Evidence from an ecommerce study conducted by Nielsen Norman Group shows that 20% of unsuccessful purchases are due to lack of relevant information in product descriptions. Writing a good product description can be the difference between converting a sale or loosing a customer for ever. Time and time again businesses fall into the trap of simply describing their product, 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 be an afterthought, of course).
To undertsand how to write a good product description, first you must undertand it's intended function. A product description is the marketing copy that explains what a product is and why it’s worth purchasing. The purpose of a product description is to supply customers with important information about the features and key benefits of the product so they’re compelled to buy. A well-crafted product description moves buyers through your conversion funnel. If you add a bit of creativity, your product pages instantly become more compelling, leading to more conversions from casual shoppers.
To succeed in product description writing, you need to answer questions customers have about your products:
- What problems does your product solve?
- What do customers gain from your product?
- What makes it better than the competition?
A product description should answer these questions in a fun and engaging way. Here are some pointers to help get you started:
1. Target your audience
Understanding how to write product descriptions requires putting yourself in the shoes of your audience. When you write a product description with a huge crowd of buyers in mind, your descriptions become wishy-washy and you end up addressing no one at all. Consider how you would speak to your ideal buyer if you were selling your product in-store, face to face. Now try and incorporate that language into your ecommerce site so you can have a similar conversation online that resonates more deeply.
2. Explain the benefits
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.
3. Avoid "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? You become less persuasive when potential buyers read your product description and start saying, “Yeah, yeah” to themselves. To avoid this reaction, be as specific as possible.
4. Appeal to customers imagination
You’re selling things online, so your web visitors can’t hold your products. Large, crystal-clear 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.
If you're stuck on writing a product description, here are a few prompts that can help you build a product description template that works for your products and business.
First, 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.
- What makes your product special? Think about the unique benefits of your product and why it’s better than that of your competitors.
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 product benefit. For example, if you’re selling a yoga t-shirt with a pattern, call it Fleck Studio Shirt.
- 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 use a customer reviews app to capture product reviews on your website and integrate others from third-party sites like search engines or Facebook.