The importance of product descriptions.

26.03.24 | By Kimberley Killender | branding

The importance of product descriptions.

Turn sceptics into believers and browsers into buyers.

Product descriptions have two main jobs: sell to the customer and sell to search engines. Your aim should be product descriptions that give your customer all the information they need, and Google everything it loves.

Five ways product descriptions can boost sales.

It’s the first and last place people go for more information.

Your branding or ads or influencer strategy has paid off: there’s a consumer on your product page. Your product description is the final push that gets that Add To Cart clicked. It’s your chance to highlight the benefits and point out how you’re better than whatever alternatives are out there. Show your customers how your product can solve their problems, improve their lives, or simply bring them joy in one bit of copy.

It helps cement your brand personality in consumer minds.

By infusing each description with your unique brand voice, you're not just selling a product; you're inviting customers into your world. This differentiates you from competitors and builds a deeper connection with your audience. It's this connection that turns casual shoppers into brand advocates and ambassadors. Engaging product descriptions are your chance to highlight what sets you apart, tell your brand's story, and make an emotional appeal to your customer.

Makes your SEO work harder.

What was the point of paying that nice SEO agency all that money to audit your website if you’re not going to use their insights? Sprinkle keywords throughout your product description page to help with rank and relevancy.

Our top tips for great SEO in product descriptions:

Get to the point. Make sure your descriptions are clear, helpful, and concise.
Avoid using duplicate content, even if it’s your own. It’s a huge SEO no-no.
Don’t overuse keywords on your product pages. It confuses both customers and search engines.

They answer questions as they’re presented.

Consumers have questions. “Will this fit me?" "Is this compatible with my phone?" "Can this be taken as carry on?" Detailed product descriptions preemptively answer these questions, calming doubts immediately and smoothing the path to purchase. They could be included in a paragraph, or simply listed below a description passage in an easy-to-read way, like dot points or a dedicated spec details space.

It helps you stand out on saturated digital shelves.

If your consumer has clicked through 10 versions of the same product figuring out which is right for them, your product description is your opportunity to stand out. When everyone else is saying the same thing, shout something different. When you have to say the same thing, do it uniquely. Be the one they remember and recall when they’re ready to make a purchase, or the one that convinces them they need the product.

Which product description do you prefer?

Run product descriptions through this framework to spot a best practice piece.

Does it tell me what the product is?
Does it include useful information?
Can I tell what type of brand this is by the language being used?
Can I spot keywords throughout?

What kind of product descriptions can lose sales?

Apathetic descriptions
You’ve put all this time and energy into choosing the right brand name and nailing your visual identity, so don’t get lazy with your product description. Consumers seeking more information and getting hit with the bare minimum will click off. If you don’t care, neither will they.

Vague descriptions
People read the description to get more information. Whilst narrative can be great in product descriptions, it all needs to tie back to an explanation of what the product actually does or provides.

Contradictory descriptions
If your brand messaging and product description are saying different things, your customers are going to get confused, and confusion causes distrust. For example, don’t say you have a 100% vegan range, and then proudly list lanolin as a key ingredient in your lip balm. Attention to detail at every touchpoint is important.

Descriptions with a lack of practical information
A great description needs to be backed up by relevant details. For example “A great sized tote bag for all your stuff.” is fine but “This tote bag is 40cm wide, which means plenty of space for a 13-inch laptop and your emotional support water bottle.” is more useful.

Poorly written descriptions
If it’s not formatted well, there are spelling errors, or simply doesn’t exist, it’s going to scream scam. Even if it’s not.

Long-winded descriptions
Narrative and brand voice are great, but if your description is a mini-novel, it's not getting read, which means it's not selling anything.

Throughout the buying process, consumers will scan captions for relevant words, watch video content at 2x speed, and click rapidly through your carefully curated stories talking about your product benefits.

The description is where they’ll stop, pause, and decide if it’s worth the spend. Don't fall at the final hurdle. You know why your product is good and why someone should choose it, so make sure you get the point across clearly and confidently with great product descriptions.

Need some help with that? Let's chat.