Words That Sell, the Importance of Well Written Product Description; Tips, Tricks, and Resources

Many elements create a good marketing campaign, but the product description is one of the most important and often overlooked.

Most buyers will not purchase a product they cannot learn about or understand because they cannot visualize using it. If you can’t tell them what problem your product solves and how it does so efficiently, there is no reason for someone to buy it from you. That is where well-written copy comes in.

What is the purpose of a product description?

It provides you with a platform to tell the story of your product and demonstrate its value in an easy-to-understand way.

First and foremost, let’s debunk the notion that a product description’s purpose is to describe the product. Given the name, it’s relatively easy to assume this. But your product descriptions aren’t only used to convey what’s on your Shopify or e-commerce store. They’re also there to help you:

• Qualify:  the best way to increase conversion rates is to ensure that you sell only the items your prospective customers want and need.
• Educate: giving clear, helpful information about your product will help prevent return customers by increasing their satisfaction with your business and products. This also reduces customer service costs by streamlining the refund process if necessary.
• Increase CTR: using effective keywords in your description can improve click-through rates which improves SEO rankings which affects how high your page appears in the search results (for example, on Google), making it easier for potential customers to find you!

Well-written copy operates within these parameters while still attempting to engage readers, answer questions before they’re asked, give a sense of personality or environment, and seduce readers into purchasing what you’re selling as naturally – and seamlessly – as if they were talking to a salesperson at a brick-and-mortar store.

You can’t make this happen with robotic, stiff, or uninspired copy. Instead, your product descriptions should reflect the same level of quality and dedication that you put into all other elements of your business.

What NOT to do while writing a Product Description

This article is meant to inspire you and provide information on how to write product descriptions, not tell you what words or phrases to use. Every business has a unique personality and culture that make it stand out from the crowd, so writing compelling copy requires an understanding of who you are as a merchant, what your target audience wants and needs, and how your brand can fulfill those needs with compelling content.

Your goal is not to mimic the work of other merchants or businesses in your industry; instead, it’s about creating something new – original – within your realm of influence.

Therefore:

Don’t be repetitive: especially when selling multiple items (products) that serve the same purpose! A single feature-packed description will do instead of fragmenting your copy into numerous sections. If the product has any special qualities that make it unique, list them near the top of the description to avoid repeating yourself later.

Don’t be vague: examples and stories are your best friend when crafting effective content. You want to paint a picture of what using your product does for buyers’ lives, how it can save or improve their time and/or money in different ways, etc.

Don’t use loaded terms or sales language: unless you’re strictly writing for an audience with no prior knowledge beyond this article! Otherwise, keep your language straightforward and representative of who you are as a business owner/brand personality.

A simple e-commerce product description template and how to use it

The following template is an excellent place to start when writing product descriptions for your brand. Remember that it’s only intended to be a loose guide. Consider it less of a blueprint and more like a set of instructions that you’ll tailor to your needs as you go along. 

1. Headline: Use a headline that will catch your target audience’s attention. Add extra points if you connect with them on an emotional level.
2. Benefits-focused descriptive paragraph: to explain why the product is beneficial to the consumer
3. Key benefits list: Follow the description with a bulleted list of key features and specifications.
4. Call to action (CTA): Minimize remaining purchase barriers with credibility, brand value, product reviews, and a CTA.

Other Recommendations & Resources

Writing compelling copy is a balancing act between the four Cs, each of which you should keep in mind every step of the way when writing your product descriptions. As mentioned previously:

• Your goal is to educate and provide value for potential customers before selling them what you’re selling.
• Keep it simple! If someone struggles to understand what you’re trying to say within two sentences or less, they’ll move onto another business more efficiently.  
• Don’t assume they can read between the lines and figure it out with vague language; be direct and clear instead.
• Reading through Shopify’s five-star reviews is a great way to get inspiration but remember not to plagiarize any content verbatim – otherwise, it won’t reflect well on your business. Instead, try to copy the tone of their language and adapt it for your own business culture by adding more specific details about what makes your product different.
• Also, check out other businesses in your industry to get a feel for how they describe their products – without plagiarizing! – and incorporate that into your writing style.
• Lastly, remember that all copies should be easy-to-read but still enjoyable enough to stand alone when people share links (which happens frequently). This means keeping paragraphs around four sentences long and using lists whenever possible!

How to Write and Optimize Product Descriptions That Convert

Okay, you’ve got your rough structure. Now what? You’ll use data about your consumers, brand, and product to fill it in. Here are the phases you’ll go through:

Know who you’re talking to and what their problems are

The more specific you get about your target market, the more effective your product descriptions will be. If you’re selling to casual tourists, for example, they’ll have drastically different needs than someone who’s looking for a winter coat.

In addition to helping you understand their challenges and lifestyle concerns, knowing what language they use is crucial – and using it yourself is just as important. You can do this by researching blog posts similar in tone and structure to the copy you want to write; advertisements or promotional materials are also helpful resources.

The tone of your voice matters

As we mentioned before, your tone is a crucial part of how you communicate with customers. And the key to writing excellent product copy is finding an authentic voice that resonates with them.

Your descriptors should be relaxed and direct instead of formal or super-sales; try avoiding technical jargon unless it’s necessary to do so to explain a particular feature. By speaking directly to potential customers, you’ll make them feel like you’re on their level and therefore trustworthy – which will help them form positive opinions about your business overall!

Describe benefits than features

Remember, your product descriptions are meant to be educational and informative – not a sales pitch. Focus on what’s in it for them. Customers don’t care about how many individual cotton threads are included or the shipping weight; they want to know if your product will improve their lives.

Make sure your copy does that by explaining what problem each feature solves. Why will it make life easier? What can it do for people that they might not have even thought of before? Again, you’ll learn more by reading reviews (and taking copious notes) than by looking at billion-dollar brands’ websites.

Clear and concise

How to make your product description clear and concise? How to find out the best copy for your products? Use Shopify’s five-star reviews as inspiration but don’t plagiarize any of their text verbatims.

Look at other businesses in your industry to get a feel for how they describe their products. Lastly, remember that all descriptions should be easy-to-read but still enjoyable enough to stand alone when people share links (which happens frequently).

Keep paragraphs around four sentences long and use lists wherever possible. There you have it! Now go forth, write amazing product descriptions, and sell more than ever before.

Write as if they’re right in front of you

You’re not writing a letter to an address on the other side of the world. You’re writing for people who are in front of you, looking at your product, ready to buy it.

So write as if you were talking face-to-face with them and explain why they should buy your product. It’s easy when you know how and it works!

Run through a final edit checklist (yes, we’re going to get into the nitty-gritty details)

• Start with an opening line that’s attention-grabbing and informative.
• Keep paragraphs to four lines or less.
• Whenever possible, use bullet points, numbered lists, and short sentences.
• Use active voice as much as possible (e.g., “Our camera does ____.” not “Our camera’s ability to do ____ is its best feature.”).
• Write in the first person (e.g., “I love our new product! It makes me feel ___.” instead of “The user must feel…”).
• Include full spellings where appropriate-but don’t go overboard: most people won’t notice if you miss a few words here or there, but they will appreciate the friendly, casual tone.
• Keep it clear and concise: avoid flowery language that does nothing for your product but use a little fun where possible (of course, this depends on what business you’re in).
• Don’t forget to read it from beginning to end: if the paragraph is long, do a quick scan before posting it live. Then, if something doesn’t make sense or bugs you, go back and fix it!

Final Words

You know your products better than anyone, so it’s up to you to tell people about them.

Good product descriptions depend on passion and personality.

They shouldn’t be lifeless blocks of text that don’t pull readers in or compel them to click “Add to Cart.” You can accomplish this by creating an emotional connection between your company and your customers, using the power of words to paint a picture that captures their attention and tells them exactly why you think they’ll love it!

Remember, product descriptions aren’t just ad copy: they’re the voice of your brand. So play around with different combinations depending on what works best for you. And when in doubt, go with your intuition! That’s how great companies are born-when someone doesn’t follow a specific set of rules but does something that works better than anything else out there.

Don’t underestimate the importance of product descriptions. It’s your chance to grab new customers and keep them coming back for more, giving you a distinct advantage over your competition. At PERC, we are more than happy to help you turn your product description into high converting sales pitch. Reach out to our team to gain access to an experienced set of professionals that can help you!