6 Tips for Writing eCommerce Product Descriptions That Sell

How to Increase Sales on Your Website With Winning Product Descriptions

A product page is where the magic happens - where your potential customer makes the commitment to add to the cart. We’ve talked before about how important product photography is, but there’s another crucial aspect of a product page: the description of the product.

Depending on the product you sell, the amount of information on a product description can vary. Whether it’s a lot of information and specifics or a high-level description, we put together six tips so you can craft product descriptions that get your potential customers to convert to buyers.

1. Think About Who is Buying

What do they care about? What are the things they are looking for in the product? When you sit in your buyers' shoes and consider what is important to them, it can help you decide the hierarchy of information to include on the page. Whether it’s what your product is made of, or it’s specific benefits, it’s good to consider what matters most. 

For our friends at Compendium, they sell a lot of different lines of cards, so it’s important for them to include information about what the card says on the inside, as well as the different types of cards. For example, their Positively Green line is made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper so they include that under the product details.

2. Consider Your FAQ’s

Do some of your products tend to bring up the same questions consistently? Providing that information right away in your description can be a great way to describe the product and ease the work of your customer service team.

One type of business that should consider FAQ’s heavily is those stores selling clothing. Sharing the specific details of the product like it’s specific measurements (inseam, rise, etc), what materials it is comprised of, how to care for the garment, and if it fits true to size are all great things to include in your product details.

3. Use Descriptive & Sensory Words

This is where you can have fun with your product description. When describing your product, consider what senses are used most and craft a narrative around the product. Maybe it’s the tantalizing smell of food, or the buttery soft material of a sweater, or even the luxurious feel of a leather couch…  using these sensory words helps a user better imagine themselves enjoying, wearing, or even sitting on your product.

4. Keep Your Brand Voice

Although it can be easy to default to technical language, if you have a strong brand voice, make sure that it’s still felt in the product description. You can use this voice in the descriptive words, how you talk about the product, and how much info you provide. 

A great example is our friends at XKGlow, who has a very recognizable brand voice that speaks well to their target persona:

“Mysterious light unexpectedly emitting from the iconic (and probably epic) backup wheel of your Jeep, like a fighter jet nozzle ready to burst power. Unlike other spare tire light with sparse dotted LEDs, XKGLOW state-of-the-art LED disc illuminates the entire surface, so light is visible between every spoke. The sequential turn signal is our favorite function and you will never get tired of watching it in action. The integrated reverse mode illuminates the wheel in ultra-bright white light that no one can miss.”

5. Make It Easy to Scan

Consider the most important aspects of your description and make sure that you’re able to see them upon a quick scan. If you have a lot of specifics like measurements, multiple materials, or other notes, consider bullet points to provide the information to your users. A bulleted list makes it easy to scan for high-level points and make sure the most important information is read by your user.

6. Use Your Keywords

Finally, don’t forget about SEO. Remember the keywords that you’re hoping or currently rank for and include them in the description as well. Don’t just throw them in there in hopes of ranking, but work them into your description naturally.

One good trick is to pretend like you don’t have a photo of the product so you have to describe it at a high-level to your customer. Tell them the color, style, material, and any other high-level benefits.

To wrap this up, we’re going to give you our write up of a product description for this black turtleneck to give you an example of how easy it can be!

Our classic black turtleneck was designed to be a staple in your wardrobe. It’s a relaxed fit that’s made of a blend of cashmere and alpaca for ultimate softness. This butter-soft material stays best when washed cold and hung dry.

• About 24.5" from shoulder to hem
•  Size small shown
•  Made in the US
•  Relaxed fit

And with that, we wish you good luck writing your product descriptions. Remember, no one knows your business as well as you do, so feel confident in your writing. 

Need some help with your eCommerce website? 

We can help! From copywriting product copy to reimagining your entire site, we are happy to help. Reach out to one of our digital strategists here.