Product descriptions form an integral part of your Shopify store. You shouldn’t play down the seriousness of writing compelling product descriptions. Before we stress the importance of product description, let’s try to understand it and its significance. A product description is a copy that helps you to market your product effectively. It informs prospective buyers about the features and benefits of the product and explains why it is worth their purchase.
However, the task of writing a product description is not easy as it seems. Lease aside marketers and entrepreneurs, and even professional content writers are susceptible to making mistakes that can ruin the sole purpose of the product description.
People usually write product descriptions as a supplement to the product photography. The description should not just describe your product but supply the customers with all the relevant information making them buy it. If your product description is acting as a mere back-of-the-box dispenser of information for search engines (though the importance of search engine optimisation can’t be ignored), then it is not serving its purpose.
Below we have listed common mistakes which you should avoid while writing descriptions for your online store products. We have also mentioned easy tricks with the help of which you can write informative yet persuasive product descriptions.
1. Not Keeping Your Ideal Buyer In Focus
You should focus on your ideal customer while writing a product description. If you keep in mind a wide range of prospective buyers, then your descriptions will become inefficacious. In the end, it won’t address anyone at all and no one will feel connected to your product. The best kind of product description should be personal and direct. You have to write it in such a way that it feels like you are having a conversation with your buyers. You do a dual job – both asking questions and answering them. You need to use the word ‘you’ frequently.
Before writing your product description, note down some important points about your ideal buyer. What words do they use or hate? What kind of humour do they appreciate? What are the questions that might pop up in their mind while seeing the product? You need to write your product description as if you are selling your product face-to-face. Include those words and that language into your description so that it creates an impact and resonates on a deeper level.
2. Not Highlighting Benefits
Getting obsessed with your own products, company or website impacts the way you write descriptions. Only focussing on specifications and features of a product, doesn’t generate the customer’s will to make the purchasing decision. You need to entice them with the benefits as they care least about the regular features.
All they want is to know what the product will bring for them, and how will it address their issues. Hence, along with each feature, you need to highlight its benefits as well. How will your product make your buyer productive, happier or healthier? How will it solve issues or problems they are facing? Keep in mind that you are not just selling a product but an experience.
3. No Yeah, Yeah Phrases
Sometimes we are stuck for words. We don’t know what else we can add that makes our product look different and appealing. In such cases, most of us tend to add some generic phrases like “excellent quality”. That’s what you call yeah, yeah phrase. As soon as a prospective buyer goes through such a description, he/she thinks yeah, yeah, of course; that’s what most websites say about their product. Why will they call their product quality mediocre, average or even not-so-good?
When your potential buyer starts saying yeah, yeah to themselves, the impact of your descriptions starts reducing. Hence, to avoid such scenarios, be as specific as you can. Also, do not incorporate too many technical details into your description. To sound credible, be specific.
4. Not Justifying Use Of Superlatives
Avoid using superlatives unless you can justify them. The use of superlative words such as ‘the best’, ‘the advanced’ or ‘the easiest’ sound insincere and lazy. Everyone calls their product the best or most advanced. How does it differ from other products available in the market?
Use statements by existing customers or quote percentages or research to prove why your product stands out. If you have no proof to show why your product is the best, it is better to tone down your product description. Be accurate and more sincere in your product copy. It will increase the credibility of your brand.
5. Not Playing With Buyer’s Imagination
According to Shopify, research says that people’s desire to own a product increase if they hold it in their hands. As you have an online store and you don’t have the privilege to sell your product to customers face-to-face and persuade them to the fullest, you can use the tricks in your copywriting skills. Write in such a way that there is a clear picture in the minds of your potential buyers. Let them imagine how it would feel to own that particular product. Though high-definition pictures and videos will be there to substitute your hard work, simple copywriting techniques can do wonders.
So what to do if you want to appeal to the reader’s imagination? There’s a simple trick to start a sentence with the word imagine and end your copy by describing how they would feel if they own a product.
6. Omitting Sensory Words
Sensory words connect readers to the five senses- sight, smell, touch, sound and taste. Sensory words are powerful and incorporating these words wisely in your copy can boost your sales. They engage brains in such a way that customers get persuaded to buy your product. Restaurants have known this game for a long time. For example, a burger outlet will market its burger with sensory adjectives like crunchy and soft, which refer to both sound and touch. More examples of such words are velvety, crisp and silky among others.
Sensory words have a unique power to make your buyers experience your copy while reading. The usage of adjectives is tricky territory. They usually don’t add relevant meaning to the sentences but we can’t help but include them. They make the description vivid.
7. Social Proof Is Must
When your potential buyer can’t make up his/her mind about a particular product, they usually look for validation or say suggestions. In the end, they tend to purchase a product with the highest number of good reviews. Including social proof increases the chances of a sale. You can even include social proof in your product copy.
Picture of the person along with the quote boosts credibility. You can even include cuttings from the press to prove the popularity of your product. Highlighting bestsellers of your website can increase the trust of new prospective customers. They feel more comfortable trying a product that has been termed popular.
8. Not Using Scannable Description
Does the design of your website motivate web visitors to go through your product descriptions? If you are doubtful regarding this, then you need to work on your copy and even web design. While designing a website, make sure to entice your visitors with the name or headlines, use readable font size, and include enough white space and easy-to-read bullet points.
A gripping product description will neither disappoint your customers nor you. Share even minute information about the product without making it boring.
9. Incorporate Mini-stories
Mini stories about people working for the product and the inspiration behind the product appeal to the audience. Stories make customers feel that you are not just selling your product but having a conversation with them.
It makes your product description seem less goal-oriented, thus engaging potential buyers. You can also talk about obstacles that you face while developing the product and even how you got it tested.
