How to Write Incredible Product Descriptions for your eCommerce Store
Thursday, March 3, 2016Kelly Nelson
Great Product Descriptions Help With SEO and Help Increase Conversions
Enticing
Attractive
Alluring
Appealing
Charming
Informative
These are all words that should come to mind with your product descriptions. They should be all of these things. We have written about the importance of good
product photos before, but the descriptions are important too. Words are powerful tools in the world of eCommerce, they’re what push you up in search engines, and are a critical component of driving sales. Here are a few things to remember when it comes to writing your descriptions.
Know who you’re talking to
This is critical and where your marketing strategy really starts. There are such things as buyer personas! Take the time to create and thing about them. We promise they are not a waste of time. Who is your customer? What are they looking for? Do a complete analysis of them. This is marketing 101…
Segmentation |
Questions to ask |
Geographic |
Where do they live?
Where do they travel?
Does climate affect their buying behaviour? |
Demographic |
How old are they?
What gender are they?
What is their household income?
What is their marital status? |
Psychographic |
What do they value?
Do they follow a specific set of beliefs?
What motivates them? |
Behavioural |
What are their buying behaviours?
How often do they shop?
Are they heavy researchers before a purchase?
Are they impulse buyers? |
All of these questions are important when identifying your buyer’s persona. Then, just for fun, give them a name and ask yourself
“Would Ned purchase this product?”
Be FAB!
This is key. Your product description should clearly identify the
Features
, Advantages and
Benefits. That is the only way to FAB descriptions. They need to have good flow and allow the reader (Ned) to fully understand why they need to make the purchase. Here are the questions to ask yourself if we’re using a pair of running shoes as an example:
Features: What features does your product have that sets it apart from your competition?
On tennis shoes: Arch and ankle support
Advantage: What does this provide for your persona?
On tennis shoes: provides superior support for players
Benefits: What will your persona gain from this?
On tennis shoes: Less soreness the next day.
Remember, be FAB!
Be the best storyteller you can be
Tell a story and make your persona the lead character! The best product descriptions are the ones where your customer can clearly envision themselves using the product and benefiting from it. Set the scene, tell the story, and use descriptive words to help the process. Remember that verbs are better than adjectives. They are far more compelling!
Give em’ something to talk about
Always have social icons near every description and picture. It’s important to use buzzwords in your descriptions. Using key words that your audience and personas are using make it extremely sharable. Like we always say, word of mouth is the best form of marketing.
Find your voice and raise it!
This goes back to knowing your audience and your persona. This will obviously vary on what you’re selling and who you are selling to. This voice can define your brand, your culture and the personality behind your product.
Are you speaking to a sophisticated business audience? If that is the case, you may want to up your game with a more informative and formal tone.
Is your audience a younger consumer base? If that is the case then lighten the mood with less formal language.
This last step is really what brings everything together. The other steps above bring everything together to find your voice. This is what will make the difference in your product descriptions.