How to Create and Maintain Automatic Product Catalogs - Full Guide

A well-laid-out product catalog is key to attracting traffic and converting sales. Designing a catalog is not only about relevant information but also about how you present the information and the images you include. Having tons of relevant information without proper arrangement and pictures to break up the text can lead to a higher bounce rate. According to Harvard Business Review, good interactive graphics make customers feel confident about a product.

Here are tips to consider when designing your product catalog:

• Create master pages: A Master Page is a non-printing page used as a template to create a product catalog design. You can mix and match various designs before settling on your final publication. This allows you to save time and money by not having to reprint the entire catalog if you want to make a change. Master Pages also make it easy to update your catalog each year, as you can simply replace the old pages with new ones. To create a Master Page, simply create a new document and add the elements that you want to include in your catalog, such as images, text, and shapes. Include product details like name, weight, and dimension to ensure a consistent display of information. Once you have created your design, save the file as a template so that you can use it again in the future.
• Edit images to appear similar: Consistency is key when creating a product catalog. Using the same editing style for all the images in the catalog helps to give it a professional and cohesive look. It also makes it easier for customers to flip through the pages and find what they’re looking for. When all the images have a similar look and feel, it gives the catalog a polished look that reflects well on the products. Your editors can achieve this consistency by using the same color palette, saturation levels, and lighting effects for all the images in the catalog. This attention to detail ensures that each page looks cohesive and polished, giving customers a positive impression of the products. This consistency will inspire confidence in individual products and the overall catalog.
• Use standard page numbers: Automatic page numbers in automatic product catalogs are essential for a couple of reasons. First, they help to keep track of where each product is located within the catalog. This can be especially helpful when adding new products or pages, as it ensures that each item is correctly numbered. Second, automatic page numbers can help to speed up the ordering process. By eliminating the need to manually number each page, businesses can save time and money. More pages are added automatically as products increase, instead of having to go back and revise the numbering manually. This feature is useful for vendors and sellers who are constantly updating their catalog to keep up with commerce growth.
• Incorporate bleeds: Ensure images touch the bleeds to eliminate any undesired white edges. Bleeds allow for a printer to print on a larger sheet of paper and then cut the paper down to size, which is important for ensuring that the images are printed correctly and without any white edges. Additionally, by incorporating bleeds into your product catalog, you can be sure that the colors of your images will be accurate and vibrant when printed. You’ll also ensure that the final format of the catalog is technically sound and visually appealing.
• Use guides to organize: Using guides and columns helps to organize and evenly space images. Guides are horizontal or vertical lines that you can use to align objects on a page. During design, you can create a guide by dragging it from a ruler onto the page. To remove a guide from the page, simply drag it back to the ruler. You can also create guides at specific positions by entering values in the New Guide dialog box. For example, if you want to create a guide that is exactly 1 inch from the left edge of the page, you would enter 1 for the Position value. Columns are another helpful way to organize content on a page of a product catalog. By default, most catalog systems are such that documents have one column, but you can add additional columns. In the Columns section, enter the number of columns that you want. The system should automatically space the columns evenly on the page. You can also adjust the width of columns by clicking and dragging the edges of the column guides. This method efficiently organizes the content and enhances the overall look of the catalog.
• Distribute and market your catalog: Once your catalog is designed and ready, distribute it through various channels to reach your target audience. Whether you’re a marketer planning a new campaign or a seller looking to boost sales, a well-designed catalog can significantly contribute to your marketing efforts. Make sure to include a feed of your products on your website and other digital platforms to maximize reach. A well-laid-out product catalog not only helps in presenting the product details clearly but also creates a connection with potential buyers, making it an ideal tool for any marketing team looking to drive sales.