The purpose of a product description is to persuade potential customers into buying from you as opposed to any other retailer. It should inform the customer of all the features, benefits and the all-round value they are going to be getting.
A product description page is prime real estate where you can influence buying decisions. However, it isn’t just down to creative descriptions to explain the features and to establish the value, the UX and imagery also need to be tip-top, alongside the actual product and the price.
For those who already have product descriptions on their website, first and foremost, check for duplication. SEO ready descriptions should be fresh and unique but in eCommerce, they are often found to be duplicated with many vendors selling the same items.
It’s easy to check if your description is duplicated on any other web pages.
Why not embrace the opportunity and start advising potential customers in a creative way as to why they should look to buy from you, and not the competition?
The product description blurb needs to make it clear to a potential purchaser exactly why they need your product or how it can solve their problem.
When on the hunt for new hiking boots the requirements are likely to be that they are both supportive and comfortable for your feet and that they provide grip on the terrain. When writing the product description copy, look to address how the product is going to bring the customer value and meet their needs.
Talk about how the hiking boots are a “must for hikers” and offer “optimal support and unfaltering grip”. The consumer will be left in no doubt that they are purchasing an item that is going to meet their needs. Supportive arguments like “progressively-designed’ and the suitability of the boots in both “wet and dry weather” backup the value in your proposition.
Highlight the additional features that make the product uniquely valuable. Explain the product's USP and how it outperforms the competitors'. Referring back to hiking shoes, if there is some technology behind the shoe that nobody else on the market is offering such as a “three-tiered Exploration Trax System” make this prominent in the product description. This will make the consumer aware that they are purchasing something special.
Consumers want a product description that packs a punch and gives them all the details in a succinct format. Remove anything that doesn’t apply to your exact product and generic terms such as ‘the best’. The customer should be informed enough from your description as to whether the product is suitable for them or if they need to look elsewhere.
Bullet points are perfect to include along with the product description copy. We are a generation of internet shoppers so we naturally skim read. We are on the lookout for those prestigious key features which contain all the valuable information in perfect bite-size chunks.
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If you have any FAQs that customers ask you, convert these into bullet points that outline the key features of your product.
Title tags and meta descriptions are pivotal for gaining visibility in the SERPs. You can use your new product description copywriting skills to help your SEO efforts. Optimising your metadata should be an ongoing process, so make sure you regularly review your product description pages and enhance those with high bounce rates, or those with high impressions and low click-through rates.
A bit of keyword research can uncover the features that your customers are most frequently looking for, so include the most relevant search terms alongside the title of your product. For hiking shoes, terms such as ‘waterproof’, ‘gore-tex’, ‘black’ and the actual brand of the product ‘North Face’ are all regularly searched terms.
An optimised title tag could look like “Men’s Waterproof Truxel Mid Hiking Shoes | North Face”
Meta descriptions should point out exactly what the user is going to find should they click through to your page and should supplement the title tag in the SERPs. Include some product features that you think people will be searching for when looking for a product like yours, such as the materials or colour.
The importance of well-written product descriptions can often be overlooked. By spending the time writing, or rewriting your product descriptions, you can reap great rewards for your eCommerce business. Well thought-out on page titles and copy can ensure that your till is ringing, whilst continually tweaking and updating the metadata and looking to optimise it where possible will also ensure you improve your chances of being found by users searching for products just like yours.
Should your eCommerce website need a refresh or your social media need an added spark, we’d love to hear from you. We also help many customers manage PPC, which is another excellent way to boost your eCommerce efforts and performs even better once your pages and product descriptions have been optimised.
From SEO to web design, our extensive and experienced team love working with eCommerce clients and developing their websites, so please get in touch.
Content Creator
James joined the Blue Frontier Digital Marketing team as a Content Writer in December 2018. Graduating with a degree in English and History, he has since obtained experience in digital marketing from the logistics industry. He is now developing a deeper knowledge of SEO and utilising his writing skills to help businesses improve their online visibility.
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