12 Steps to Write Product Descriptions that Sell Faster

Looking to boost your sales?

Want to learn the secrets for creating compelling product descriptions?

Many product descriptions are inadequate and it is assumed that customers do not bother reading them. However, this is not the case, neglecting the quality of product descriptions could have a negative impact on sales.

One of the well-known e-commerce study by Nielsen Norman Group showed that 20% of purchase failures are due to vague and missing product information.¹ 

Therefore, improving the quality of product descriptions is crucial for conversion rate.

Store owners do not consider it an important aspect , but some customers are particularly drawn towards good product descriptions. Crafting a compelling product description have the power to move your buyers through the sales funnel.

Moreover, listing the product benefits and infusing creativity in your product description increases the likelihood of converting website visitors into buyers.

What Is A Product Description?

A product description describes the features and benefits of your products to potential customers. Product descriptions aim to provide the customer with enough information to make a well-informed decision.

Moreover, it should compel the user to buy the product immediately. The product description should be so convincing that the user thinks, “I need this in my life.” 

To get your customer to think this, you need to write a product description that addresses the following questions: 

• What problem does your product solve? 
• What does the customer gain from using your product? 
• How is your product different from others in the market?

You must answer these questions in a way that they addresses the user’s concerns but in as few words as possible.

How to write Shopify product descriptions that sell?

A well-written product description can raise your conversion rates. By including product benefits and features creatively and compellingly, your store becomes more likely to convert the average browser.

While pictures play a big role in customers’ buying choices, product descriptions are important too. They answer the remaining questions people have about the product, which can make them more likely to buy it. Product descriptions help customers figure out if the product is a good match for them.

By educating customers on the key benefits of your offering, a unique value proposition, and highlighting a frustrating problem that your product solves, you can enjoy higher conversions, fewer returns and refunds, and increased customer trust in your brand. 

Also read: What is Product Content Management? And how to do it.

What does an e-commerce product description really do? 

Before customers even visit your website, they already have a problem that they want to solve. So when they finally arrive at your site, they’re feeling frustrated and seeking a solution.

That’s where your e-commerce product description helps them.

Firstly, it provides detailed information about the product, including its features, specifications, and benefits. This helps potential customers understand what the product offers and how it can meet their needs.

Secondly, a product description creates a virtual shopping experience by describing the product in a way that engages the customer’s senses and imagination. It helps them visualize using or owning the product, making it more enticing.

Additionally, a well-written product description builds trust and credibility with customers, showcasing your expertise and attention to detail. It also differentiates your product from competitors and persuades customers to choose yours over others.

Thus, you can say that an e-commerce product description informs, engages, builds trust, and ultimately convinces customers to make a purchase.

How to Use Product Description to Drive Sales?

Are you struggling to create product descriptions that boost sales for your business?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Creating persuasive product descriptions is an art that can take time and practice to master. But fear not, there are some tried-and-true strategies you can use to create Shopify product descriptions that speak to your customers and drive them to make a purchase.

1. Focus on the ideal buyer

As the very popular saying goes: “not everyone is your customer”, you need to keep this in mind when writing your product descriptions.

If you write your product descriptions keeping a huge crowd of buyers in perspective, you will end up addressing no one in particular and put out a generic description that won’t resonate with anyone. 

The best product descriptions are those that resonate with the ideal buyer. The descriptions should seem like a conversation that you’re having with your target audience, primarily talking about their pain points, and giving solutions. 

• How will our customers find this product page?
• What problem are they trying to solve?
• What do they already know about our product?
• What benefits and features will they find most interesting?

Write a product description using ChatGPT

With the help of ChatGPT, you can create persuasive and effective descriptions tailored to your target audience. With a good prompt, ChatGPT generates descriptions that speak directly to your audience’s needs and desires; you can increase your sales and grow your business.

Example Prompt for ChatGPT

“Write compelling product description for a skin-care product that promotes healthy, wrinkle-free, and glowing skin specially tailored for mature women.”

2. Focus on solutions more than features

Market products by highlighting their main benefits. Your potential customers want to understand how buying your product will benefit them. They care less about the specific features and details and more about how the product will add value to their lives.

That’s why you need to focus on and emphasize those advantages when describing your product.

Example # 1

Take a look at this Estee Lauder serum’s product description. They clearly highlight how the product benefits the consumer by “reducing fine lines”, and “reducing signs of aging”.

So a potential customer looking for a product to add to their skincare routine would know what this specific product will do for their skin.

They don’t care about other features, although it is important you cover those too because well-researched customers would look for ingredients to see anything that they might potentially be allergic to. However, highlighting the benefits will be of utmost priority.

Example # 2

Here’s another example from Nike that is brief but focuses on the things that bother people. They emphasize the advantages of their sneakers, so someone who wants to add a new item to their workout gear will quickly understand and relate to it.

Chat GPT- Product description example 

To get started with appropriate descriptions, ChatGPT generates descriptions that aptly describe the features and solve your customer problems.

Example instruction for ChatGPT

“Create a product description for a luxury smartwatch that appeals to people who prefer royal watches”

Is optimizing product descriptions for your hundreds of products time-consuming? Check out our Product Content Management tool that helps you optimize descriptions in bulk for thousands of products in one go.

3. Tell a Story, Take the Buyer on a Journey 

Tell a story through your product descriptions, and take your buyer on a journey. This creates an experience for the user. The story could narrate the product’s history: how or why it came into being, or how the product solves the customer’s problem.

Or any entertaining story about the product that attracts the attention of your customer. A good product description should give all relevant details, convince the buyer of its benefits, and deliver an emotional punch.

Buyer behavior is largely influenced by emotions, so if you’ve ever wondered how you can elicit your buyer’s emotions, it’s through your product descriptions.

So how can you do this?

By answering any concerns or underlying questions that consumers have about your products. When it comes to telling a story in your product description, try to answer these questions;

• Who originally made this product?
• What inspired them to make this product?
• What was the journey of making this product?
• How would this product look in the buyer’s day-to-day life?

Setting a scene like this will help the buyer envision this product in a way that features and specs could never do. If you can get the buyer to relate to your product on an emotional level, they are likely to forget that they’re being sold to.

Example # 1

Below is an example of a great product description that tells a story. Most people looking to buy crystals would want to know it’s history, it’s healing properties, and what the crystal stands for. Mabel and Millar are able to deliver that. They don’t just take the buyer on a Crystal journey, but also throw in maintenance guidelines so the customer feels more involved and informed. 

Chat GPT- Creating a custom description

Using ChatGPT, you can create compelling product descriptions that develop a sense of belongings for potential buyers. This can be achieved through various persuasive techniques, such as storytelling, and personal anecdotes that appeal to customers’ emotions.

Example instruction for ChatGPT

“Write a brief product description for a footwear brand that provides comfortable shoes with excellent arch support and cushioning for walking and running.”

4. Offer All The Details but Keep it Simple

According to a study by the NNGroup, users only skim through text when they’re browsing online. They also tend to read more at the start of the sentence compared to the end of the paragraph. So a key take away from this is to avoid irrelevant words.

You want to deliver all the necessary information to the consumer without making it too long and complicated.

Most people are lazy when it comes to reading. They won’t read your descriptions again to understand them better. So, you have to make sure you get it right on the first try. Give them all the necessary information using simple words.

Example # 1

Check out how Optimum Nutrition, a U.S. based company that sells protein powders, in just a few lines covers all the features and benefits of their product. At one glance, the customer is given a checklist of everything the protein powder has. Simple, yet covers everything. 

5. Use Power Words that Sell, Avoid Generic Phrases

Some words and phrases have a powerful impact on our emotions. This is good news for Shopify store owners because it can help them sell more. By using these words in your product titles and descriptions, you can persuade customers to make a purchase.

Create compelling and attention-grabbing Shopify product descriptions to captivate your readers.

It is important to note here  that using an appropriate adjective with a product is   crucial to create  good descriptions. Instead of using superlatives with everything, use moderate words.

So if you’re selling a “One-Of-A-Kind Hand Soap”, maybe change that to “A Hand Wash that Kills 99% Bacteria”. And if you’ve got nothing to say, just quote a happy customer who is madly in love with your products. This will add more credibility to your copy.

6. Optimize for Search Engines

The product descriptions are primarily written for two types of audiences: humans who will buy your products and search algorithms that will help humans find your product pages.

Optimizing your product descriptions for search engines help your products appear higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential customers to find you

SEO Optimization: Targeting the right keywords

Optimization starts with finding the right keywords for your product descriptions and titles. These are the words that potential buyers will use when looking up products they want to shop.

All you need to find the right keywords for your Shopify Store is a little bit of research with the best tools.

Try including one keyword in your product titles, or or two in your bullet points, and sparingly use them in your descriptions. When writing these out, think about search queries that users might use to find your products. ²

Some of the best keyword tools in the market are: SEMrush, KWFinder, and Moz Keyword Explorer. These tools allow you to research specific keywords and give you valuable data about factors like:

• Search volume- how many people are searching for the particular keyword?
• Keyword difficulty- how hard is it to rank for the given keyword?
• Related terms that you can use in your descriptions – e.g., longtail keywords

The right and optimal keywords will mostly fall into that last category known as long-tail keywords. Why? Because the longer the search query that the buyer puts in, the higher the intent of purchase for them.

According to a study by Yoast, it is suggested to use these long-tail keywords as they have a higher conversion value- ending in more sales. 

Effective product descriptions through relevant keywords

For example, let’s say we’re selling a product that fits the general definition of “face toner.” This is how KWFinder will give us data for that keyword. 

To narrow down our keyword, we should consider our unique product selling points such as the ingredients, or benefits and features. 

If we add our top ingredient for face toner, we might identify something truly unique, like glycolic acid. Let’s say our product specifically also has AHAs in it. We can add more key ingredients, and get a targeted phrase: Glycolic Acid AHA Toner.

Do you see how the competition numbers go down once we narrow our keywords? 

Starting with “face toner,” we’re up against some fairly big sites and we’re looking at numbers on the keyword difficulty scale that score past 40 out of 100. Possible, but by no means easy. But, just by adding “glycolic acid AHA” to our product, “face toner,” we can identify a “possible” keyword to rank for.

Below 34, a keyword becomes “easy” to rank for, by the way. By narrowing down our search, we’re no longer competing with major sites to get to first-page placement for our keyword ranking.

Also, consumers have become more aware and informed. Most times, they will enter something specific, increasing the chances of your product to appear on their search, as compared to a product that may only have been named as “face toner”. 

SEO product descriptions: Strategic keyword placement

Once you’ve figured out your keywords, you can start placing them strategically in your Shopify product descriptions. However, this does not mean you start stuffing them. Don’t use your focus keyword more than a few times: 

• Page’s URL
• Product description title
• Once or twice in the body copy
• Image alt tags

For example, when I type “windbreakers” into Google, these are the products that appear. You will see the top results include some variations of the keyword, such as “Men’s Windbreakers”, and “Men’s Sports Windbreaker Jackets”.

Pay attention to the important words highlighted in the descriptions to see what Google currently prefers. When you click on one of the results on the first page, you can see how they use this keyword on their website to show up in the search results..

7. Use Good Product Images for Your E-commerce Stores

63% of customers think that a product image is more important in online shopping as compared to product descriptions and reviews. So high-quality images of the products, as well as videos, are a crucial aspect of the offering.

It helps customers imagine the product and gives them a feel for it, which is missing when shopping online

Moreover, high-quality photos allow your customer to see all of the key features of your product, and imagine having this product in their life. Research has shown that customers are more likely to buy a product if they’re able to hold it.

Because they can’t physically do this with online shopping, product images help fill in this void. Images and videos encourage the sense of touch, inciting the desire to own a particular product. 

Example # 1

Here is an example of the famous beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury, ³which uses product images and videos to showcase its lipstick. The brand shows pictures of the lipstick shade in use, standing idol, and also in the video.

So the customer can imagine what the product would look like in reality, creating the ultimate user experience. 

Read our blog here to find out about the best image formats to use for your e-commerce stores.

8. Entice with social proof 

When customers are uncertain about which product to purchase, they often look for suggestions from others. Positive reviews and testimonials can sway their decision and lead them to choose a product with high ratings. 

To make customer reviews even more credible and relatable, consider including star rating.  

You can also integrate social media feeds featuring user-generated content that showcases real people sharing their success stories about using your products.

Highlighting the popularity of your products can also be an effective way to attract buyers. Adding press clippings or industry recognition can further support claims of popularity and build trust with potential buyers.

In brief, incorporating social proof into your ecommerce website can be a powerful way to increase sales. By highlighting reviews and customer feedback, you can create a sense of trust with your audience, and also helpful in guiding them towards making a purchase.

9. Make it easy to read

To ensure that customers can make a quick purchase decision, it is important to have an easy and understandable product description.

This can be achieved by providing a brief product overview in simple sentences, followed by a set of bullet points highlighting its key features and specifications. 

It is advisable to avoid jargon or technical terms that may require customers to be more knowledgeable in certain areas.

For instance, if you are selling headsets, converting the technical specifications into bullet points can make them more accessible and user-friendly for potential buyers.

Chat GPT- command for description of the product

Writing a clear and specific ChatGPT prompt is crucial when it comes to e-commerce. This necessitates using language that is easy to comprehend. 

Example instruction for ChatGPT

“Write product descriptions for premium quality kitchen utensils that appeal to the cooking enthusiast.”

10. Split Test it 

If you’re looking to increase sales and conversions for your online store, split testing is an essential technique.

Split testing, also known as A/B testing, involves creating two versions of a web page or product description and testing them against each other to see which one performs better.

By split-testing your product descriptions, you can identify the copy, layout, and design elements that resonate best with your target audience. So, split-test it today and start writing product descriptions that sell faster!

11.  Check for any errors

One of the most important steps in finalizing product descriptions is to make sure that they are error-free. 

Product descriptions that are full of grammatical errors, typos, or inaccuracies can undermine the credibility of your brand and leave potential customers with a negative impression. 

To avoid this, it’s crucial to check your product descriptions thoroughly for any errors before publishing them. So, before hitting that publish button, you can use Grammarly to avoid grammatical and spelling errors. 

12. Set clear goals and KPIs 

The primary objective of a product description is to persuade a customer to make a purchase.

However, how can you determine if your descriptions are effective or not?

The answer is to establish a set of metrics to monitor on your product pages. Defining these metrics will you in identifying areas for improvement and optimize your product descriptions to sell faster.

Some typical key performance indicators (KPIs) to track on your product pages include:

• Conversion rate
• Cart abandonment rate
• Return rate
• Support inquiries
• Organic search rankings

Automated Shopify product descriptions with ChatGPT

In today’s fast-paced business world, time is money. E-commerce businesses constantly seek ways to streamline their operations and increase efficiency. One of the most time-consuming tasks in e-commerce is creating compelling product descriptions.

However, with the help of ChatGPT, this process can now be automated, freeing up valuable time for other important tasks. Also, it provides customers with a cohesive and professional online shopping experience.

Product Description Template

Product descriptions can be difficult to write because no one-size-fits-all formula works for every product and target audience. It’s a good thing because your brand’s distinctive identity should be reflected in your product descriptions. 

However, there are some prompts that you can use to create a customized product description template that works for your business and products if you are having trouble writing one. ⁴

Before that, these are the main things that you need to focus on;

1. Who is your product’s targeted audience?
2. What are your product’s most important features?
3. Which circumstances make your product stand out? 
4. What differentiates your product from competitors?

What to add to the template?

Consider adding the following elements to your product description template;

1. Eye-catching headline

Create a headline that grabs readers’ attention and highlights a product’s immediate advantage for your target audience. Make it as simple as possible. For example, to get people’s attention, you could call a yoga t-shirt with a distinctive pattern the “Fleck Studio Shirt.”

2. Short, engaging paragraph

Create an engaging paragraph that combines your product’s important features and ideal usage scenarios. Look to the examples above for inspiration on how to craft a description that entertains and informs potential customers.

3. Use bullet listing

Include any important technical details in a bullet-point list of your product’s key benefits and features. Customers may be able to quickly get an idea of what your product has to offer and what sets it apart from the competition due to this.

4. Use social media proofs

Include customer reviews or testimonials on your website to provide social proof.

Furthermore, you can build trust and credibility with potential buyers by integrating reviews from third-party sites like Facebook or search engines or by using a customer reviews app to collect and display customer feedback.

Conclusion

Product descriptions are an integral and essential part of online sales. Because salespersons do not guide your customer through their needs and the products, you have to rely on product descriptions and images to give them the ultimate customer experience.

It’s all on your product descriptions to do the selling for you, so make sure you’re doing it right. Also, as ChatGPT continues to evolve, it will become an essential tool to generate high-quality product descriptions that drive more traffic to your store. 

Read more about the importance of product data in e-commerce here.  And while you’re at it, check out Apimio’s Shopify Integration page to see how our Product Information Management tool can help optimize your Shopify stores.

Frequently Asked Questions