYG methods, allowing you to choose between coding with a live visual presentation or take the traditional route. You can write code in any major programming language and enjoy access to creative cloud libraries.

Web developers would particularly love Adobe Dreamweaver CC. It automatically confirms the code and page accessibility, making it easier for developers to follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and even reviews the end product.

Plus, the direct access to an abundant supply of assets in the Adobe ecosystem like graphics, layers, colors, words, characters, and much more, is another advantage.

Dreamweaver has a free version, but you can opt for premium plans as well. You have three options:

• Annual Plan, Payable Monthly – $25.99 per month
• Monthly Plan – $31.49 per month
• Annual Plan, Prepaid – $239.88 per year

 

Final Thoughts

HTML editors are a must for any web development and design toolkit. Not only can you create code faster, but it also simplifies the whole process by helping you avoid errors.

The only catch is to select an option that aligns with your needs.

You can select an option from our top picks or look for other alternatives in the market. Try to look for prospective editors that include syntax highlighting and live preview. If you want something more sophisticated, a find and replace feature will be a great asset.

The post Best HTML Editors appeared first on Neil Patel.

Source: neilpatel.com

Strategies for Moving from Application to Enterprise Customer Master Data Management

Many organizations start their Master Data Management (MDM) journey in support of a specific sponsor business need.

Often hard-fought concessions are made to allow MDM techniques to support the data needs of a particular function.

Now, since almost every application needs your customer master, it’s time to expand the scope of MDM, replace substandard methods of accessing customer data in the enterprise, and establish the MDM hub for use by new applications across all customer business processes.

Crossing the chasm to the enterprise customer 360 can be daunting. During this 1-Hour Webinar, GigaOm analyst William McKnight will share some strategies for moving from application to enterprise customer MDM  and will discuss the ruggedization that must exist in MDM to be ready.

During this 1-Hour Webinar we will examine:

• How MDM is established with TCO
• The MDM Maturity Model (single application MDM is low)
• Elements in MDM necessary for takeoff:
  • A data quality program (prove data quality according to beloved peers)
  • DaaS SLAs – how do they work with the hub?
  • Operational integration (including data lake) AND value-added customer analytical elements (perhaps gleaned from transactional data)
• Syndicated data take-on
• Graph capabilities

 

About William McKnight

William McKnight has advised many of the world’s best-known organizations.

His strategies form the information management plan for leading companies in various industries.

He is a prolific author and a popular keynote speaker and trainer.

He has performed dozens of benchmarks on the leading database, streaming, and data integration products in the past year.

William is the lead data analyst for GigaOM and is the #1 global influencer in data warehousing and master data management and he leads McKnight Consulting Group, which has placed on the Inc. 5000 list in 2018 and 2017.

Source: gigaom.com