Do your product descriptions match the tone of voice and the language of your brand? Are they uniquely yours and crafted to match your branding strategy?
Great product descriptions have a number of distinct attributes. Today, I want to share with you what some of those attributes are so you can check them against your current product descriptions and zero in on areas where there is room for improvement.
1. High-Converting Product Descriptions Turn Features into Benefits
In almost all areas of content marketing, there is one strategy that works better than any other: identify a problem and provide the solution. A good product description doesn’t only explain what the product does; it explains why it does it.
Think about it: Would you be quicker to buy a household cleaner that promises “advanced stain-fighting ability” or one that assures you that it “gets rid of stains that every other cleaner you’ve tried has failed to remove”? Assume that there is a preexisting problem, name it, and promise to solve it.
2. High-Converting Product Descriptions Eliminate Common Questions
While you don’t want the length of your product description to turn into a dissertation, you do want it to be as thorough as possible. Descriptions that leave lingering questions tend to lose sales. People want to know that when they spend money on something, that thing is going to be of particular benefit to them.
Instead of burying details in a paragraph that is less likely to be read, consider using bullet points or separating your descriptions with line breaks in between sentences. List information that answers the most common questions first, or better still, try to answer them in the headline, like this: “Concentrated Ice Melter, 10 Pound Bag – 100% Safe for Pets.”
3. High-Converting Product Descriptions Are Persuasive, Not Pushy
As strange as it may seem, you want to keep the sales language in your product description to a minimum. Most customers don’t buy into the hard-sell approach. The best way to get the message across is to write the description as if the reader has already made the decision to buy. Play up the key benefits but write the description in a way that tells customers they’re making the choice to try the product.
“In just two days from now, you’ll be on your way to a whiter, brighter smile.”
“You’ll notice a difference in how you feel by the end of the week.”
“Congratulations on your decision to have more energy and add years to your life with Pure and Natural Supplements.”
4. High-Converting Product Descriptions Use Balanced Visuals
Your brand voice needs to be heard through everything on your site, and that includes the visuals. Set the tone for your product descriptions and stick with it. When your pages have a sense of balance, it instills confidence in your message. This includes the images you select for your product descriptions, your page layouts, ad placement, and color scheme.
5. High-Converting Product Descriptions Tell a Story
Emotional language has been proven to improve conversion rates in all kinds of content. If you can develop a brief narrative around your product based on things that are likely to make your ideal avatar want to buy, chances are good that your description will convert.
“This Valentine’s Day, don’t spend hours or days searching for the perfect gift only to fall back on the old standards. This year, say ‘I love you’ in a whole new and exciting way with one of these smart accessories from our Hearts and Diamonds line.”
The Bottom Line
It’s easy to write high-converting product descriptions if you know your audience, what matters to them, and how they respond to visuals and you are committed to being evocative as well as informative in your copy. Drive the benefits. Answer questions within the descriptions. Persuade but don’t push. Make your pages easy on the eyes and tell a good story. It’s the perfect formula for success.
If after reading this and gauging your product descriptions against these attributes you decide that certain changes are in order, I would encourage you to look into working with a professional copywriting company on your next campaign. As professionals in this field, we see it all – the good, the bad, and the OMG! A professional pair of eyes might just be able to give your product descriptions the push they need to start seeing better conversions.