The better way to sell online

How to write product descriptions that sell

Great product descriptions will help you make sales. While some people decide which online products to buy based on photos alone, others scour product descriptions to ensure they’re buying the right thing.

Having accurate, well written descriptions will help you better showcase your products and share details, such as sizing, which are difficult to photograph.

This will result in better informed buyers: meaning customers will make more confident purchasing decisions, resulting in less returned items and more positive feedback.

What exactly is a product description?

A product description is extra copy which outlines exactly what your product is, and which shares key details about it which are relevant to the buyer.

In order to write a compelling product description you need to explain exactly why your product is the perfect fit for your customer, and why its features make it better than the competitions.

For example, take this cloth nappy example from https://eenee.com/, a ShopFactory hosted shop. The product description outlines:

1. Exactly what the product is: a packet of six cloth nappies, their size, and their capacity.

2. Why this product is superior: it absorbs moisture faster and easier.

3. Alternative uses for the product: a cleaning product that leaves a streak free finish.

4. Value for money: the product is washable up to several hundred times.

It also includes tips which ensure the product will be properly used, meaning that customers won’t make avoidable mistakes – resulting in negative feedback – and will have the best possible experience.

Does every product/website need product descriptions?

It depends on a few things: the kind of products that you sell, the layout of your website, and what your target market responds to.

Some shops fare better with long descriptive paragraphs, and some better with concise bullet-points, and some with no descriptions at all. The best way to find out which works for your products and customers is to create tests: try out different methods and track your sales to identify what your customers respond to.

While product descriptions can help you convert more customers, they can also damage your sales if they’re badly written.

Poor descriptions can result in customers distrusting your website and the authenticity of your product, so if you write them it’s essential to stay truthful and transparent.

How to write effective descriptions.

If you do decide to write product descriptions, here are our top tips to help you make sales.

1. Keep your target audience in mind.

Who are you selling your products to? What kind of language would they use? When you’re writing product descriptions, write them to your customers.

Also keep in mind your products. If you’re selling playful products, you can write using light-hearted and funny language. But do keep in mind that your language choices should be appropriate: you don’t want to risk offending potential buyers.

2. Write your own descriptions.

If you’re reselling products avoid using the manufacturers descriptions, as Google could punish you for having duplicate copy. Instead, rewrite the descriptions using your own words.

A lot of manufacturer descriptions also play it very safe and tend to be dry and overly-technical: writing your own could help you better connect with the audience you have.

3. Include all the relevant details.

If you sell clothing include a sizing chart; if you sell computers include their exact specifications; if you sell household products include which materials they’re made of.

In order to make informed purchases, customers want to know exactly what they’re buying: if they can’t find enough detail to ensure your product is the right one, they may buy elsewhere.

4. Keep it simple.

Your customers should never have to read the same sentence twice. Your goal should be to convey your information in a way that’s as easy to read as possible: so keep your sentences short, and break complex information into bullet points.

5. Consider your keywords.

Product descriptions are another way Google can recommend your website. If someone searches for concrete plant pots, having that key phrase in your product description means that your product might come up in the Google search results.

Make the most of this opportunity by including relevant keywords in your description, such as ‘striped concrete plant pot’, or ‘handmade concrete plant pot’. This can simply be done by including them in your text – Google will read and identify them by itself.

Make sure not to write irrelevantly or repetitively, or Google may simply identify your page as spammy or untrue.

6. Double check your writing!

Before you make your product, descriptions live, ensure that all the details you’ve written down (such as measurements and materials) are accurate, and that you haven’t accidentally misread or confused something.

It’s also essential to ensure that you have no typos and correct punctuation: just one mistake can make a customer distrust your website.

A good description checklist

There are endless ways to write product descriptions, but if you’re ever stuck a description should have at least these three things:

1. A description should explain what exactly the product is (i.e., a stretchy fabric t-shirt with black print).

2. A key feature which makes the product appealing (self-ironing, simply hang it up and it will dry crease free).

3. A recommendation of how the customer can use it (perfect for wearing to concerts as it will stay fresh-looking for longer).

If you feel overwhelmed at the idea of writing descriptions for all your products, you can also hire a writer to help you tackle it. Sites such as Guru, Fiverr and ProBlogger will allow you to easily contact people who offer services such as product description writing, copywriting and more.

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Determining the best descriptions for your products can be a process of a trial and error. However, nailing your product descriptions can result in fewer returns, better feedback, and more sales.

- Lena Klein

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