How To Write a Product Description That Converts

March 15, 2023
Contents

A well-written product description can move your potential customers through your sales funnel. 

By sales funnel, we mean the process that businesses use to turn strangers into customers and customers into brand advocates. 

Adding creativity and product benefits to its description makes your store more likely to convert the casual browser into a potential customer.

Most entrepreneurs make a common mistake when writing product descriptions: including information that describes their item. 

This results in lower conversions as people cannot understand a product's unique value proposition or how it offers a solution to a frustrating problem.

If you want to know more about product description writing, read along to find out what a product description is and how to write it. 

What Is a Product Description?

A product description is an explanation that tells you what the product is and why it's worth purchasing. 

The purpose of a product description is to give potential customers all the vital information about the features and key benefits of the product so they're compelled to buy.

By being more creative and thoughtful with your product descriptions, your product pages instantly become more compelling, converting casual shoppers to potential customers.

A product description should answer these questions about the products in a fun and engaging way to succeed in fulfilling its motive:

  • What problems does your product solve?
  • What do customers gain from your product?
  • What makes it better than the other products that serve the same purpose? 

Benefits of Writing Product Descriptions

These are some of the benefits of writing a good product description for your products:

Better SEO performance

Optimizing product details can help improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) performance. 

Optimizing your item description to include specific keywords can help improve your chances of ranking high on Google. 

Without product descriptions, you may be able to optimize your images for keywords, but your product page may not appear high in search results due to a lack of content.

Educate Your Audience

Product descriptions can also educate your customer on the product. The product description offers more product information than the picture fails to do on its own. 

By providing customers with essential product information, you prevent a buildup of customer service inquiries. 

It also helps customers know if that specific product is right for them, which can help lower return rates.

Attract Your Audience

You can also use a product description to interact with a customer to enhance the bond between your brand and the customer. 

It can also assure customers that your product will somehow solve their most significant inconvenience or simplify their life.

Picking the Right Words for Your Product Description

Using the right keywords can make or break your product description. Specific keywords have better reach and performance. 

Some keywords below can help captivate your readers and persuade them into action. You can use these words in product descriptions, headlines, etc.:

  • Suddenly
  • Now
  • Announcing
  • Amazing
  • Sensational
  • Revolutionary
  • Miracle
  • Magic
  • Quick
  • Hurry
  • Durable
  • Good
  • Trending
  • Fast
  • Best
  • Best buy
  • Indeed
  • Long-lasting
  • Buy online
  • Shopping
  • Sale
  • Value for money
  • Efficient
  • Brand
  • Website ranking
  • Google ranking
  • Top search engines
  • Finance
  • Target audience
  • Online store

While there are keywords you should be using, there are also a few that you must avoid because they do not add anything to your descriptions. 

These are some words to avoid in your product description

  • Free
  • Giveaway
  • Lowest price
  • Cheap
  • Bonus
  • Low cost
  • Discount
  • Fast cash
  • Avoid
  • Remove
  • Act now
  • Buy now
  • Expire
  • Get it now
  • Instant
  • Limited
  • Urgent
  • Now only
  • Cancel
  • Cancel at any time
  • Compare
  • Guaranteed
  • Offer
  • Valid
  • Big bucks
  • Eliminate
  • No hidden costs
  • Leave 
  • Problem
  • Issues

How to Write a Good Product Description: Things to Keep in Mind

Pick Your Content Creation Approach

There are plenty of methods to write a good product description in e-commerce. 

You can either recruit a freelancer, write the product description yourself, or even use AI content generators to write a good description for your product.

Cater To Your Audience

The most important part of writing any product description is locating its audience and talking to them empathetically. 

Customers search for reliability and sympathy in online shops they visit regularly. 

Many aspects are combined to create a well-written and empathetic product copy, such as:

  • Language choices;
  • Grammar constructions; 
  • Emphasizing the benefits; 
  • Keeping short paragraphs, and not losing the unique style.

Highlight The Product’s Benefits

It would help if you emphasized the benefits of a product over its features. Customers are indeed interested in what your product is capable of. However, their focus is mainly on its benefits.

The product's main advantages should always be highlighted, as every client has a problem, and the good has to show the ability to solve it.

Easy to Read 

Content for e-commerce must be easily readable – if the context needs to be explained in detail, it is a good tip to add hyperlinks to additional resources. 

Keeping text short and simple is a good form of creating converting product descriptions. Information might be divided into blocks or segments for a better understanding.

Make Sure Your Content Converts by Adding CTAs

Not to forget about profits – they are created with the help of CTA (Call to Action). The client needs to be adequately motivated to take action by giving them an impulse. 

Optimize It For Search Engines 

The phrases and keywords you choose should be organic, human-centered, and simple to gather. 

Keywords allow search engines to evaluate a site's relevance to a user's request. So you need to collect and analyze the potential keywords that users might enter while searching for your products and website. 

The final advice is to put all product and category descriptions using keywords and pay attention to the uniqueness rate. 

Keywords are an essential part of the optimization; you should determine the best ones for you. It would be best if you placed keywords into:

  • Page titles;
  • Image tags (ALT tags);
  • Meta Descriptions;
  • Product descriptions. 

How To Write Product Descriptions That Sell

1. Think About The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How Before Writing

Consider how you would speak to your ideal buyer if you were selling your product in-store, face to face. 

Now try incorporating that language into your eCommerce site so you can have a similar online conversation that resonates more deeply. 

Recall once what potential questions would pop up in your mind if you were the one to buy your product. 

Always be ready with the answers to who, what, how, when, where, and why when writing the description.

2. Determine the Best Format to Describe Your Products

You’ll want to use keywords that are relevant to your product. 

For example, if you sell makeup brushes, you’ll want to be specific such as ‘unicorn makeup brush’ or ‘mermaid makeup brush.’ Use the best format and keywords to describe your products. 

Not just that, if you are selling t-shirts you need to set a product description template or format. You can add the product name, size and characteristics, etc. 

Use a format that best describes your product. It should be compact and concise.  

3. Entice With Benefits

We get excited about individual product features and specifications when we sell our products. 

We live and breathe our company, our website, and our products. The problem is that our potential buyers are not as interested in mundane features and specs as us. 

But they want to know what's in it for them—how it will address their most significant pain points.

Successfully executing how to write a product description requires you to highlight the benefits of each feature.

4. Avoid “yeah, yeah” Phrases

When we're out of 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 potential buyers read "excellent product quality," they'll think, "Yeah, yeah, of course. That's what everyone says."

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. 

5. Don’t Be Afraid To Boast

Superlatives sound insincere in a product description unless you prove why your product is the best, the easiest, or the most advanced.

If your product is the best in its category, provide proof of why this is the case. 

Otherwise, tone your copy down or quote a customer who says your product is the most wonderful they've ever used.

6. Appeal To Your Readers’ Imagination

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, 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.

6. Cut Through Rational Barriers With Mini-Stories

Including mini-stories in your product descriptions lowers rational barriers against persuasion techniques. 

In other words, we forget we're being sold to. When using your product description to tell a story about your products, ask yourself:

  • Who is making the product?
  • What inspired creating the product?
  • What obstacles did you need to overcome to develop the product?
  • How was the product tested?

7. Seduce With Sensory Words

Adjectives are tricky words. Often they don't add meaning to your sentences, and you're better off deleting them. 

However, sensory adjectives are powerful words because they make your reader experience your product copy while reading. Dazzle your readers with vivid product descriptions.

8. Get Technical To Win Trust When Needed

Ensure that customers have the information they need to make a purchase. 

For example, if you sell apparel, care information and size charts can help customers before and after their purchase. 

If you sell tablets, you'll want to ensure you list all the specifications. If you sell jewelry, you'll want to include information such as 'nickel free,' as some may have allergies to certain materials.

9. Split Test It

Remember to split-test your product descriptions: test different formats, lengths, words, and more. 

Split testing your product descriptions can help optimize your product page and improve conversion rates.

10. Spell Check Your Work

Go through your product descriptions thoroughly to ensure there are no typos. 

You can use tools like Grammarly to avoid spelling mistakes. Even after using Grammarly, you need to give your copy a good read before you use it. 

Typos and grammatical errors will reflect poorly on your brand, so you must avoid them. 

11. Tempt with Social Proof

When your visitors are unsure about which product to purchase, they look for suggestions about what to buy. 

They're often swayed to buy a product with the highest number of positive reviews and testimonials. 

Most buyers are attracted to buying something popular. Regarding your eCommerce website, highlight the products that are customer favorites. 

Make your online business more approachable and relatable. You can even integrate a social media feed filled with user-generated content that shows real people sharing success stories about using your products. 

12. Make Your Product Descriptions Short and Sweet to Make Them Scannable

Packaging your product descriptions with a clear, scannable design makes them easier to read and more appealing to potential customers. 

Ensure your web design encourages visitors to read your product descriptions.

Long descriptions can be boring to read, so make sure you have a short and sweet version and a detailed product description below your products. 

13. Choose Goals and KPIs To Measure The Success Of Your Product Descriptions.

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 metrics to track your product pages. 

Defining these metrics will help you understand what product descriptions are working best and improve on underperforming ones. Common KPIs to monitor include:

  • Conversion rate
  • Cart abandonment
  • Return rate
  • Support inquiries
  • Organic search rankings

14. Know When to Show, Tell, and Describe

Your description should be playful and light, as customers buying your products would likely appreciate an entertaining product description. 

But avoid coming off as insensitive in the name of humor. Know what to tell, when, and how much to describe and show your audience

15. Don't Be Afraid to Be Unique

Avoid using the manufacturer's product descriptions. You avoid being penalized by Google for duplicate or thin content by writing your copy. 

Plus, you improve your chances of writing a product description that converts your customer.

Add some personality to your product descriptions to stand out from the crowd. 

What Is the Best Product Description Template?

Creating the best product description for your brand depends on two fundamental ideas: appealing to the audience's persona and using the format/language the audience is most likely to read. 

But every product and brand can best have a particular product description format.  

For instance, a company selling complex tech products will use a different format than a company selling shampoo. 

In the same way, these two sorts of formats will have different language styles, conversion goals, and layouts. 

However, most product descriptions follow a general pattern. They usually begin with a tagline or product name and then a few short sentences or bullets that provide more specifications. 

Leveraging a product description template can save time and ensure that they include all the correct information.  

There are countless methods for writing product descriptions. If you're ever stuck on a format, you can follow this simple product description template while writing your description in these three steps:

1. Complement the customer to the product.

2. Mention the product benefit with the product feature.

3. Provide a simple recommendation.

Product Description Examples

1. ModCloth

Modcloth is a great product description example to learn from. The product description is short and sweet, with only two sentences. 

The product details include scannable bullet points. The first sentence of the product description compliments the customer by mentioning their 'glimmering charisma.' 

However, the customer compliment is tied to the 'glorious glimmering' of the bolero. The second sentence compliments the customer again on the product. 

Pay close attention to the language used in the copy. Words like 'delighted,' 'delicate,' 'magnificence,' 'radiance,' 'gloriously,' and 'glimmers' capture attention while being positive descriptors.

How to write product descriptions

2. Tipsy Elves

Tipsy Elves is a great product description example of showcasing the product benefits. 

Their short and sweet two-sentence description mentions that this jumpsuit is perfect for 'lazy days on the couch, USA events, and hitting the slopes. 

Notice how the first word in the copy is 'freedom,' a positive word often associated with American pride products. 

Their product details aren't very scannable. However, they did mention the benefits of some of their features. 

For example, they noted that the material is thinner for 'year round wear.'

How to write product descriptions

3. Chubbies

Chubbies is a great product description example of creativity. The shorts shown in the picture above are called 'The Mojitos', likely due to their minty green color. 

Their opening description runs with the mojito theme though their product picture fails to show a mojito that would likely blend nicely. 

They mention benefits with their product features such as 'keep you oh-so comfortable.'

How to write product descriptions

4. Naked Wines

Naked wines keep their product description scannable with three bulleted points. 

Their bullet points creatively use check marks which help customers positively associate with the wine. 

The writing style is casual with phrases like 'who'da thought it….' They also build brand trust by mentioning that '91% of you would happily buy it again!'  

Pay close attention to the language used to describe the wine, such as 'ripe,' 'peppery undertones,' 'lashings of oak,' 'scrumptious,' and 'silky finish.' 

How to write product descriptions

5. Nike Blazer Mid ’77 Vintage Basketball shoes

Nike uses sensuous language to discuss a running shoe, adding details like crisp leather upper that make you feel like "yeah, that's what I need." 

The word "sail" to describe a color also imparts a unique feel — an emotion-based appeal meant for an image-conscious audience.

https://anyword.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Screen-Shot-2021-12-22-at-3.36.18-PM-1024x375.png

6. Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino® Blended Beverage

This is a product for somebody looking to go all out. The product name is extravagant. 

The number of yummy-sounding ingredients is meant to overwhelm that thirsty shopper in search of indulgence. The way it is described will make your mouth water.

https://anyword.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Screen-Shot-2021-12-22-at-3.37.46-PM-1024x727.png

FAQs: Product description writing

What type of writing is a product description?

A product description is a form of marketing copy used to describe and explain the benefits of your product. 

In other words, it provides all the information and details of your product on your ecommerce site. 

These product details can be one sentence, a short paragraph or bulleted. They can be serious, funny or quirky.

How do you write an effective product description?

As we have mentioned above, this is how you can write a good product description:

  • Think about who, what, when, where, why and how before writing.
  • Determine the best format to describe your products.
  • Entice with benefits.
  • Avoid “yeah, yeah” phrases.
  • Don’t be afraid to boast..
  • Appeal to your readers’ imagination.
  • Cut through rational barriers with mini-stories.
  • Seduce with sensory words.
  • Get technical to win trust when needed.
  • Split Test It.
  • Spell Check Your Work.
  • Tempt with social proof.
  • Make your product descriptions short and sweet to make it scannable.
  • Choose goals and KPIs to measure success of your product descriptions.
  • Know when to show, tell and describe.
  • Don’t be afraid to be unique.

What is the purpose of a product description?

The purpose of a product description is to supply customers with important information about the features and benefits of the product, so they're compelled to buy.

What is a good product description format?

Create an attention-grabbing headline that hooks your audience. Next, use a short description paragraph to introduce the benefits of your product. 

Then, add a bulleted list of product features and the benefits they provide. Finally, include any necessary technical details.

Conclusion: Product description writing

Mastering your product descriptions will require creativity and testing. Don’t be afraid to test new product description templates to help you improve your format.

As you prepare to write persuasive product descriptions for your online store, remember

  • Share your knowledge about your product.
  • Tell stories and explain even the tiniest details.
  • Make an effort not to be boring and instead delight your visitors with seductive descriptions.
  • Most of all, write with enthusiasm

We hope this article gave you a clear idea on how to write a good product description to win your customers. 

Written By
Ankita

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