Hey there, WooCommerce wizard! 👋 Want to showcase your best-selling products to drive more sales? You‘re in the right place. In this expert guide, I‘ll walk you through two powerful methods to display popular items on your product pages and beyond.
But first, let‘s dive into why featuring popular products is a game-changer for your online store.
The Benefits of Displaying Popular WooCommerce Products
Highlighting your most popular items offers major advantages:
Increased Revenue: Featured best-sellers can boost sales by up to 30%! (Source)
Improved Product Discovery: 47% of consumers check best-seller sections to find new products. (Source)
Enhanced Social Proof: Showcasing customer favorites builds brand trust and credibility.
Better User Experience: Popular product recommendations make it easier for shoppers to navigate your store and find what they want.
By leveraging the power of popular products, you can take your WooCommerce site to the next level. So let‘s jump into how to set them up!
Method 1: Using the WooCommerce Shortcode to Display Top Sellers
The simplest way to add a popular products section is using the built-in [best_selling_products] shortcode. Here‘s a step-by-step breakdown:
- Edit the product page, category page, or any post/page where you want the section to appear.
- Click the "+" icon to add a new block.
- Search for "Shortcode" and select the block.
- Paste in the shortcode:
[best_selling_products limit="4" columns="4"] - Customize the parameters:
- limit: Set the number of products to display (default is 4).
- columns: Specify the number of columns for the product grid (default is 4).
- category: Filter by category. Use the slug or ID (e.g.,
category="tshirts"). - class: Add a custom CSS class to the section for styling.
- Publish the page and test!
Shortcode Examples
Here are a few ways to customize the [best_selling_products] shortcode:
// Display the top 6 popular products in a 3-column grid
[best_selling_products limit="6" columns="3"]
// Show the 5 most popular items from the "Tshirts" category
[best_selling_products limit="5" category="tshirts"]
// Feature 8 best-sellers with a custom "popular-products" CSS class
[best_selling_products limit="8" class="popular-products"]Feel free to mix and match the parameters to fit your needs. You can also style the section by adding CSS to your theme stylesheet or using the "Additional CSS" field in Appearance > Customize.
Method 2: Using Plugins to Automatically Show Best-Selling Products
For a more advanced and hands-off approach, you can use powerful WooCommerce plugins to display your popular items. Here are my top picks:
- MonsterInsights – Offers built-in WooCommerce tracking and popular product widgets.
- Beeketing – Provides customizable best-seller blocks and recommendations.
- WooCommerce Best Sellers by ShopMagic – Creates dynamic best-seller lists and widgets.
I personally love MonsterInsights for its ease of use and robust analytics features. Here‘s how to set it up:
- Install and activate MonsterInsights on your WordPress site.
- Go to Insights > Settings and authenticate with your Google Analytics account.
- Enable enhanced eCommerce tracking in the settings.
- Edit the product, shop, or category page where you want to show popular items.
- Add the "Popular Products" block or widget.
- Choose your options like widget title, number of products, layout, etc.
- Publish and enjoy your dynamically updated best-sellers!
With MonsterInsights, you can add eye-catching Popular Product InLine and Widget blocks anywhere on your store:

Source: MonsterInsights documentation
No matter which plugin you choose, you‘ll be able to effortlessly showcase your best-selling products and boost conversions.
Bonus Tips for Optimizing Your Popular Product Displays
Now that you know how to add popular items to your WooCommerce store, here are some extra tips to maximize their impact:
- Keep it relevant: Only display popular products that are closely related to the current page or category.
- Use compelling visuals: Feature high-quality images or videos of your products to grab attention.
- Create urgency: Add a "Best-Seller" badge or show stock levels to motivate visitors to buy now.
- Make it mobile-friendly: Ensure your popular product sections look great on all devices.
- A/B test everything: Try different headings, images, layouts, etc. to optimize conversions. Tools like Google Optimize make split testing a breeze.
By following these tips, you‘ll be well on your way to popular product mastery!
Frequently Asked Questions
Before we wrap up, let‘s go over some common questions about displaying popular WooCommerce products:
How does WooCommerce determine popular products?
By default, WooCommerce tracks total sales for each product. The [best_selling_products] shortcode and plugins like MonsterInsights query this sales data to display the most purchased items.
Can I customize the look and feel of the popular products section?
Absolutely! You can add your own CSS styles to the default shortcode and most plugin widgets. Experiment with colors, fonts, spacing, etc. to match your branding.
How often should I update my popular products?
I recommend refreshing your popular items at least once a month to keep them current. With plugins, the list will automatically update as sales data changes. For the shortcode method, simply update the page/post to reflect the latest best-sellers.
Will adding popular products slow down my store?
As long as you‘re limiting the number of products and optimizing images, there should be minimal impact on load times. To ensure top performance, use a fast WooCommerce hosting provider and follow other speed best practices.
You‘re Ready to Feature Your Best-Selling WooCommerce Products!
Phew, that was a lot to cover! But now you‘re equipped with two powerful methods plus expert tips to showcase your most popular products and skyrocket your sales. 🚀
Whether you prefer the simplicity of shortcodes or the automation of plugins, displaying best-sellers is a surefire way to boost conversions and delight your customers.
So what are you waiting for? Go add those popular product sections and watch your revenue soar. And if you have any other WooCommerce questions, feel free to reach out. I‘m always here to help!
Happy selling! 💰
[Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally use and love!]
