9 Simple Tips On How To Write Converting Product Descriptions

Content is the most underrated aspect of eCommerce if you ask me. In most cases entrepreneurs with new eCommerce stores tend to completely disregard the importance of good unique content on their websites. Most eStore owners simply use descriptions, product titles, and specs provided by manufacturers or distributors.

Not only is this unprofessional but also plagiarism, one of the most disliked tactics in terms of search engines. Search engines aside, information loaded product descriptions are one of the most discouraging factors for online shoppers. This can lead to two major issues, one your product pages never get ranked in Google searches and two you get traffic yet no conversions. Creative product descriptions & content are the essence of a good product page.

Writing Product Descriptions That Drive Conversions

There is no magic formula that I can give you that will solve the product descriptions dilemma. The question is simple “how to describe a product to a new customer?”, especially when others are also publishing the same product. After in-depth reading I came to the conclusion that it is a mix of several factors that determines the type of product descriptions to write.

• 1 – Keep Audience Personas in Mind

The first and in my opinion one of the most important factors to consider when creating product descriptions is to keep your audience in mind. There are several ways marketers identify their buyer personas for eCommerce including research on Google Trends, Amazon, and AliExpress.

When writing product descriptions, it is essential to understand two very important aspects. First of these is the reading level of your audience, are they teen, young, adults or seniors? Second, does the audience like to read factual data & statistics, or, do they like catchy lines/images/video demos?

We have previously published an interesting video on how to find passionate audiences for your products, so do read through for better understanding buyer personas.

• 2 – Research & Get Inspiration from Competitors

This is recommended especially for new eStore owners who need a starting point. Begin by researching the product online and observe how competing eStores describe the product. Get inspiration from the competition, especially large scale website like Amazon, Etsy and eBay.

The real importance of product descriptions and their success can also be gauged from watching large scale competitors. You can always use a product description generator, but it will always generate generic descriptions since these apps are not designed for eCommerce.

• 3 – Focus on Benefits – Provide information not RAW data

A manufacturer catalog will give you an abundance of specifications and tech descriptions to work with. But, remember NEVER TO USE MANUFACTURER PRODUCT DATA. There are two reasons for this, one that it will cause high volatility in your Google search rankings (SEO) and two it’s simply unprofessional. Copied product descriptions from the manufacturer can look something like this:

If you notice above, the description for this particular smart watch was copied exactly from AliExpress and published to this eStore. There is no consistency in the description, plus no specific details have been mentioned. Now, have a look at the product description published by Amazon for the same product:

Instead of adding everything from the manufacturers catalog, Amazon published 5 most important benefits for buyers. Instead of publishing the entire specs line-up, notice that CPU specs, storage, compatibility, social media integration, phone connectivity and warranties are listed.

If you notice Amazon has mentioned the particular details of all mentioned benefits like actual CPU speed, storage & MMC card limits, warranty time and social networks available to use in the smartwatch.

The technique here is to:

• Overview the manufacturer product data
• Select up to 5 benefits of the product, explain them
• Use the provider’s specifications and integrate useful information in bullet points
• Highlight features & benefits relevant to your audience

• 4 – Create Multiple Drafts to Test

When writing product descriptions, I recommend creating several templates or drafts. This will give you the freedom to test several product descriptions in varying layouts. Proper testing will allow you to better understand which type of content works best for your audiences. The draft that gets the best add to cart numbers, should be your ideal product description style.

• 5 – Optimize Product Descriptions for SEO

Apart from writing unique and attractive product descriptions, it is necessary to optimize the copy for your SEO. Including keywords in the description can significantly boost the ranking of your product pages to ideal buyers searching on Google.

Now don’t get me wrong, it is good to use keywords to make product search easier for buyers. But, don’t take this as a license to spam keywords throughout the product description copy. Use high search volume keywords, long tail keywords, and relevant keywords.

For example, instead of writing ‘Smart Watch Bluetooth WIFI Cellular Social Media Support’, consider writing, “Samsung WIFI Smartwatch with Bluetooth Connectivity & Social Media App Support.”

•  6 – Use Social Proof Where Necessary

Social proof has proven to be one of the most effective techniques to trigger add to carts on product pages. In a research by InvespCRO, 90% online shoppers responded that they read reviews before buying from the eStore.

Infographic by- Invesp

Social proof is a concept from basic human psychology. Social proof dictates that humans will make an impulse decision if they see others acting in a certain manner. You may have seen some of these social proof tricks at play on hundreds of eCommerce stores. A product review is hence social proof that triggers a purchase decision in buyers’ minds.

Here are two brilliant online store description samples:

If you notice the same smart watch product description I displayed above, there is a social proof tactic right there in the beginning. A buyer can evaluate the product and seller in light of customer reviews. Another popular tactic that eStores use is the pop-up social proof notification. Shown in the image on the right, a small notification box indicates that other people also bought the same product being viewed.

Social proof also includes accreditation and recognition awarded through news, entertainment, and media outlets. For instance, have a look at this amazing social proof from BigCommerce on its website:

• 7 – Use Sensory Words to Tempt Buyers

Sensory words are those that let the reader experience the world or in this case a product. These are words appeal to the 5 senses smell, sight, sound, touch & taste. Using sensory words can significantly change the way visitors view products. The trick here is to picture the moment, and I’m not speaking in a poetic way.

Visualize what you want the buyer to sense, what feelings you want them to experience when using your products. Sensory words tend to captivate your audience by giving life to product descriptions. Have a look at this product description for the Samsung S8 from Samsung’s official website, let’s see if you can identify all the sensory words:

To give you guys some ideas I found this awesome list of sensory words to use on product pages. The great thing is that words are categorized by human senses, so do take some ideas from here.

• 8 – Justify Superlatives – Explain Why Your Product is the Best

Superlatives are exaggerated words that sound a bit deceitful if you don’t justify their use in the product description. So why is the Samsung S8’s infinity display so “stunning”, observe this description from Amazon:

Notice in the first bullet point the description addresses all unique benefits of the new Infinity display. Superlatives can turn into serious issues and will backfire if used needlessly, take the case of the Samsung S7. The S7 was being hyped to have a more powerful long-lasting battery. S7 phones suddenly started blowing up because of its “long lasting” battery, a PR massacre for Samsung.

• 9 – Create Descriptions for Quick & Easy Viewing

While an elaborate product description can be very effective, creating product descriptions that can be quickly scanned is ideal. You product description should highlight the unique benefit and most appealing features that address customer pain points. Some essentials to creating scan-able product descriptions include:

• Use of bullet points (Not more than 10)
• Small paragraphs, usually 2-4 lines
• Each part of the description followed by a bold heading
• Don’t write like a robot, talk to your audience like a person

IMPORTANT: Review Your Product Descriptions Routinely

As a final tip, always consider reviewing and revising your product descriptions. This tip basically correlates to the “create multiple drafts” tip mentioned above.

It is a great idea to routinely visit your competitors and see what is trending in your own industry. Another suggestion is to visit eStores operating in other niches and industries too. Some great ideas can come from absolutely no where while observing others.

Make it a best practice to review your product descriptions every 15 days, or, immediately if a product page is not performing. Having multiple draft will definitely help here, as you can test different tones, styles, and elements to notice the difference.

See You Again Soon

I hope you will find my guide helpful in creating unique and enticing product descriptions that sell. Remember that it’s not necessary to follow all the guidelines, since not all products have the same features or are too complex to understand. Good luck with creating the perfect product description copy.

For more amazing eCommerce guides, tutorials, videos, and support visit our social channels over YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Sign up to our newsletter to have eCommerce tips, hacks and tricks delivered to your inbox.