What 200+ eCom Brands Taught Us About Copy Tests & Customer Research.

Most brands look at conversion optimisation like it’s a design thing.

But CRO is a language & copy problem first.

Copy Is the Problem First (And the Opportunity).

If your product pages aren’t converting, it’s probably not your layout. It’s your words.

Great copy is what grabs attention, builds belief, removes doubt, and gets the sale. At PM Digital, we’ve tested this hundreds of times. Across PDPs, landing pages, hero sections, and even product images, the biggest wins don’t come from redesigns.

They come from copy rooted in customer insight.

💬 Real Example - $21,000+ in Monthly Revenue from Copy & Product Page Image Tests Alone.

For SafeSync, we ran a set of “language-only” tests -

✅ Headline change on the PDP

✅ Updated copy on image overlays

✅ More outcome-focused benefit lines above the fold

Result: $21,068 in new MRR.

No dev sprint. No redesign. No gimmicks.

🧠 The Copywriting Research Stack (What We Use Before Writing a Word)

Every great copy test starts with real customer language. Our framework includes =

This research fuels every CRO brief, whether it’s a PDP test or a full landing page.

🎯 Where Copy Changes Move the Needle.

Here’s exactly where we’ve seen high-leverage copy changes deliver results.

1. Landing Page Hero Sections.

• Outcome-first headlines: “Stop Car Thieves Before It Happens”

• 1–2 key USPs below: “Portable Tracker, No Monthly Fees. $19.99/mo. Global Coverage.”

• Review-based proof: “4.8★ from 6,428 verified customers”

Why it works: It’s the why + trust in 3 seconds. It removes the need to scroll to feel confident.

2. Product Detail Pages (Above the Fold).

We test new H1s, price framing, social proof blocks, and sticky CTAs here.

Winning structure below.

• Product images: Scroll to the next section for this sauce…

• Headline: Outcome-focused and specific

• Subheadline: Answer the #1 objection or benefit

• USPs with Icons: “Fast shipping”, “Works on all dogs”, etc.

• Review Snippet or Star Rating: Show it’s real

• Sticky Add-to-Cart: With price & value summary

• Offer guarantees: Shipping estimations, Guarantees, returns policies.

💡 Why it works.

This is where 90% of attention goes. If your message misses here, the rest doesn’t matter. DON’T NEGLECT IT.

🖼 3. Product Images.

We treat product images like mini landing pages. Our SOP includes:

We pull captions and overlays from the research stack above.

✅ Result: As high as an $50k/month uplift from new PDP images in one client test.

🛒 4. Offer Structuring & Cart Confidence.

You can sell more without touching the product if your offer and language are dialed =

• Decoy offers: Use bundles to make the high-AOV option feel like a no-brainer

• Subscription widgets: Show value (“Save 20% & never run out”) with benefits not just logic. Reverse psychology with the one time purchase selected of what they don’t get with this option

• Free shipping threshold bars: Make the copy outcome-based (“Just £4.50 away from free next-day delivery”)

• FAQ dropdowns under CTA: Based on real objections from support/surveys

🛠 How This Fuels Every Part of Your Funnel.

✅ Landing Pages

Copy is structured around problem/solution and proof, not branding fluff. You get AIDA with actual customer voice. You then pre educate them and handle the problems they might have in their mind around the product and if it is for them.

✅ Product Pages

Outcomes first. Language that creates belief. Confidence without over-explaining.

✅ Cart & Upsells

Simple language that shifts perceived value. You can compliment their product selection or choice in what they went for.

✅ Email & Ad Angles

Same research. Different channels. Reuse what works.

📈 The Big Shift.

Most brands think.

“Once our product is good and our page looks nice, we’re set.”

But if your words aren’t answering what YOUR ICP AND CUSTOMERS are thinking, it doesn’t matter how pretty your page is.

What you need is messaging that sounds like your customer, not your CMO or CEO.

That’s where the ROI is.

🔄 Summary On What You Can Do Today.

Here’s how to start fixing your copy without a full redesign.

1. Mine 50-100 reviews – Pull common benefits, outcomes, hesitations, used phrases, words, and overall language

2. Review past ad comments and top creatives – What’s resonating? What do they want to know about?

3. List your top 3 objections – Answer them in your hero section.

4. Update 1 product image with a customer quote as a test.

5. Use a sticky add-to-cart with outcome copy not just “Add to Bag”.

6. Test your copy and marketing message by utilising what your customers already tell you

Want Us to Show You?

We build tests like this for 7-figure+ DTC brands every day. If you want our CRO team to audit your copy and spot the 3 easiest wins, hit reply and say:

“Let’s talk CRO.” or book a call here

We’ll take it from there. We dive deep into customer behavior, audit your sales funnel, and build A/B tests that actually grow profit—not just clicks.

Bottom Line - Start Optimizing What Moves the Needle.