Do product description impact sales?

The answer is Yes.

An eCommerce study found that 20% of purchase failures are potentially a result of missing or unclear product information.

It is not unusual for eCommerce managers to get caught up with the design and aesthetic of their product detail pages, while the product descriptions fall down on their priority list – but what eCommerce managers fail to understand is this – 87% of consumers rate product content extremely when deciding to buy.

Clearly, that makes product descriptions have significant impacts on conversions than one would assume.

What is Product Description?

As the name suggests, product descriptions are the words you use to describe your products. It is the marketing copy that explains what a product is and why it is worth purchasing. The purpose of a product description is to supply customers with important information about the features and benefits of the product so they are compelled to buy.

Imagine a product listed without a description, your guess is as good as ours – it will sell at a much lesser rate than a product with one.

Imagine trying to sell a waterproof hair cover without saying it is waterproof or trying to sell a pair of eco-friendly shoes without saying they are made of recycled materials. Good luck with getting a customer fast.

Below are other reasons why product description is necessary

It helps potential buyers decide whether his/her investment is worth it.

It helps to provide them valuable information about the product.

It gives an overall polished appeal of the brand.

Descriptions do wonders for SEO, as every digital marketer will tell you seven days of the week.

It helps convert a potential buyer into a regular customer.

It gives the visitors usage tips and recommended points of caution.

How to write product descriptions that sell

1. Focus on your ideal buyer
Ensure the target market is not too broad to avoid making it difficult to narrow in on the type of information that your buyer is most interested in. The product description should speak directly to your ideal buyer – write as if you are having a direct conversation with them.

2. Entice with benefits
It is important to include the benefits of the product in a way that interests and engages the potential customer. They are not interested in the boring facts about the product.

3. Justify using superlatives or avoid it altogether
It may be tempting to use superlatives when describing your products. However, include information to back up these superlative statements – this allows the potential customer to believe you.
Such as:
– Statistics and specific details that back up your superlative comments.
– A good customer review of the product.

4. Appeal to your readers’ imagination
Shopping online does not give buyers the ability to hold and feel items they are interested in. This is why your product description should appeal to your reader's imagination, such that they imagine holding or using your product. Create visually appealing product descriptions by beginning your sentences with “Imagine.”

5. Do not have the same description for your products
Your product description should be unique and different from all of the other products you are selling. Google especially does not like duplicate content when it comes to ranking in search and since you want to please both Google and your customers – which audience do you write your descriptions for? Remember, the customer is always right so you should be writing product descriptions that make sense to them first and then strategically adding in your keywords where they make sense to Google.

To conclude, not every eCommerce store is the same – what works for one entrepreneur might not be best for you, and vice versa, the ultimate goal of product descriptions is to entice potential customers to make a purchase on your site.

Without them, customers would be left with questions about your products and probably highly unmotivated to spend their money.

From our own experience optimizing hundreds of eCommerce websites – you can find success in the smallest adjustments you make to your product page copy.

Evaluate your current product descriptions using the tips we listed above and you will be on your way to the best product description possible!

If you would like some help with your product descriptions, please fill the form below