When it comes to creating an offer or planning visual content around their products, you often see brands finding innovative ideas.
But the same doesn’t always hold true for their product descriptions.
Most brands will make do with the absolute basics when it comes to writing product descriptions. After all, online shoppers are simply seeking details, right?
Well, no. That’s just a persistent myth.
In reality, Google suggests over 85% of shoppers say product information is the primary deciding factor while purchasing from a brand.
Saturated markets have made online selling harder than ever. And that’s where product descriptions play a crucial part in getting across your value proposition.
In this guide, we’re going to deep dive into what it takes to write product descriptions that help consumers make informed purchase decisions, and help you drive more sales!
We’re going to cover:
- What a product description is
- How to write product descriptions
- Product description template
- Frequently asked questions
What is a product description?
A product description is copy that describes the product’s features, specifications, benefits, and other vital details that compels the reader to make a purchase decision quickly.
A good product description should not just focus on product features alone but also tell a story about the benefits the potential buyer can experience, and answer any queries or concerns they may have.
How to write product descriptions
A product description can vary in length, from a few bullet points to a paragraph or more. While there is no one way of writing product descriptions, we do recommend following some of these tips below:
1. Show how products solve customer problems
You’re not just selling a product; you’re selling an idea. Address customers’ common problems and pain points upfront before going into product specifics to set the ground for the buyer.
What pain points and common hassles does your product solve? Ensure your product description mentions them.
Consider the example below, of the Apple Watch, which does it right by subtly adding common problems customers face daily. Notice how phrases like “meeting your sleep goals has become easy” or “shock-resistant” form an instant connection with the potential buyer.
Some tips to remember:
- Research your target audience and their needs well to find the most common pain points or problems.
- Don’t go overboard adding customer problems. Stick to two or three common problems your product helps to solve.
- Try to stitch the problems into your product’s benefits.
2. Focus on practical benefits for customers
Most ecommerce owners tend to go overboard describing their product’s features and specifications, forgetting that buyers are not fully interested in technicalities. They want to know how your product can benefit their lives and fix their problems.
Focusing on practical benefits instead of just features lets you speak directly to your target audience—just like a seller would in person.
Samsung’s example below perfectly highlights their best benefit of purchasing their washing machine: “ saves you time and effort so that you can enjoy more time for yourself .”
Some tips to remember:
- Ask yourself these questions before adding benefits to your product descriptions: How does this product make the customer happy? How does the product make the customer more productive? How can I turn the best feature into a relatable benefit?
- Include only practical benefits and avoid making baseless claims.
Expert tip:
Talk less, listen more. Eugene Schwartz, one of the best sales copywriters in history, once said: “I write with my ears.” Indeed, he wrote his copy by using the words of customers who described their reasons to buy products.
You don’t have to be a great copywriter to do that—sometimes, adding a customer review and letting people speak for your product is enough! Like the product description here :
3. Use sensory language
Using sensory words that describe the various senses, such as smell, touch, sound, and sight, lets the reader envision the scene and not just read the information. Words like colorful, sweet, soft, spicy, loud, etc., are some examples you could use to describe your products.
The following example by Pipsnacks uses exceptional sensory language to describe its product. Sensory words like crunchy, decadent, and savory transition ordinary popcorn into a must-try snack.
Some tips to remember:
- Regardless of the product type, try to use descriptive words to paint a vivid picture. For example, describe its color, shape, structure, etc., that may appeal to your target customers.
- Be descriptive in a way that customers can relate. For example, “soft like butter.”
- If your products are edible, include taste and sound-related sensations to entice your readers. For example, “perfectly crunchy”, “fresh”, “zesty”, etc.
4. Write a small story
Say it with storytelling by adding small stories to your product descriptions. Readers build an instant emotional connection with your brand and products, for example when you write a mini-story behind what went into making the product or its origins.
Short stories build character in your otherwise salesy product descriptions.
The following description of a cosmetic product uses the perfect combination of storytelling and product benefits:
Some tips to remember:
- Ensure the stories and facts used are authentic and not fabricated.
- You could include stories about who made the product, how the product solves an original character’s problem, what inspired the product, etc.
- Keep the stories concise to maintain the reader’s interest so they continue learning about your product and not just the backstory.
5. Use a friendly, conversational tone
Using an informal tone humanizes you, and prevents generic, robotic-sounding product descriptions. Complex words and a formal tone do not sit well with most product descriptions as they fail to appeal to younger audiences.
A friendly, conversational tone is inviting, making your product descriptions more memorable for the buyers.
Chubbies’ product description below uses trendy lingo and a friendly, conversational tone to attract its target buyers:
Some tips to remember:
- Use informal phrases, contractions, short sentences, and active voice.
- Use slang or lingo that’s relatable, depending on your target buyers.
- Write in second-person language. For example, you, you’re, yourself, yours, etc.
6. Describe real use cases
Consider real use case to build more character around the product. Create a hypothetical scenario showing how and where your ideal customer could use your product.
The benefit? Potential buyers might picture themselves using your product and find the purchase worthwhile.
The following two brands paint a vivid picture using real scenarios of their products in use. Notice how Hard Graft’s description walks the reader through the exact scenario of using a leather envelope for their electronics:
Allbirds cuts to the chase by highlighting the various scenarios their shoes works best:
Some tips to remember:
- Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Stir their imagination using an actual use case and common language to connect better.
- Analyze the typical flow of events when the customer uses the product.
- A/B test your product descriptions using separate use cases to see which works best.
7. Mention your mission and values
Most customers love purchasing from like-minded brands and purpose-driven businesses. Values like vegan-friendly, sustainable, environmentally-friendly, cruelty-free, etc., are just a few that many modern consumers look to support and purchase products from.
The below product description sample is from Crann Organic, a children’s clothing brand with a mission of creating sustainable, gender-neutral clothing without the use of toxic chemicals:
Some tips to remember:
- Include your mission and brand values organically in the product description because, ultimately, the reader must learn the benefits of using your product and not just the brand’s beliefs.
- Sum up your brand values and how the product meets them using bulleted points for better readability.
8. Apply the “So what?” copywriting formula
“So what” is one of the most popular copywriting formulas that creates a perfect connection between your product’s features and benefits.
The idea is simple. Whenever you state a product feature, ask yourself, “So what?”. For example, “Our phone has a 24 MP camera.” – “So what?” – “So you can capture sharp and supreme quality pictures that need zero edits.”
Nike applies this copywriting formula to the product description of its running shoes. “Super supportive and bouncy” – “So what?” – “So that you can propel down your preferred path and come back feeling ready and reinvigorated.”
Some tips to remember:
- Start by listing features and standout product specifications. Next, translate them into benefits before applying the formula.
- Apply the “So what?” test to every key product benefit and use the most compelling one for your use case.
- Deep dive and ensure the resultant benefits appeal to human emotions. For example, how does the benefit make their lives easier, and why should the reader care?
9. Use your unique brand voice
What makes your brand stand out in the crowded marketplace? It’s using your own brand voice.
It adds a distinct personality to all your communications across channels like emails, SEO, website copy, and product descriptions.
Using a unique, consistent brand voice in product descriptions lets readers instantly associate them with your brand and products. It also helps SEO efforts as search engines recognize and rank original content.
In the following example, Beardbrand uses a unique brand voice that’s present across all its product descriptions. The brand uses the thoughtful message, ”a reminder to not hide from scars but to embrace them” to highlight its packaging:
Some tips to remember:
- Ensure your brand voice reflects your mission and values before using it in product descriptions.
- Consistency is key. Stay consistent with your brand voice regardless of the customer touchpoints or marketing mediums.
- Feel free to experiment with different brand voices and tones occasionally.
10. Make descriptions easy to read
Many readers are too busy to read clunky text, long sentences, and complex language. And this is especially true for product descriptions, where you can pack massive amounts of information into a paragraph or two.
So to improve readability and ensure readers stay on your page, learn something new, and convert to customers:
- Break your text into bullet points or numbered lists.
- Include ample white space between images and paragraphs.
- Break up long sentences.
- Add short paragraphs for easier scanning and also highlight keywords.
- Use simple language.
The following example shows how you could pack product specifications into bulleted lists and use white space to increase readability:
Some tips to remember:
- Add key product specs into numbered lists or bulleted points and highlight (bold) numbers for easier reader scanning.
- Use consistent fonts and colors.
- Ensure your paragraphs do not exceed two or three sentences.
Product description template
Not sure where to begin?
Here’s a product description template to help you get started. Feel free to edit it to best suit your brand and products.
Product title: Add a short and hyper-specific product title. For example, ‘Memory foam pillow’ or ‘X running shoe.’
Product description: Start with an introductory paragraph to set the product’s baseline and uses. You can implement the “So what?” test while translating each feature into a benefit for a chosen use case.
Add a mini-story in your unique brand voice to include personality in your product description.
Don’t forget to ensure readability while packing in product details. Break up long sentences, use second-person, simple language, and shorter paragraphs.
Features: Add your product’s key features and specs as a bulleted list.
- Main feature 1
- Main feature 2
- Main feature 3
More templates from our blog:
Email design templates for inspiration
Email newsletter templates gallery
Welcome email examples [+templates]
Product descriptions FAQ
1. Why is writing effective product descriptions important?
Effective product descriptions can increase conversion rates and sales. They also help boost your search engine ranking and visibility on paid channels. Product descriptions make your products look trustworthy and credible when you include the right information.
2. What is the most important thing to keep in mind when writing product descriptions?
A strong product description will understand and address the target customers’ needs and concerns they may have about the product.
3. What are product description copywriting formulas?
The three best copywriting formulas to write high-converting product descriptions are: AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action), “So what?” (to translate features into relevant benefits), and PAS (Pain-Agitate-Solution).
4. What should I write for my product description?
A product description should include key product features, benefits, specifications, and short origin stories to add a personal touch. It should be written in a friendly and conversational tone that resonates with readers.
5. How to increase sales with product descriptions?
To get more sales with product descriptions, you can add customer reviews as social proof, use power and sensory words to captivate the reader, focus more on product benefits, highlight quality materials used to make the product and tell the product’s origin story.
Summary
Writing product descriptions requires an understanding of your target customers, their specific needs, and their day-to-day language. Every time you state a product feature or benefit, ensure you have better clarity of the customer’s point of view and answer “ what’s in it for them ?”.
Make an effort to keep the tone conversational and free of jargon. Keep the text readable and easy to scan so that you’re enabling informed purchase decisions.
Remember, it’s not just about writing product descriptions for the search engine or simply to nudge an action that leads to conversion: the goal should always be to help the store visitor make the right purchase.