Most product descriptions aren’t the best, unfortunately. That’s a tough truth but companies really do struggle to nail this part.
You might think; who really reads the copy on your product pages, anyway? Isn’t it just an afterthought? Don’t shoppers just look at the pictures and read reviews? There are so many other things to do on a website in terms of conversion rate optimization that a product description can’t really make an impact on sales, right?
Wrong! In fact, evidence from aggregated ecommerce studies conducted over the last decade suggests that as much as 20% of purchases are lost due to lack of effective product information.
Ecommerce business owners and marketers alike are susceptible to a common copywriting mistake (even professional copywriters make it sometimes): writing product descriptions that simply describe your products.
That seems counterintuitive doesn’t it? So why is it wrong? Because great product descriptions need to augment your product pages by selling your products to real people, not just acting as back-of-the-box dispensers of information for search engines (though SEO can’t just be an afterthought either, of course). What’s missed is that extra effort that can help visitors understand the product so well that nothing is left to prevent them from becoming a customer.
Let’s have a look at how effective well written product descriptions can be when it comes to converting browsers & shoppers into buyers.
First things first: What is a product description?
A product description is the marketing copy that explains what a product is and why it’s worth purchasing. Simply put, the purpose of product descriptions does two things — they educate site visitors about your product by supplying features & benefits, then persuade them to buy.
A compelling, well-crafted product description moves buyers through your sales funnel. If your brand understands your audience and knows the tone of voice & keywords that capture their attention best, you increase the chances of having your product pages really stand out, leading to more conversions from casual shoppers.
To succeed in writing product descriptions, you need to answer questions customers have about your products like:
- Which pain points are your target customers dealing with?
- What problems does your product solve?
- What do customers gain from your product?
- What makes it better than the competition?
An effective product description should at the very least answer these questions in a fun and engaging way, using language that resonates with your audience(s). If your brand is witty and sarcastic, write that way. If customers are bold and brash, write that way! But through it all, write clearly. Don’t get bogged down in trying to be so clever you actually miss crucial details that can help boost conversions.
Why are product descriptions so important?
Here’s a piece of solid evidence.
eMarketer studied how important ecommerce product page elements are to people who buy online. Over 80% of the respondents said product descriptions were influential to making purchase decisions.
How to write product descriptions that actually convert
Clearly even the product reviews weren’t as influential as the product descriptions are to buyers when they’re considering completing a purchase.
To make long story short—product descriptions are critical to conversions.
Product descriptions are an integral part of eCommerce sales. But often we see many online stores make the mistake of skewing too heavily on listing product features during this step in the process. Unfortunately, doing this increases the likelihood of lower conversion rates because people don’t understand how the product helps them. It’s a miss!
We also highly recommend that you do not design the product detail page before you write the product descriptions. You’ll understand why soon.
Let’s dive into how you can create high value product descriptions that actually convert:
1. Focus deeply on your ideal buyer
It may seem obvious but understanding how to write effective product descriptions requires putting yourself in the shoes of your audience. Too often we see companies make the jump and the assumption that their audience “just gets it”. Do they really? How do you know? Sometimes small tweaks in copy details can make all the difference even if it feels like the value & benefits of your product are obvious.
Additionally, make sure your audience(s) is will defined. Sometimes we see companies that write generalized copy in sort of a “catch-all” type of way because everyone should want to buy your product right? Wrong! When you write a product description with all buyers in mind, your descriptions becomes watered down and you end up addressing no one at all.
The best product descriptions address your target audience directly and personally. You ask and answer questions as if you’re having a conversation with them. You choose the words your ideal buyer uses. You use the word “you.”
Shopify recommends The Oodie as a strong example to look at. They start their product description with conversational language that makes the shopper feel like they’re speaking with a friend, less so shopping for something to purchase.
When it comes to writing your own product descriptions, start by imagining your ideal buyer. What kind of humor do they appreciate (if any)? What words do they use? How might they speak to one another? What words do they hate? What are their pain points and motivations? What questions do they ask that you should answer?
Consider how you would speak to your ideal buyer if you were selling your product face to face. Now try and incorporate that language into your online store so you can have a similar conversation online that resonates more deeply. Do this well and you’ll see add-to-carts and completed purchases skyrocket! 🚀
2. Perform a detailed competitor analysis
There are many ways to do a competitor analysis, but it doesn’t mean you need find out how they crafted their product descriptions.
For instance, imagine yourself as a buyer of that product or service. Go through the process with the intention of trying to identify any gaps that may exist in educating or persuading you (as the buyer), to add that product or service to your cart or even go on to complete the purchase.
It is sometimes useful to make a list of any errors or overlooked value you find so you can copy, tweak and implement them yourself.
You can review it after you’ve written your own and ensure you aren’t making the same errors as your competitors are. Doing this may seem excessive to some but it’s really an effective way to cover all your bases.
3. Visitors like benefits. Entice them!
A super common problem we find with many merchants is that when we sell our own products, we get excited about individual product features and specifications. We live and breathe our company, our website, and our products.
The problem is our potential buyers are not necessarily as interested in all the mundane features and specs we pour over every day. They act in their own self-interest, meaning they want to know what’s in it for them—how it will address their biggest pain points. Successfully executing how to write a product description requires you to highlight those benefits of each feature.
Check out this product description of a pair of sandals from Nike:
For one, they did a great job articulating the benefits using short words and short sentences. On top of that, they not only describe the specifications of the product, but also the benefits that the customers will get if they buy it.
You are not just getting quick drying synthetic upper. You are quick drying synthetic upper for comfort to splash around.
You are not just getting Hook-and-loop closure. You are getting hook-and-loop closure for a secure fit and easy on and off.
Nike could have simply listed the features just like so many other product descriptions do on the internet. But they wouldn’t have been nearly as effective and motivating to the audience.
Consider the benefit of each of your features. How does your product make your customers feel happier, healthier, or more productive? What problems, glitches, and hassle does your product help solve?
Don’t sell just a product, sell an experience.
4. Spend the time finding your transactional keywords
Over the years, SEO has increasingly become one of the best ecommerce marketing channels to drive traffic and sales. Your brand needs to make sure your product descriptions are written with search engines in mind, too.
A lot of marketers make a mistake here by writing the product descriptions first and then optimizing them later. But in the end, a properly planned and optimized description tends to deliver results faster.
Try using Semrush for keyword research and the keyword insights tool by Snippet Digital to identify the search intent of those keywords. When you know the search intent of the keywords, you can pepper in the right ones for your product description.
For example, for the keyword [waterproof digital camera] you can see in the Keyword Insights tool that seven pages ranking on the SERPs are Product/Category pages.
This tells me that the keyword has transactional intent.
Do this for all your products and make sure to pick up the keywords with only transactional search intent.
5. Craft a buyer and keyword-centric product description (Headings + paragraphs)
With your list of keywords ready, you’re ready to write the title and subtitles of your product description.
For example, the Ustraa brand utilizes the keyword “beard growth oil” which has a keyword volume of 18,100.
They’ve used this keyword in their title as well as all the subtitles.
And now look at their results on Google:
They’re not only ranking on the top with their Amazon listing but even right after Amazon’s two listings, the brand’s product page is ranking immediately.
With your headings written, you can include your transactional keywords in the details about your product, as well as in the product description to make it rank and convert.
6. Avoid what consumers consider “yeah, yeah” phrases
When we’re stuck for words and don’t know what else to add to our product description, we often add something bland like “excellent product quality.”
That’s a “yeah, yeah” phrase. As soon as a potential buyer reads “excellent product quality” he thinks, “Yeah, yeah, of course. That’s what everyone says.”Ever heard someone describe their product quality as average, not so good, or even bad? Although that would provide some comic relief, I don’t anticipate that strategy ramping up conversion behavior.
You become less persuasive when your potential buyer reads your product description and starts saying “yeah, yeah” to themselves. To avoid this reaction, be as specific as possible.
Beardbrand, for instance, doesn’t describe the quality of its styling balm as excellent. Instead they describe each detail plus its benefit.
Product details add credibility. Product details sell your product. You can never include too many technical details in your product descriptions. Be specific.
7. Consider the 4Cs of copywriting while writing product descriptions
The ecommerce business is time-critical, and all business owners want to launch their brand fast.
But that should not affect the quality of the product descriptions. If they’re not written well, shoppers will browse but may not buy.
It helps to write product descriptions with these 4Cs in mind:
- Clarity: The descriptions should be clear enough to be understood by not just your ideal customers but their influencers, as well.
- Concise: Use fewer words to describe your products effectively (get creative here).
- Compelling: Address consumer needs, expectations, challenges, and demands. Help them feel as if the product is made just for them.
- Credible: Ensure that the information you are sharing is accurate and avoid hyperbole.
8. Justify using superlatives
Proceed with caution. Superlatives sound insincere unless you clearly prove why your product is the best, the easiest, or the most advanced.
The product description below uses colorful, persuasive language to entice shoppers to take the next step in the purchasing journey.
Before you even see what the product is, words like “sensational” and “elegant” are enough to make you curious about the actual product.
Certain words have the power to drive conversion behavior.
Please keep in mind, as powerful as words can be, they can also double as a slippery slope if your product can’t deliver the value for how you describe it. If your product is really the best in its category, provide specific proof why this is the case. Otherwise, tone your product copy down or quote a customer who says your product is the most wonderful they’ve ever used.
9. Add creative taglines wherever possible
Writing creative taglines in your product descriptions is not for mass marketplaces where you can only afford to focus on writing keyword-centric content.
Premium/luxury brands or niche brands have a different set of buyers which they may target only through social platforms or emails. This is where creativity matters more than keywords.
Dollar shave club did such a great job incorporating a clever tagline into their product images. So much so that the product really speaks for itself.
It uses alliteration…which gets some consumers going! This product’s catchy slogan is perfect for describing Dollar Shave Club’s mission. They want their customers to save time by not having to go out and purchase razors. And saving money is always a bonus for everyone. But, they are also being clever with their play on words of “shave” rather than “save.”
10. Appeal to your readers’ imagination
Scientific research has proven that if people hold a product in their hands, their desire to own it increases.
You’re selling things online, so your web visitors can’t hold your products. Large, clear, high-quality pictures or videos can help, but there’s also a copywriting trick to increase desire: let your reader imagine what it would be like to own your product. Sell prospective customers on the benefits!
Here’s how Firebox stirs your imagination with a description of its Fizzics DraftPour. It shows how the product solves the problems common with going to the pub for a pint.
To practice this copywriting technique, start a sentence with the word “imagine,” and finish your sentence (or paragraph) by explaining how your reader will feel when owning and using your product.
11. Cut through rational barriers with mini-stories
Including mini-stories in your product descriptions lowers rational barriers against persuasion techniques. In other words, shoppers tend to forget they’re being sold to. But only if the story can get them there.
The best part about this technique is you don’t have to be an experienced storyteller to write amazing product descriptions in this way.
You can get inspiration for stories in a handful of ways:
From your brand origin story
Inspiration behind your products
Your commitment to brand values
Unique product manufacturing & testing methods
Challenges your brand overcame to be where it is today
The ultimate benefit: stories can make more people connect with and like your brand—that’s something to strive for.
Quirky Chocolate did a great job targeting their ideal customers by telling a story about their products using language that their customers already speak with:
12. Add a “How-to” section to your product description
If you think your product doesn’t require this section, think again. Think about how you’d explain the criteria below for your product:
- How to use/apply it.
- How to keep it clean.
- How to start/stop it.
- How to make it.
- How to wash it.
- How to install it.
The purpose is to help the visitors get extra details right there on the page, without needing them to go somewhere else.
Here is an example of a product description by Cult Beauty with a how-to section.
You’re saving consumers time by adding a how-to section within the product description, both speeding up the conversion process and reducing the risk they’ll wander off to find information and never come back.
13. Tempt with social proof to build trust and entice sales
When browsers are unsure about which product to purchase, they look for suggestions and signals about what to buy. They’re often swayed to buy a product with the highest number of positive reviews and testimonials. Evidence also suggests that brands displaying trust badges can capture the attention of potential customers easier than those that don’t because shoppers will do almost anything to avoid getting scammed or feeling embarrassed that they might be getting scammed. Social proof is a powerful tool merchants can utilize to help consumers battle this feeling because it helps ease consumer fears from the get go.
One gym apparel seller, Gymshark, includes customer reviews on each product page. It also displays a rating system so shoppers can get product information quickly and easily.
If possible, try to include an image of the customer. It adds even more credibility to a quote. It also makes your online business more approachable and relatable. Integrating social media feed filled with user-generated content that shows real people using your products is another intelligent strategy to deploy.
Most buyers are attracted to buying something that’s popular because customers see that other customers are buying it too. When it comes to your ecommerce website, highlight the products that are customer favorites.
14. Add an FAQ section to persuade shoppers to become buyers
Marketplaces never miss on adding FAQs as they have multiple vendors and if a customer has questions, only vendors can answer them.
But FAQs are ignored by many other online merchants or retailers, as they feel they have their email address or customer support system to answer the queries.
It pays dividends to understand this from a customer’s point of view. It’s a long process to email users so they can get answers to their questions.
If the common questions and answers are available on the site, your brand can boost the time to convert and save some time for your support team.
Identify the questions a customer may have about your product, write answers, and prioritize the product FAQs in the below format.
- Features/specifications.
- Benefits.
- Usage.
- Care.
- Shipping/delivery/return/exchange.
The alternative to not addressing FAQs can, in some cases, be disastrous.
15. Making your description scannable is key
Is your web design encouraging web visitors to read your product descriptions?
Sometimes the way your site encourages visitors to read descriptions can take different forms. Below is a great example of a product description from Kettle & Fire. The brand uses bullet lists to communicate quick, scannable benefits. It also replaces the standard “benefits” headline with “Why You’ll Love It,” personalizing the experience for shoppers on the product page who resonate with that type of language most.
B.fresh is another great example of a brand utilizing bullet points to highlight the value and benefits of their product.
Packaging your product descriptions with a clear, scannable design makes them easier to read and can make them more appealing to potential customers. This strategy can also cut down on the time it takes for shoppers to add items to their cart and make conversion decisions.
16. Set goals and KPIs
The goal of a product description is to move a shopper toward purchase. But how do you know if your descriptions are working or not?
You’ll want to decide on a set of metrics to track on your product pages. Defining these metrics will help you understand what product descriptions are working best so you can keep pushing what’s already working and improve on areas that are underperforming.
Common metrics & KPIs to monitor include but are not limited to:
- Conversion rate (during different stages of the buyer’s journey)
- Cart abandonment
- Return & repeat purchase rate
- Average order value
- Support inquiries
- Organic search rankings
We encourage all brands to run different A/B tests to see what works and what doesn’t. We’re a bit biased but adding trust signals to critical customer touchpoints can help build stronger relationships between buyers and sellers, resulting in higher conversions and more completed sales for your eCommerce website.
17. Be sure to use a mix of text and graphics
Try to figure out how your audience wants to consume your product description, whether as text or graphics. Usually, we don’t recommend graphics alone as you’ll miss out on chances to rank in search.
An Australian shoe brand, Rivers, has its all-text product description to compete on search engines and drive conversions.
But brands looking for creativity over keywords or those that enjoy popularity and name recognition might choose graphics over text or a mix of both.
Nykaa is a popular online beauty marketplace. They use a blend of graphics (more) and text (less) to showcase their product information – the classic show don’t tell strategy.
There is no one size fits all. You need to see what works best for your brand and usually what works best is determined by your audience. Listen to them. Make the necessary tweaks and changes according to their preferences so you watch conversion behavior take off.
Quick recap: Pull it all together now! Below is a template for you to start writing killer product descriptions that actually convert
Unfortunately, there is no one template that can write product descriptions for you. Every product and audience is different and has different buying triggers. And that’s OK, because you want your product descriptions to be unique your brand.
We’ve covered a lot in this post so now it’s time to bring it all together. So if you’re stuck on writing a product description, here are a few guidelines to help get you started. Try to answer the following questions:
- Who’s the ideal customer? Knowing who your product is for is foundational to writing a good description.
- What are your products’ basic features? Write out any dimensions, materials, functions, care instructions, and details about the fit (if you’re selling clothing).
- When is the product best used? Is your cozy blanket perfect for cold winter nights with a cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace? Or is it more for a brisk autumn evening as the sun goes down? Highlight the ideal scenarios for when a customer should use your product and help them envision what it might feel like to own your product.
- What makes your product special? Think about the unique benefits of your product and why it’s better than that of your competitors. Research keywords your competitors are using that have high purchase intent and find ways to incorporate them into your descriptions in creative ways as well.
Once you have this information in a document, use the following template to write out your product description.
- Write a specific headline that grabs your target customers’ attention. Keep your ideas simple while showcasing an instant benefit.
- Craft a short paragraph based on the basic features and best-used information above. Look to the examples above to get inspiration for writing an entertaining description.
- Include a bullet list of product features and benefits. Add any technical details needed.
- Add social proof. You can incorporate customer reviews on your website and strategically integrate trust marks at critical touchpoints along your customer’s journey.
By no means are these the only ways to craft product descriptions. You are only limited by your imagination but this is a great place to start. Try adding a couple of the strategies discussed in this post and test how well the techniques are translating into conversion behavior.
Closing thoughts: Product descriptions have the power to boost conversions and maximize ROI — Make the most of it
When buyers’ expectations are fulfilled, they’re more likely to buy your product. Keep this in mind at every touchpoint as you use the tactics above to write more compelling, better converting product descriptions.
Plan, write and design your product description for your ideal customers. But be open to making changes as eCommerce preferences and behavior continue to evolve.
Once your brand feels comfortable that the descriptions it has are working, optimize them for search so that nothing can stop you from attracting, persuading, and converting more visitors into your customers.
