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E -commerce product descriptions: Why are they important and how to write them?
5 min. read
Aug 31, 2023
One of the most critical elements of a successful e-commerce strategy is creating compelling product descriptions that showcase your product's unique features and key benefits.
A well-written product description not only informs customers about your products but also helps build trust and credibility with potential buyers. However, writing effective product descriptions can be challenging if you are new to e-commerce.
A well-written product description not only informs customers about your products but also helps build trust and credibility with potential buyers. However, writing effective product descriptions can be challenging if you are new to e-commerce.
That's where SmartBiz by Amazon comes in. With this blog, you can learn how to take your product descriptions to the next level and how to write descriptions that sell.
What is a product description?
A product description is the marketing copy that informs a customer why your product is unique, how it will add value to their lives and why it’s worth purchasing. Product descriptions are a way for you to talk to your customer directly, describing the features and benefits of the product so that your customers can make an effective and informed purchase decision.
Why do online stores need them?
A product description is crucial to a customer because they:
- Provide information to customers: Product descriptions are crucial in informing customers about a product's features and benefits, such as its functions, attributes, specifications and characteristics. This is their primary purpose, to create interest and inform your customer about every feature & benefit your product has to offer.
- Increase sales: Effective product descriptions can change a visiting shopper to a paying customer. A customer who resonates with your brand and whose needs are met by your product will make a purchase after reading your product description.
- Improve SEO: Well-written product descriptions can improve visibility by incorporating relevant keywords and phrases that can help the product appear higher in search results. This also allows for your product to get in a lot more impressions and views organically.
- Differentiate from competitors: Product descriptions can help differentiate your products from a competitors by highlighting their unique features and benefits.
- Facilitate e-commerce operations: Product descriptions can help facilitate e-commerce operations by providing a consistent format for displaying product information and making it easier for you to manage product listings across multiple platforms; and for your customers to browse through the most important points in your listings.
How do you write a good one?
Given below is the curated list of the tips for writing a good product description for your e-commerce listings:
- Know your target audience: Before writing a product description, it's important to understand your target audience and what they're looking for in a product. Consider their needs, wants, and pain points, and tailor your description to address those points. Writing for everyone will optimize your product descriptions for no one, which is why you need to pick the right customer, someone who’s needs your product solves for the best and optimize for them.
- Use descriptive language: Use descriptive language to paint a picture of the product in the customer's mind. Use words that evoke emotions and appeal to the senses. Avoid words and phrases that seem generic like “deep texture” or “excellent quality”. These phrases make your product seem amateurish and vague.
- Highlight the product's features & benefits: Clearly list the product's features and explain how they benefit the customer. Focus on the benefits, not just the features. This is an important point to note because while we live and breathe our company and product, we are just one among a thousand for a visiting shopper. It’s important to keep things concise and focusing on a benefit to the customer rather than getting lost in the details.
- Include high-quality images: Include high-quality images that showcase the product from different angles and in use. Images can help customers visualize the product and make a more informed purchase decision. While this isn’t a part of a product ‘description’, the lack of focus into good product pictures can cost your company dearly. Click here, to read more on how to click good product pictures on a budget.
- Use social proof: Use customer reviews, ratings, and testimonials to build trust and authority with potential clients. Social proof can help alleviate any doubts or concerns customers may have about the product. It also eases them into a purchase decision, especially if your product has glowing reviews.
Check out our video on how to write a good product description:
Things to keep in mind
Here are some things to keep in mind while writing a product description:
- Know your product: Before writing an e-commerce product description, make sure you have a clear understanding of the product's features, benefits, and specifics. Use this knowledge to create an accurate and detailed description that informs customers and helps them make informed purchase decisions.
- Incorporate SEO: Optimize your product descriptions for search engines by including relevant keywords and phrases that customers may use to search for the product. This can help the product show up higher in search results and drive more traffic to the online store
- Focus on the outcome: Instead of just describing the product, focus on the outcome the customer can expect from using the product. This can help the customer visualize the benefits and create a stronger emotional connection with the product.
- Address potential objections: Calling out potential objections or concerns that customers may have about the product and addressing them in the product description can turn a visitor into a paying shopper. This can help build loyalty among customers, and reassure them that the product is right for them.
- Use storytelling: Incorporate storytelling into your product descriptions to engage customers and make an emotional connection with them. Share the story behind the product, the inspiration for its design, or how it has made a difference in someone's life.
Create your product description template
There may not be a one-size-fits-all template for product descriptions. But this can be a good thing. After all, you want your product description to reflect your unique brand and speak to your specific audience.
Here is a set of prompts that you can use to identify the key features and benefits of your product, and craft persuasive language that speaks directly to your target audience.
1. Who is your target audience?
2. What are the key features and benefits of your product?
3. How will this help your customers or make their lives easier?
4. How can your customers use your product?
5. How can you differentiate yourself from the competition?
6. What is your opening sentence or paragraph?
Once you have this information on a page, use the following template to write your product description:
Here is a set of prompts that you can use to identify the key features and benefits of your product, and craft persuasive language that speaks directly to your target audience.
1. Who is your target audience?
2. What are the key features and benefits of your product?
3. How will this help your customers or make their lives easier?
4. How can your customers use your product?
5. How can you differentiate yourself from the competition?
6. What is your opening sentence or paragraph?
Once you have this information on a page, use the following template to write your product description:
- Craft an attention-grabbing opening sentence & paragraph: Use persuasive language and emotional appeal to grab the reader's attention and highlight the main benefit or unique selling point of your product.
- Use concise points to highlight key features & benefits: Use bullet points or short sentences to clearly and concisely highlight the most important features and benefits of your product.
- Use persuasive language & emotional appeal: Address potential objections, highlight the value and benefits of the product, and use persuasive language and emotional appeal to connect with the customer.
- Include a Call-To-Action (CTA): Encourage the customer to take action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a free trial, or visiting a store.
- Edit & refine: Review your product description and make sure it is clear, concise, and free of errors. Refine the language and adjust as needed to make sure it effectively communicates the value of your product to your target audience
Wrapping up
Effective product descriptions and copywriting are essential for businesses that want to improve their conversion funnel and drive more sales through their website.
SmartBiz by Amazon is a mobile friendly, no-code website builder you need to create your online store and start selling. Start your own website today by clicking here and downloading the app.
SmartBiz by Amazon is a mobile friendly, no-code website builder you need to create your online store and start selling. Start your own website today by clicking here and downloading the app.
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