How to Display Popular Products on WooCommerce Product Pages

When running a WooCommerce store, helping customers quickly discover products they love is a proven way to increase engagement, reduce bounce rates, and ultimately drive sales. One of the most effective methods is showcasing your popular products directly on your product or category pages. Unlike a physical store where top-selling items are front and center, WooCommerce doesn’t provide a built-in feature for highlighting customer favorites. The good news? There are several strategies to implement this seamlessly, ranging from plugins to shortcodes and even advanced website builders.

If you’re planning a long-term digital commerce strategy, investing in expert WooCommerce development services can ensure your store is optimized not just for design but also for user experience and conversions. For now, let’s explore practical ways you can make your best-selling products stand out.

1. Using a Product Recommendation Plugin

The most popular approach to displaying top-rated or trending products is through a dedicated recommendation plugin.

• Plugin selection: The WebToffee WooCommerce Product Recommendations plugin is a great choice. It allows you to showcase products under sections like “Bestsellers,” “Top Rated,” or “Trending Now.”

• Setup: Once purchased and activated, navigate to WooCommerce > Product Recommendations > Create Recommendations to select which pages you want them displayed on.

• Customization: Configure sorting (sales, ratings, recent views), display formats (slider, grid), and even visual styles like color or alignment.

• Conditional logic: Display recommendations based on product categories, tags, or attributes, ensuring personalization.

This method works perfectly for store owners who want flexibility without custom coding.

2. Using WooCommerce Shortcodes

For those who prefer a lightweight approach, WooCommerce’s built-in shortcodes are a simple solution.

• Identify popular products: Tools like MonsterInsights or built-in WooCommerce Analytics help track your best performers.

• Add shortcodes: For example, use:
  [products orderby="popularity" limit="5"]
  This displays the five most popular products

• Placement: Shortcodes can be added directly to product descriptions or widgetized areas like sidebars.

• Automatic updates: As sales shift, analytics tools can dynamically update the products displayed via shortcodes.

This option is best for store owners comfortable with backend editing and looking for a no-plugin method.Also, check out our detailed guide on 10 Ways to Simplify Your WooCommerce Store for Your Clients to discover more strategies that improve usability and boost sales.

3. Using Website Builders Like Elementor

For store owners who want greater visual customization, drag-and-drop builders such as Elementor offer intuitive control.

• Integration: After installing Elementor, go to Templates > Theme Builder > Single Product to start customizing layouts.

• WooCommerce widgets: Use the “Products Grid” widget to display specific categories, bestsellers, or recently viewed products.

• Customization: Adjust columns, typography, colors, and even add animations to highlight products.

This approach is ideal for store owners who want creative freedom while maintaining a professional look.

Why Showcasing Popular Products Matters

Highlighting popular products builds trust with first-time visitors and helps returning customers find trending items faster. It also leverages social proof — when customers see what others are buying, they’re more likely to follow suit. This small optimization can significantly boost:

• Conversion rates by guiding attention to proven products.

• Average order value through upselling and cross-selling.

• Customer experience by reducing search friction.

Simplify Your WooCommerce Store for Success

While plugins, shortcodes, and builders each offer powerful ways to highlight your top products, the right solution depends on your technical expertise and business goals. For many businesses, partnering with experts ensures their store not only looks professional but also runs efficiently across devices.