Ecommerce product descriptions are one of the most important, yet one of the most overlooked components of any successful online store. Although it may seem like product descriptions should describe your product (I mean, describe is in the actual word), that is only a small part of it. Ecommerce product descriptions are actually sales copy that has to communicate the entirety of the product to your prospective customer with words. Your customer is not in a physical store touching and inspecting the product, so you have to do that for them.

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What is an ecommerce product description?

If you are not a natural writer, do not be afraid to hire a professional to write your product descriptions. Hiring a professional writer is a great investment into the quality of your business and it will pay off. Submitting a project request for product description creation will give you an idea of how much you will spend for professional product descriptions. Submit a request here.

An ecommerce product description is the marketing copy that gives you the opportunity to convince your potential customer that your product is worth buying. It is also an opportunity to use keywords to create a more discoverable website through SEO.

The quality of ecommerce product descriptions can easily make or break a sale and strongly influence an online store’s conversions. But, what should they say and how long should they be? How can they be written for the customer AND for search engines?

First things first, if you are not a strong writer or lack creativity, be honest with yourself and hire a writer for your product descriptions. There are several affordable writing services available that can help with ecommerce product descriptions. Aliexpress product descriptions or your supplier’s canned descriptions will not cut it. The point is to be different. Plus, Google punishes sites with generic, duplicate content.

Here are some best practices for writing powerful ecommerce product descriptions that convert sales.

Create a Product Description Format Template

Part of your brand image should include the style and format of your ecommerce product descriptions. Decide which format will resonate with your target audience and be consistent with every product description.

A simple formula is: [1-2 sentences of descriptive prose or a quick story] + [Bullet points that cover what, where, and when] + [Video or product images] + [1-2 sentences that answers why and how] = powerful ecommerce product description.

It is important to list features and benefits in a bulleted format because research shows that shoppers scan text. It is equally as important to include one or two short paragraphs to connect with the shopper. The prose portion of the product description will allow you to brand a tone that carries through all of your products. Here is an example of a product description that is working for this brand:

Answer the 5 Ws with Product Descriptions

Think back to your lower grades when your teacher taught you the five Ws.

Who, what, where, when, and why. The five Ws can guide you to a strong product description.

• Who needs the product? To answer this effectively, you must already know and understand your target audience. Are you speaking to men, women, senior citizens, college aged people, someone in a particular lifestyle demographic? Speak directly to your defined target audience.
• What is the product? Provide the details of the product including materials, size, shape, features, and functions. Describe the product to the reader as if they can’t see the product image.
• Where is the product useful? Is it the perfect beach accessory or is it perfect for an RV? Is it meant for indoors or outdoors? Draw attention to as many places as you can where the product can be used. This gets the buyer thinking about the reasons why they have to buy it now.
• When could the product be used? Is the product designed for a certain season or year round? Are there specific occasions or circumstances when the product is essential? Point out the long term value, if there is some.
• Why is the product necessary? Overcome objections and explain why your product is better or how it differentiates from your competitor. This is the part where you explain the benefits of the product and the value it has to your customer. Speak directly to your customer’s emotional side.

It is also important to explain how the product works. Inserting a video demonstrating how the product is used can build trust with buyers. Plus, embedded videos improve product page SEO. Google favors videos.

Use Researched Keywords

Think like your ideal customer. Which words would you use to find the product if you were using Google to search for it? Make a list of 2-3 words for each product. Run the keywords through a keyword tool and analyze the search volume and keyword competition levels. Try to find a sweet spot of decent search volume and low competition. Then use the best keyword in your product title and description. Using targeted keywords is one way to help catapult your products to the top of Google searches.

Ways to Differentiate Your Brand

Do you want to be known as the brand who tells engaging stories with product descriptions or as the brand with unique product videos? Think carefully about your product and come up with something unique and catchy.

Storytelling. Are you products handmade by residents of a commune? If so, talk about it. Did you come up with the product idea in your parent’s basement and now it is patented? That’s cool and people will remember it. Whatever it is that makes you excited to sell your products, talk about it.

Authority. Are you an industry expert and you have personally tested the product yourself? Or have you paid for clinical trials? If you have some authority, talk about it. People trust experts.

Visuals. Interesting visuals grab attention. Can you create infographics that explain your product? Can you include technical drawings of your products? Are you a master at producing product videos? Create an eye catching visual and carry it throughout your product descriptions.

Charlie at BadAss Beard uses personal videos and “Other BadAsses” to clearly communicate the benefits of his products and instill buyer confidence with visuals.

Play Bigger. I say this a lot and the expression is inspired by one of my favorite marketing books by the same name. Don’t start writing your product descriptions until you can come up with a way to be different and play bigger than your competition. Do not settle for average ecommerce product descriptions or you will get average results.

The Short and Sweet

Understand your audience and speak directly to them. Know your product and communicate it with excitement and confidence. Your ecommerce product descriptions are the chance you have been waiting for to SELL.