If you’re running your own ecommerce store, chances are you’ve run into the dreaded “Product description paradox”. Do you spend the time now perfecting and optimising your product descriptions, or do you just add a couple of words and save your time for something else? Depending on the product you’re selling and the kind of store you’re running, the answer can change. But one thing is for sure: You need to have some kind of product description, otherwise people will go searching for info elsewhere! And if you’re trying to stay competitive, that’s the last thing you want. If you really want to sell, you going to have to put some effort your product descriptions. Use these 5 tips to turn your sub product text into product descriptions that sell! You don’t need to channel Shakespeare through your product descriptions to sell. Two or three sentences with the right words are going to get you far more traction than an essay of filler text. You want to give your customer the information they need to make a purchase without forcing them to burn energy reading through everything. To avoid going too far it can be helpful to bullet point what you want to include in the product description first. Then set yourself a short limit, around 180 characters, and get writing. This is the length people see in Google initially, and what Google looks at for rankings. After that initial length feel free to write about product specifications and additional details that might be useful for the customer. SEO is a huge part of selling online these days, and if you’re neglecting to write for Google when you write your product descriptions, you’re missing out. Google crawls product descriptions and titles to decide which products go where in their “shopping” tab, as well as the search engine results page and sidebar. This means that if you’re putting the right keywords in your product description, Google is going to pick these up and rank your products and product pages accordingly. Think about what your customers are searching for and include those terms in your product title and description. For example, if you were looking to buy a red rain jacket you probably wouldn’t be searching in Google for a red rain jacket with a hood, removable sleeves, Goretex waterproofing and thermal insulation. No, you’d probably just search “red rain jacket”, “rain jacket with hood”, “thermal rain jacket” or something similar. While you need to include the key features of your product in your title and description, they need to be included naturally to better fit people’s actual search terms. I’ll expand on this in a bit, but basically just write naturally, not like a robot. Just like any writing, product descriptions have their own “writing taboos”. You want to avoid using words that seem cliched and lazy, as well as phrases that imply buyer’s remorse. Avoid non-committal and bland words such as “just”, “nice”, “very” or “maybe”, and stop using worn out words like “epic”, “stunning” and “incredible”. Then there’s your buyer’s remorse indicators. For most general products, using words that may make the customer feel guilty for buying, words like “expensive” and “treat yourself” are a no go. Stick to creating a feeling of certainty and value for money in your writing, even if your product is actually expensive. While there are certain words that seem a bit underhanded for product descriptions, there’s no denying that they sell. Of course, I’m talking about deals, value and exclusive offers. People love a good deal, and letting your customers know that your product is a one-time offer, exclusive to your store and great value for money is going to push you over that line and secure the sale. It’s good practice to weave these concepts into your writing naturally to stop the sceptics. Instead of flat out saying “Get this one-time exclusive deal that will save you money”, try building a story that details the multiple uses of the product, how the product is essential for certain situations and what makes it a deal or exclusive. You can use these words, but use them in context. Most people aren’t only looking to buy a red jacket. They want something that will make them look stylish, boost their confidence, and make them feel proud of their purchase. You want to set a scene in your product description in which they have the things they’re looking for. Sell that idea of confidence, a luxury lifestyle or happiness, with your product as the solution. This can be tricky at first but you’ll get the hang of it with practice. Here’s an example: “This luxury men’s razor will keep you looking immaculate all year round. Its unique five blade design provides the perfect shave for a night out on the town or an important meeting, and is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression wherever you go.” Note how it includes a value of the product, a product feature, and a couple of situations where the value is important. These are the sorts of things you’ll want to think about when writing for your products. Here’s a tried and tested template you can use for your own product descriptions: This product is [product feature or value]. It’s [product feature for SEO] is ideal/perfect for [value or use] or [value/use]. [Don’t miss out on this deal!] Keep in mind, this template is flexible and can be changed depending on the product and the target market. Feel free to throw in words like deal and exclusive, as well as anything else that might be important to the customers you’re trying to attract. Just remember to stick to these guidelines and your product descriptions will be sure to blow away the competition. For more great articles, tutorials and guides like this, check out the rest of the Xugar blog and SEO Melbourne popular service!1. Keep it Simple
2. Optimise for SEO
3. Avoid Words that Kill Excitement or Induce Buyer’s Remorse
4. Provide a Little Motivation
5. Sell the Value, Not the Product
