How to Write Product Descriptions That Convert

Writing product descriptions that convert visitors into buyers is critical for any e-commerce business. A good product description does more than list features. It describes a narrative, offers solutions, and urges customers to take action. With stiff competition in e-commerce, every product page needs to be conversion-optimized.

In this guide, we’ll teach you how to write product descriptions that are informative and compelling enough to get people to click the buy button.

1. Know Your Audience

Understand Your Customer’s Needs

The first step in writing persuasive product descriptions is knowing your audience. Your descriptions should resonate with potential buyers by addressing their pain points and showing how your product helps.

• Solution: Identify your customers, their challenges, and their desires. Use this to present your product in a way that speaks to their needs.
• Best Practice: Create buyer personas to shape your tone, language, and benefits highlighted in your descriptions.

Speak Their Language

The tone and style of your descriptions should match your customers’ communication style. A formal tone may work for corporate clients, while a casual one suits a younger audience.

• Solution: Use language that reflects your audience’s culture. If they prefer technical jargon, include it. If they enjoy humour, add a light touch.
• Best Practice: Test different tones to find out what resonates best using A/B testing or customer feedback.

2. Focus on Benefits, Not Just Features

Highlight the Benefits

While features are important, focusing solely on them misses the point. Customers want to know how the product improves their lives.

• Solution: Turn features into benefits by explaining how they solve a problem. For instance, instead of “This jacket is waterproof,” say, “Stay dry and comfortable with our 100% waterproof jacket.”
• Best Practice: Use action words that evoke what the customer will experience, like “enhance,” “transform,” or “enjoy.”

Address Pain Points

Effective descriptions touch on customers’ pain points. A strong description acknowledges their problems and presents your product as the solution.

• Solution: Consider your customer’s frustrations and explain how your product eases them. For example, “Tired of tangled headphones? Our cord-free Bluetooth headphones let you move freely.”
• Best Practice: Use emotional language that connects with the customer’s struggles. This builds a stronger bond and increases the chance of a purchase.

3. Use Persuasive Language and Power Words

Incorporate Power Words

Using power words can enhance your descriptions and boost conversions. These words spark emotions and create urgency. Terms like “exclusive,” “limited,” and “guaranteed” add value.

• Solution: Sprinkle power words throughout your descriptions to generate excitement. For example, “Experience the luxurious softness of our cashmere sweater” or “Claim your exclusive offer today!”
• Best Practice: Make sure your power words match your brand’s message and fit naturally in your descriptions.

Build Trust with Social Proof

Adding customer testimonials, reviews, or ratings can help persuade customers. When potential buyers see that others had positive experiences, they’re more likely to trust your product.

• Solution: To demonstrate your product’s popularity, include a few highlighted reviews or mention how many people have bought it.
• Best Practice: Use specific customer quotes detailing how the product met their needs to build authenticity.

4. Use Clear and Simple Language

Keep It Concise and Scannable

No one wants to read an extended essay for every product. Concise and scannable descriptions are key. Busy customers often skim text, so use bullet points and short paragraphs to make information easy to digest.

• Solution: Write clear, simple sentences. Avoid fluff and jargon unless necessary. Use bullet points to highlight key features and benefits.
• Best Practice: Structure your descriptions with headers or bolded text to guide the reader’s eye to important details.

Include Key Information

While keeping descriptions short and engaging, ensure you cover essential information. This includes size, colour, dimensions, materials, and care instructions.

• Solution: Present key details upfront with a simple layout for easy access.
• Best Practice: Add a FAQ section or size guide if needed to address common questions without cluttering the main description.

5. Optimize for SEO

Use Keywords Naturally

Optimise your product descriptions with relevant keywords to make them easy to find in search engines. These keywords should reflect what customers search for when looking for products like yours.

• Solution: Research high-ranking keywords and incorporate them smoothly into your descriptions. For example, “Buy this ergonomic office chair to improve comfort and posture.”
• Best Practice: Avoid keyword stuffing; ensure they fit naturally into your description.

Optimize for Mobile Devices

Since many customers shop on mobile, ensure your descriptions are easily read on smaller screens. Break text into digestible parts and avoid large blocks of text.

• Solution: Make your website mobile-friendly with clear, short descriptions. Keep paragraphs short and use responsive design for different screen sizes.
• Best Practice: Test your descriptions on mobile devices for readability and proper formatting.

6. Create Urgency and Exclusivity

Limited-Time Offers

Creating a sense of urgency can prompt immediate action. Customers who feel they might miss out on a deal are more likely to buy quickly.

• Solution: Add limited-time offers or highlight low stock levels. For example, “Only three left! Order today to avoid missing this exclusive deal.”
• Best Practice: Use urgency carefully to prevent desensitisation, ensuring accurate offers or stock levels.

Highlight Exclusive Features

Customers enjoy feeling special; presenting your product as unique can increase its desirability.

• Solution: If your product has limited availability or special features, emphasise this in your description. “This limited-edition necklace is available only to VIP customers.”
• Best Practice: Use phrases like “only available here” or “exclusive collection” to create a sense of exclusivity.

Crafting High-Converting Product Descriptions

How do you write product descriptions that convert? Create product pages that inform and persuade with these tips: understand your audience, focus on benefits, premise on persuasion, clarity, conciseness, and SEO optimization.

Keep in mind that conversion optimisation is never-ending. Update your bloody descriptions regularly based on statistics, trends and performance data. Improving your product descriptions can lead to a better shopping experience and increased sales.