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6 Tips for Writing Powerful Product Descriptions That Convert

By Dwayne Coots on Sep 30, 2021

One of the most memorable lines from The Wolf of Wall Street is “Sell me this pen,” because the ensuing pitches really highlight the importance of wording when it comes to making sales. Sure, a product description provides site visitors with essential information about the features and benefits of your items. But the main goal of this copy is not only to educate potential buyers about your products, but also to entice them to buy. Conversion rate optimization should always be in the forefront of the writer’s mind.

When writing a product description, most entrepreneurs fall into the trap of only providing details that describe their item. However, this is simply not enough. A product description that sells requires some extra effort. It needs to help shoppers recognize the unique selling proposition of a product, and how the item can be a solution to a frustrating challenge.

With a well-written product description, you can persuade casual browsers to make a purchase and boost your conversion rate. In this article, you’ll find tips for crafting persuasive product descriptions that convert.

What Makes a Good Product Description?

A good product description provides an answer to every question that a buyer may have, while also incorporating keywords to boost SEO. Some of the common questions among shoppers include

  • What challenge does this product fix?
  • How will using this item benefit me?
  • What sets this product apart from similar products in the market?

Ensure that your product description answers these questions in a way that makes the act of purchasing irresistible.

Here are 6 actionable tips that will help you transform your product descriptions.

1. Define Your Target Shopper

An excellent product description starts with a clear understanding of your buyer persona. What’s the age, location, needs, desires, interests and income level of your target audience? Are they the end-users of your products or are they retailers?

If you’re writing for a broad, faceless group of shoppers, it becomes harder to identify details that you need to include in your product description, and what you can omit.

Once you define your ideal customer, you can be more intentional and choose words that resonate deeper with them. For example, if you’re selling shoes to avid runners, you’re likely to use different descriptions than if you are selling shoes designed for children.

2. Use Benefits and Features to Encourage Purchases

Depending on the type of product, buyers will either prioritize benefits or the features of an item. For instance, if you’re selling a portable speaker, a potential customer will be interested in specs such as transmission range, connectivity and play time. On the other hand, a buyer looking for hair care products will be more concerned with the benefits of the item.

You need to identify what motivates purchases from consumers for your specific products – features or benefits? With this information, you can be more intentional with your product descriptions and prioritize the essential details.

3. Incorporate Social Proof

When it comes to conversion rate optimization, social proof can be an invaluable tool. Just think about it. How many times have you based a buying decision on online reviews from other users? High-praising, genuine testimonials can quickly convert even the casual browser. And nearly nine out of ten buyers read reviews before making a purchase!

Here are a few effective ways you can incorporate social proof into your product descriptions.

  • Display the most outstanding 5-star reviews from your customers in the product description.
  • If your product has won any awards, you can describe it as “award-winning” or “best-selling.”
  • It’s gold to feature quotes from celebrities or publications that have tried and praised your products.

If your company is not in a position to leverage its reviews, you can reach out to a business listing service. Among other services, a listing provider can help you

  • Reach out and request reviews
  • Promote and respond to positive reviews
  • Monitor and resolve negative reviews

4. Keep it Scannable

Nobody likes reading huge blocks of text. And the last thing you want is for potential clients to have to comb through chunks of text just to access the information that they need. When writing product descriptions, you want to ensure that everything is as easy to read as possible. One of the easiest ways to make your content scannable is through the use of bullet points.

For instance, if you’re listing features or specs of an item, you can use bullet points to highlight each specific point. You can also incorporate checkmarks when listing the benefits of your product. This will not only make the text easy to digest, but it will also add an appealing visual element to your copy. Besides bullet points, you can increase scannability by

  • Incorporating headlines to break up sections
  • Including a lot of white space
  • Using larger font size to enhance readability

5. Tell a Story

Whether you’re selling on a marketplace or on your own website, you can add a mini-story to your product description. This approach will help your company to stand out, and buyers can connect better with your brand. Information that you can work into your story includes

  • A brief history of your company
  • What inspired your product
  • The benefits of the product
  • How the product is created

6. Optimize Your Product Descriptions for Search Engines

When you’re writing product descriptions, it’s crucial to not only consider the shoppers but also the search engines. In this age, SEO is one of the best channels that marketers can use to boost traffic and sales. In fact, statistics show that 89% of marketers have found SEO to be successful. For optimal results, you can identify relevant keywords and plan your product description with these keywords in mind. Some tools that can be helpful through this process include Semrush and Keywords Insights tool by Snippet Digital.

A Powerful Product Description Will Always Pay You Back

When you write persuasive product descriptions that meet the expectations of shoppers, you’ll be better placed to motivate purchases and increase your conversion rates. Apply these six tips when creating your brief descriptions and watch your business attract, compel and convert more browsers into buyers. Above all, write with enthusiasm about your products.  Your infectious passion will shine through.

If you need help with digital marketing or business listing services, contact us at Umbrella Local for a free consultation.

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