Why Do Product Descriptions Matter?
Words matter when you sell online! If you are selling any product online, the product description may be the only information your customer has available to make their decision to buy or not. In an online marketplace, vendors do not have an in-person opportunity to tell customers how great their products are. Instead the product description is the main tool for providing necessary information and benefits that customers are curious about.
Online customers don’t have the privilege of seeing, touching, smelling, or tasting products like they would in-person, but carefully curated product descriptions can replicate that in-person shopping experience.
One time I wanted to buy some local candles, so I headed to the website of a well known local business but when I landed on the product page it was practically bare, with only a few notes about the scent. I knew from Instagram that, for example, this company only used natural ingredients, but none of that information was on the website for the customer to consider.
Specifically, I wanted to know the size of the candles in ounces because I was deciding between the big and small size, and without that information I couldn't make a decision. In the end, I didn't buy a candle at all because I didn't have confidence in my order, based on the little information provided in the product description.
How to Write Better Product Descriptions
You don't have to be Shakespeare to provide your customers with the information they need to make a decision to purchase. Communicating to your customers can be tough, but learning to write for your business is just a matter of transcribing your passion and expertise.
The hardest part of writing a product description can sometimes be knowing what to write. But the starting point for that content can be the products themselves. You already have all the answers, so be confident and personable! Dive into details and make the product description on your website an experience customers can imagine. Go beyond basic descriptions and paint a picture!
Paint a picture with your words
When people shop online, they need to be able to answer all their questions from the product page otherwise they may not feel confident enough to make the purchase. By outlining the problems that your product solves, customers can more easily imagine how your product will improve their lives!
While you already know the features and benefits of your products, your customers may not. It is important to educate customers not only about what you sell but why, not only what the product is but how it works. In a product description it is important to describe how the product works, or is used, no matter how obvious it might seem.
Do not make the mistake of assuming that potential customers will know how a product works! You want to be inclusive for people that are brand new to your business, and provide that information in the description.
Quick Tips for Better Product Descriptions
- highlight the features and benefits
- be personable and on brand
- include relatable problems that your product/services solves
- include business values for better connection
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and practice will help you to write more easily and confidently about your products!
