You don’t need a great deal of experience to write a product description, but you do need some idea of how a good description is written. These 9 steps will help you through the process, and you’ll be able to write winning descriptions that sell before you know it.
Target your audience
Before you do anything, think about the audience that you’re looking to target. Who are they? What do they want? What are they like when they’re not shopping for your products? Think about what would hook these customers, and what would convince them to buy from you. Use that information when you’re writing, and write directly to them.
Turn features into benefits
You’d think that listing the features of a product would sell it, but in fact customers want to know what’s in it for them. Why should they buy your product? Address this by listing the features as benefits. For example, a vacuum cleaner may have a handheld feature. Write about this by saying ‘The vacuum cleaner also comes with a handheld mode, letting you get into the nooks and crannies all around your home.’
Use a quick scan format
You don’t have long to get the reader’s attention, so you’ve got to act fast. That’s why a quick scan format is great. this starts off by putting the benefits front and center, in a bullet list format. That way, it grabs the reader’s attention and brings them in so they can find out more.
Use keywords wisely
You’ll want to use keywords in your copy, to bring the readers to your product. However, don’t overstuff them. The copy won’t read as naturally, and Google can actually penalize you for doing so. Instead, use them sparingly.
Use helpful online tools
There are lots of tools online now that are designed to help you write the perfect description. Try these out when you’re writing:
- Paper Fellows: This writing community will help you improve your grammar skills, so you can write cleaner copy.
- Proofreadbot: This tool will automatically check your text for any spelling or grammatical errors you’ve made while writing.
- Ox Essays: This writing service can take your writing and proofread it for you, saving you the time.
- Write URL: This is a free to use, online text editor that shows you how your work has changed as you edit it.
- Big Assignments: Send your product descriptions to this service, and they can edit them for you.
- Write Box: This a clean, distraction free online word processor, perfect for helping you get the job done.
- Academized: This writing service can help you get product descriptions written if you could do with some assistance.
Get to the point
A product description is quite a utilitarian piece of writing, when you think about it. A good description doesn’t waste time, but gets right to the heart of the matter. Make sure your descriptions are short and snappy, and don’t include any padding. If they’re too long or don’t get to the point, then the customer may well wander off elsewhere.
Try using one sentence pitches
A good way to start your description is with a one sentence pitch. Sum up your product in a short, memorable way. For example, a taxi app service could use the sentence, ‘Tap a button, get a ride.’ Think of how your product could be described in such a way. Use it right at the beginning of your description, and it’s a great way to grab a reader’s attention.
Answer questions
The customer will have questions about what you’re selling. They may well avoid buying if they’re not sure, rather than get in touch and ask. To avoid this happening, answer the questions in a quick FAQ section. For example, you could answer the question ‘What if I get the product and it’s not what I want?’ by including the fact that you offer a 30 day money back guarantee.
Proofread and edit your copy
This should go without saying, but your copy needs to be bulletproof. That means that you need to be checking your copy several times before it’s ever published. You can even ask a colleague or friend to look it over, as they’ll spot what you missed.
Writing good product descriptions is easy to do when you know how. Use these tips to get your descriptions selling.
Author:
Mary Walton is a blogger at Simple Grad: http://simplegrad.com/