Introduction & Home Depot’s General Content Standards
The Home Depot Canada imposes standards on Product Information Page (PIP) content to encourage consistency across product categories, to optimize the customer experience, and to ensure the most relevant information is also the easiest to find on the page.
Our complete set of standards can be found in our Onboarding Guide, and offers details on image and video quality, digital asset file formats, number and measurement guidelines, etc. This document will refer to specific sections of the Onboarding Guide where relevant.
**Your content should follow the standards set forth in the Onboarding Guide and this document, preferring this document in the case of a conflict.**
All text must be provided in both English and French and all text on any image must be bilingual (both languages on one image).
Product Name
Following the product name guidelines and formulae below will ensure customers experience consistency in their shopping journey. They’ll have clear and easy visibility of the most searched for product features right in the names of your products, in the same place across each category.
General Product Name Guidelines
Translation
The Home Depot makes professional French translations mandatory for all PIP elements. This is to ensure Quebec language law requirements are met with excellence.
If you need assistance with French translations, please contact Sematos for a solution at a cost: Étienne Audet at 581-705-3897.
Requirements
- Product names are limited to 100 characters in English and 130 characters in French, including spaces.
- DO NOT include the brand name in the product name.
- DO NOT use abbreviations in the Product name (except for dimensions).
- Required for HUBSPACE: Product name should end with “Powered by Hubspace”.
- Include pack quantity in product name if >1 pack
High-Value SEO Keywords to Target
According to the internal search data, these exact phrases should be prioritized in the [Product Type] section of the templates:
- Path & Stake: "outdoor solar light", "garden lights", "solar pathway light"
- String Lights: "outdoor string lights", "string lights", "patio lights"
- Fixtures/Spotlights: "low voltage landscape lighting", "outdoor wall light"
Product Naming Formulae
Product Name Legend
- [ *** ] : required elements of the product name
- { *** } : desired and may only be supplied if it is applicable to that product
- | *** |: omit these if necessary to stay within the character limit
- “ *** ” : to be added as listed
Path, Stake, and Garden Lighting Template
English Formula (Max 100 characters):
{Series} + {"Solar Powered" and/or "LED"} + {"Colour-Changing" or Colour/Finish} + [SEO Product Type: e.g., Outdoor Garden Light] + {Quantity “(-Pack)"} + {*If Hubspace: "Powered by Hubspace"}
- Example (Standard): Lumina Solar Powered Black Outdoor Pathway Light (4-Pack) (57 chars)
- Example (Hubspace): Lumina LED Colour-Changing Garden Light Powered by Hubspace (59 chars)
French Formula (Max 130 characters):
[SEO Product Type: e.g., Lumières de jardin d'extérieur] + {«solaire» ou «à DEL»} + {Série} + [«,»] + {«X/paq.»} + [«,»] + [fini/couleur ou «à couleurs changeantes»] + {*If Hubspace: «Alimenté par Hubspace»}
- Example: Lumières pour allée d'extérieur solaires Lumina, 4/paq., noir (62 chars)
Outdoor Rope & String Lights Template
English Formula (Max 100 characters):
{Series} + [# of Lights IF more than 1 "-Light"] + [Length-ft.] + {"Integrated LED"} + [SEO Product Type: e.g., Outdoor String Light] + {"with" Feature} + {Quantity “(-Pack)”}
- Example: Glow 20-Light 15 ft. Integrated LED Outdoor String Light with Vintage Bulbs (75 chars)
French Formula (Max 130 characters):
[SEO Product Type: e.g., Guirlande lumineuse d'extérieur] + {nombre d’ampoules : «à X ampoule(s)»} + {«à DEL intégré»} + {Série} + [«,»] + {«avec» caractéristiques} + [«,»] + [longueur en pi] + [«,»] + {«X/paq.»}
- Example: Guirlande lumineuse d'extérieur à 20 ampoules à DEL intégré Glow, avec ampoules d'époque, 15 pi (96 chars)
Low Voltage & Landscape Fixtures Template
English Formula (Max 100 characters):
{Series} + {Watt Equivalence “W”} + {# of Lights “-Light”} + [Fixture Colour/Finish] + {“Integrated LED”} + [SEO Product Type: e.g., Low Voltage Landscape Light or Outdoor Wall Light] + {Quantity “(-Pack)”}
- Example: Summit 5W 1-Light Bronze Integrated LED Low Voltage Landscape Spotlight (71 chars)
French Formula (Max 130 characters):
[SEO Product Type: e.g., Projecteur d'aménagement paysager à basse tension] + {«à X ampoule(s)»} + {«à DEL intégré»} + {Série} + [«,»] + {puissance en «W»} + [«,»] + {«X/paq.»} + [«,»] + [fini/couleur]
- Example: Projecteur d'aménagement paysager à basse tension à 1 ampoule à DEL intégré Summit, 5 W, bronze (95 chars)
Please note that not all of these may apply.
Product Images
**More than half of eCommerce customers explore a product’s image gallery before doing anything else, including reading the product name.**
Please see our Images Guide for complete information on image size, formatting, and general rules and best practices.
Please note that all images must have a native resolution of 1000x1000 pixels or greater to ensure clarity. It is not permissible to “scale up” a low-resolution image to meet this requirement.
Minimum of 3 JPG (.jpg) images per product, 1000 x 1000 pixels
For HUBSPACE: Primary image must NOT include any logo/text
Required & Recommended:
- Primary Image: Product in a clear, high-quality lifestyle setting with no text on the image (Required).
- Product on a white background with no text on the image. The image should include only items that come with the product (Required).
- Line art showing the dimensions of the product, including visual callouts for the exact spacing between lights and the power cord length (Required).
- Certification Image: For certified products, display the applicable certification logo in the image carousel (Required).
- Mounting options.
- Parts included in the box on a white background.
- Additional lifestyle images showing the product used in different settings.
- Infographics images speaking to features of the product in Eng & Fr.
- Close-ups.
- Image of the packaging on a white background.
- Video calling out the features of the product and showing the product in use.
| Image Type | Example | |
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Primary Image Product in a clear, high-quality lifestyle setting with no text on the image (Required) |
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| Product on a white background with no text on the image. The image should include only items that come with the product. (Required) | ||
| Line art showing the dimensions of the product (Required) | ||
| Infographics images speaking to features of the product in Eng & Fr | ||
| Multi-Pack ImageProduct on a white background showing all items in a multi-pack (if > 1) |
|
|
|
Close-ups, all angles Hardware, Materials, Finish (If Applicable) |
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Additional Lifestyle images showing the product used in different settings |
|
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Certification Image For certified products, display the applicable certification logo in the image carousel |
||
Videos
Please see our Video Guide for detailed information on technical requirements for video assets.
Please note that videos appear on the page in the 5th position (and onward) in the image gallery.
Customers generally have a low tolerance for video content that doesn’t add valuable information. It’s best for videos to be short (shorter than 90 seconds is best) and packed with examples of features in use and their benefits.
It’s recommended that only one video be added as core product page content. However, multiple videos can be presented in the rich inline content below the fold (see the section on Inline Content below) where video titles and thumbnails are visible to the customer.
You should not rely on videos in place of good images. Videos should be supplemental to a strong set of product images, not a replacement.
Videos for landscape & outdoor lighting should:
- Explain product features in detail
- Show examples of features in use
- Demonstrate how to install the product
- Be produced in English and include both English and French subtitles as separate files in .vtt format
Marketing Copy
Please see our Marketing Copy Guide for general guidelines including length requirements.
Marketing copy should primarily focus on the various features of the overall product, as well as the benefits of those features and potential use cases. It should be informative and easy to read in about 1 to 3 minutes (ideally between 400 and 800 characters). Suggested subjects are listed below.
Don’t be afraid to re-iterate on information that’s also provided in the feature bullets. Many customers gravitate to either the feature bullets or marketing copy to consume product information in whichever way suits them best.
Marketing copy is an ideal place to include common search terms that will make your product more visible on search engines like Google and Bing as well as homedepot.ca’s on-site search function. Suggested search keywords are listed below.
Finally, break up longer marketing copy into shorter paragraphs to avoid presenting the customer with a “wall of text” that feels too dense or otherwise unapproachable.
Character limits (strict):
- EN: max 800 characters
- FR: max 1000 characters
What it should include:
- Product overview (what it is)
- Key benefits (not just features)
- Main use case / application
- Differentiators (why choose this product)
Feature Bullets
Please see our Feature Bullets Guide for general guidelines including length requirements.
Feature bullets are specifically for calling out the individual features of your product and explaining the benefits of those features.
Feature bullets should be short and to the point, avoiding any flowery language. They should also explain the feature and associated benefit with specificity, in simple language, leaving the customer informed and confident in their knowledge.
Each bullet should focus on one feature and its associated benefits.
Aim for 5 to 10 bullets per product. Bullets should be less than 200 characters each, including spaces.
Suggested feature bullet subjects are listed below. Depending on the product, it may take multiple bullets to address some of the suggested subjects.
Recommended Bullets
Minimum 6 Bullets per product.
Recommendation: You can add whatever applies to the product and is not included in this list
- Required for Integrated LED: Lumen Output, Light Colour Temperature
- Required for HUBSPACE: “Powered By Hubspace”
- Required for String/Path Lights : Exact distance/spacing between individual lights, and the length of the power cord (distance from the plug to the first light)
- Dimmability : Explicitly state whether the product is dimmable or not
- Size / dimension
- Material & Color / Finish
- Included Accessories : Specifically list included power accessories and/or required battery types
- Energy Efficiency feature and benefit
- Assembly/Installation/Mounting feature and benefit
- Durability feature and benefit
- Motion sensing feature and benefit
- Compatibility with Smart home feature and benefit
- Replacement Protocol: Clearly document compatibility for replacement parts (such as specific replacement bulbs and extension cables) or explicitly clarify if the product does not support replacements (e.g., integrated LEDs)
Product Features/Attributes
While onboarding, please ensure that all requested attribute information for your product is accurately completed.
For a Strong PIP: ~80–90% coverage
- All applicable attributes filled
- Special features included
- No “N/A” placeholders
Supporting Documents (PDFs)
Please see our Supporting Documents (PDFs) Guide for general guidelines.
In addition to the recommended documents listed in the Onboarding Guide, for all kitchen sinks you should include the documents listed below. Note that some of the listed documents may be combined in one file, however separate PDF files are preferred.
- Manuals and cutouts (installation templates) if applicable
- Warranty details
- Installation manuals
Warranty
[Warranty Type] + [Duration] + (optional scope/coverage)
Please fill in the warranty line in both English and French. Maximum 200 characters in English; Maximum 260 characters in French.
You should ALWAYS ensure the warranty matches your product manuals and all documentation.
Rich Inline Content
Common product page layouts often lack the versatility and visual diversity to showcase a product’s features optimally.
Rich inline content is an effective way to communicate your product’s information in a more visually stimulating and interactive manner. Many customers find the brochure- or magazine-like layout of rich inline content easier to consume than standard image galleries, blocks of text, or bullets.
If you choose to implement rich inline content on your page, it should always supplement the core content by providing the same product information in a different format. That is to say, the rich inline content should not provide new product knowledge that’s been left out of the core product page content. Do not rely on rich inline content to present new information that isn’t available elsewhere on the product page.
However, it’s equally important to avoid re-using core content assets (images, text, and video) in the rich inline content section. The inline content section should repeat information in a new format, not replicate existing core content. It should be a unique way to consume the product information, giving customers multiple options for learning about the product.
Rich Content Best Practices
- Rich content may include:
- Banner or hero images highlighting the most important aspects of the product
- Feature callout images and captions (these are like visual feature bullets)
- Feature overview videos and/or animated GIFs showing features in operation
- Interactive product tours
- 360-spin images
- Ensure all text on images in rich content is clearly legible on a variety of common devices (including desktop and laptop computers and mobile phones)
- Maintain your content regularly (check frequently for broken images, missing content, etc.)
Rich Content Mistakes to Avoid
- Re-using core content assets
- Do not re-create the image gallery (most customers will have already looked through the image gallery, and a second gallery will cause confusion)
- Do not re-create the video gallery
- Do not include a specification sheet (specifications are already listed on the core page, and duplication causes needless scrolling)
- Do not include PDFs (they should be included in the core content and duplication causes confusion)
- Advertising other products – the focus should remain on the product whose page the customer is viewing