Eight simple steps to write epic product descriptions that boost conversions

Product descriptions are an integral part of your sales funnel. By infusing creativity and perfect optimization, you not only can improve your marketing copy but also boost your ecommerce conversion rate. 

Since online buying doesn’t allow customers to have a tactile buying experience, ecommerce store owners have to put in extra effort to prove that their product is the right fit for the customers. 

The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is they write product descriptions for the sake of describing their product features only. However, the fact is that marketers should create descriptions that help them accentuate their product pages.

Ideally, your product descriptions should represent a unique value proposition alongside offering the perfect solution to an annoying problem. 

Online sellers that don’t overlook the significance of creative product descriptions witness lower bounce rates and better ecommerce conversion rate than stores that don’t get this step right.

In this article, you’ll learn how to write epic product descriptions that boost conversions. So without any further delay, let’s get started.

What is a product description?

A product description is a marketing copy that contains information about key product features and benefits. The goal of the product description is to provide customers with information and specifics to encourage them to want to invest their money in your products and services.

As a general rule, your descriptions should provide answers to the following questions:

• “What problem does your product solve?”
• “What does your buyer gain from using this product?”
• “What sets your product apart from the rest of the competition?”

Essentials of a good product description

Before we highlight the eight simple steps to writing compelling product descriptions, we’re going to have a quick look at some of the essentials you should incorporate in your descriptions to convince shoppers to reach their credit cards and make a purchase.

Keyword enrichment

Keywords keep your product descriptions visible in front of search engines. Integrating the right mix of keywords into your product copy helps Google deliver results that direct potential customers to your product pages.

Here the key is to maintain the perfect balance as too little optimization leaves you unnoticed, while too much appears as keyword stuffing.

Customer engagement

A winning product description should demonstrate how your product fills a need in the customer’s life.

A description that only highlights product features cannot engage the reader or boost ecommerce conversions. Why? Because it is focusing on generic elements only instead of providing a real-time solution to the customer’s problems. 

Highlighting specifics

Poorly-written descriptions are generally boring and unappealing. Most of the time, they contain duplicate content (that you get from your manufacturer).

The information you provide regarding product benefits and features should address potential customer’s queries (even before they’re asked).

Frequent updates

Your product pages constantly evolve based upon different factors, including page conversions, bounce rates, and the latest trends. Just ensure you keep tracking changes and adjust your product copy accordingly for the best results. 

Eight simple steps to writing epic product descriptions that boost conversions

1. Focus on your target audience

You’ll have to know your target audience before you write product descriptions for your e-commerce store. 

Trying to write a copy with a huge crowd of customers in mind will result in descriptions that are not targeted. 

Also, the tone and vocabulary you should use in descriptions solely depend on the type of audience you’re writing for. For example, if you run a toy store online, your descriptions should sound fun and humorous. Similarly, if you sell fitness pills or any other type of medicine, you should keep your tone professional.

The process starts by imagining your ideal buyer. Try to find out the best words and phrases that your target audience appreciates and uses regularly.

2. Sell an experience

The biggest ecommerce store mistake owners make is they only focus on individual product benefits and features. 

But did you know your potential customers are more interested in the perks of each feature separately? Here, the key is to highlight the advantages of each of your product features. Talk about specs that will help your buyers feel more productive and happy.

Remember, your goal as a marketer is to sell an experience and not just a product. 

3. Do not include “yeah-yeah” phrases

Writing creative product descriptions isn’t a walk in the park. It’s a creative skill that requires owners to create a copy that instantly grabs their customer’s attention. 

Sadly, the majority of online sellers write descriptions because they feel it’s a part of the entire process. Especially when they’re stuck with words, they try to incorporate filler words and phrases, such as, ‘premium-quality products’, ‘top-rated products’,  and the like.

These phrases are called the ‘yeah-yeah’ phrases in the ecommerce world. As soon as a website visitor goes through such words and phrases, they think, yeah, yeah, that’s pretty obvious. After all, nobody ranks its product quality as below-average or bad. 

To avoid this reaction, you must stick to the basics. Try to be as specific as possible and highlight technical aspects instead of just bragging about your product quality and benefits.

4. Provide specific proof

Superlatives mean nothing unless you have the proof to back them up. Make sure you have evidence to prove why your product is the best.

For instance, if you deal with electronic products, you can talk about patents, their construction, quality certifications, etc.

The idea is to give your readers the impression that there is something special about your offer. If you don’t have the references to prove that your product is a real deal, you must tone your copy down. Alternatively, you can also quote a customer testimonial to show that there are people who think your product is the best thing they have experienced so far.

5. Include sensory words

Research suggests that sensory words engage more brain processing power and help improve the ecommerce conversion rate.

What are Sensory Words?

Sensory words are descriptive. They explain how we experience the world using our five senses.

Let’s suppose you run a chocolate store online. You can use more sensory adjectives like smooth, crunchy, velvety, sweet, aromatic, and crisp to your descriptions to dazzle your readers.

Similarly, people tend to trust brands that have high-quality images included in their products. 

Words, such as ‘you’, ‘new’, ‘guaranteed’, and ‘free’ are Power words that make your descriptions sound more effective and help your customers experience your copy while reading. 

6. Use a scannable design

Instead of throwing words in front of your customers, make sure you spend time and energy in creating descriptions that look more organized and professional.

Use white spaces, headlines, and bullets to highlight each product benefit separately. The more readable your product descriptions are, the better your customers will comprehend the associated benefits.

If you sell smartphones, you’ll want to convert specs into a checklist or bullet points for an easy read. Don’t forget to use the right font to improve readability and increase conversions.

7. Split test it

No matter how professional your product descriptions look at first glance, you must always split test them for different factors.

Split testing, also known as A/B testing, enables owners to compare two different variants of the same thing to determine which performs better. 

Test your descriptions for different formats, lengths, fonts, and more. With this info at hand, you can better optimize your product pages and boost ecommerce conversions.

8. Include all the details

The goal of writing a compelling product description copy is to provide your potential customers with all the relevant details, specs, and info they might need to make a purchase.

For example, if you sell footwear or apparel online, your product page should include every possible detail, including size charts, care instructions, material info, and other details to help your customers choose the right product for themselves.

Similarly, if you sell any food items, you must highlight allergen details and ingredients to improve the user experience. 

Bonus tips

Write your own product descriptions

Never copy/paste descriptions you get from your manufacturer. The same manufacturer supplies products to multiple stores, and if they’re also using similar descriptions, your store will have difficulty getting its due place in SERPs. 

Also, you’ll be at higher risk of getting penalized due to duplicate content. 

It’s crucial to understand that product descriptions provide ecommerce store owners with an opportunity to show the creative side of their business. It’s your chance to prove to your potential customers that your products offer the best value for their money.

If you think writing compelling product descriptions isn’t your cup of tea, you can also hire a creative copywriter to do this job for you. 

Use online tools

Also, if hiring a copywriter isn’t an option currently, you may also leverage different tools available online. 

You can also hire someone from online academic writing services to create descriptions. 

Basic tools, such as Grammarly, Cite It In, etc will help you refine your descriptions. Also, you can use keyword research tools to determine the most appropriate keywords you can use for your descriptions. 

Optimize your descriptions for better conversions

Whether it’s your product descriptions, the About Us section on your website, or your blogs, you have to ensure that every content piece available on your website is optimized for SEO.

Again, there are different online tools available for this purpose. The idea is to find out keywords that are relevant to your product. For example, if you dropship cosmetics online, you can choose keywords like ‘MAC highlighters’, ‘Maybelline Red Lipsticks’, and more. 

Here, it is crucial to understand that the unnecessary use of keywords is going to ruin your ranking.  

Here are a few tips you must consider before you write SEO-optimized product descriptions for your e-store:

• Include keywords in headings/subheadings
• Do not write for search engines
• Leverage LSI keywords
• Optimize product images and videos
• Avoid keyword stuffing at any cost

Use the right tone

Your tone of voice says it all. With the right tone, you can target customers who are truly interested in your product range.

As mentioned above, your tone should be in line with the type of products and services you’re selling online. Those selling life vests or coffins cannot use a casual tone. Similarly, those selling fun products, like swimming pools, fashion accessories, or costumes must stick to a tone that is lively and engaging.

All in all, your descriptions should represent the unique personality of your business. It’s also crucial to keep your brand tone in mind before you write descriptions for your business. 

Spell check your work

Carefully go through your descriptions to ensure there are no grammar mistakes and typos. 

Key takeaways

There you have it – Eight simple steps to write epic product descriptions that boost conversions.

The good thing about these steps is that they’re all tried and tested, meaning you can implement them right away without worrying about the results. 

Have questions or are looking to add something valuable to this list? Drop your feedback in the comments section below. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Ricky Hayes is the Co-Founder and Head of Marketing at Debutify – free Shopify theme, helping drop shippers build high-converting stores in minutes. He is a passionate entrepreneur running multiple businesses, marketing agencies, and mentoring programs.