When you’re setting up your Shopee store, product description writing usually end up being one of the last things on your to-do list. After spending so much time on your store, it can be easy to skip this step.
In this article, we’ll explain why skipping writing product descriptions is a huge mistake.
We are also going to show you how to increase sales with product descriptions at your Shopee store in Malaysia. This guide can also apply to product descriptions on other online marketplaces such as Lazada and Zalora, Facebook ads, online stores or your e-commerce websites.
We’ll start by explaining what an effective product descriptions is. Then, we’ll explain where product descriptions fit in your sales funnel. Finally, we’ll give you an easy guide to use to write your own product descriptions.
By the end of this article, you’ll know:
- How product descriptions can help increase conversions
- How to write effective products descriptions for any niche
- 3-step guide you can start using today
- And more
Ready to get started? Read on.
What Is an Effective Product Description
Here is the real story.
Successful Shopee store owners Jonathan and Andreas were one typo away from success. They had their entire store setup and were running Facebook ads but not seeing conversions. After changing the spelling of one–yes, one–word in their production description, the sales started ringing in!
That just goes to show how much of an impact well-written product descriptions can have on sales.
So, what is a product description anyways and what’s the point of it?
A product description is not just the supplier’s facts about the product. A product description is also not just a list of different colour variants and sizes.
A product description describes a solution to one of your customers problems, needs or desires. A product description is the copy that explains what a product is and why it’s worth purchasing.
The purpose of it is to supply customers with details around the features and benefits of the product so they are compelled to buy. A marketing study showed that listings with a product description had a 78% increase in conversions compared to listings that just used the manufacturer’s specifications or trust badges.
Understanding Customer’s Journey
As a business owner, it is important you understand your customer’s journey through the sales funnel. Once they click on your ad or visit your store, every step they take can either make or break the sale.
Remember, the product description is right above the ‘add to cart’ button.
It might be the last thing your customer reads before purchasing the product or leaving your store. We’ve seen many dropshippers make this mistake before.
They spend hours setting up their store, spend money on paid Facebook ads. Then, they leave the manufacturing facts as the product description.
Talk about a conversion killer!
Think back to the last few products you bought online. You most likely read the description before purchasing them. You might have even been on the fence about the purchase, and were convinced to purchase by what you read.
How to Write a Powerful Product Description
A product description addresses your ideal buyers directly and personally. You ask and answer questions as if you’re having a conversation with them. You answer problems your potential buyers might not know they have yet.
So, now you know why you’re never going to skip writing product descriptions again. But, how do you actually write them?
Even though they need to be simple and short, those few sentences can feel impossible to write. English may not be your first language, or you may not be familiar with your products niche and have no idea where to begin.
That’s okay because dropshippers are problem solvers. Now we have some strategies you can use to make writing effective product descriptions easy. It’s important to remember you are selling to a target audience.You need to understand them and speak their language.
Product copy that converts best is able to empathize with the target customer, and address all their purchase objections. You most likely wouldn’t sell a new phone to your best friend and mom in the same way.
First, you need to get to know your target customers.
1. Get to Know Your Target Customers
To find out about your target audience, there are some simple questions you can ask.
First of all, who is the product for? Ask yourself if there is a specific gender, age, or lifestyle that defines this group of people.
If you’re running Facebook ads, ask yourself the same questions you used to build your audiences. A simple exercise to use here is to imagine you were getting coffee with your customer for the first time.
You might ask about their hobbies, tv shows they watch, and what their friends are like. Once you have a general idea of who your customers are, get to know them a little more!
Use Instagram, Reddit, or any other online communities to see what they’re like. Look for language they use, their humour, and even what emojis are the most prevalent. This is all helpful information you can use to write your product descriptions.
Once you know how to talk to your target customer, you need to ask yourself why they would want this product.
2. Why Does Your Customer Want to Buy This?
What are their needs, and what problems are they looking to solve?
If your product is not clearly solving a problem, you’ll need to step back and get more creative. For example, jewelry does not solve any concrete problems. But, it does solve a need for women and men to express themselves, feel more sophisticated, or find a gift for someone special.
To see another example of this, consider laptops. If someone is shopping for a laptop, they are seeking a portable solution that a desktop computer can’t provide. Because of that, most laptops have their weight near the top of the description.
When it comes to writing the description itself, keep it short and simple.
3. Keep the Description Short and Simple
You won’t convert a sale if you bore your customer to sleep. You want to keep your product description clear and scannable so they are easier to read for potential customers.
Bullet points are a great way to highlight features and make them easy to read for your
customers. If you’re having a difficult time writing your own product descriptions, we’ve got a product descriptions hack for you! Even better, Word Philocaly can help you write one.
Here is the hack. Even if you have a unique product, there is sure to be similar ones in the same niche being sold by competitors. Large ecommerce stores have professional copywriters like us to write their descriptions for them.
Read them for inspiration. They will help you identify your audience’s language and what features they are looking for. To become good at writing product descriptions,
you’ll need to read a lot of them. If you can’t or don’t have the time to do so, Word Philocaly is your savior. We can write compelling product descriptions for you that attract customers while you are working on other core business activities!
Three-Step Practical Guide to Write Product Descriptions
Ok, now you know what makes an effective product description and how it can increase your conversion rate.
Now, I have a 3-step template for you from one of our copywriters, who also happens to be an experienced ecommerce entrepreneur, to make writing your product descriptions quick and easy.
Each point can be one sentence or multiple sentences. It’s up to you to test the length to see what will resonate with your customer better.
1. Compliment the customer in relation to the product.
The first step is to complement the customer in relation to the product. Find a feature of your product that your customer is looking for. Relate it to them to show them how it’s a perfect fit.
For example, if you’re selling the microwave cleaner, you can mention how heated you both get when it’s dirty! Use the word “you” or “your” as if you’re talking directly to your customer in the description.
If your customer identifies with the emotions in the product description, they will be more likely to feel like that product was made for them and they need it!
The second step is to mention the product benefit in relation to the product feature.
2. Mention the product benefit in relation to the product feature.
Use your audience research to answer one of your customer’s potential problems with a product feature.
With wireless headphones, one product feature would be the battery life. The benefit of a longer battery life is that it allows your adventure-seeking customer more time to explore the world rather than sit by the charging station.
You don’t need to explicitly explain what your product can do for your customer, but it helps. When you’re online shopping, you’re not always shopping with your problems top of mind.
For example, I may not realize how my dirty microwave could ruin my date night until I read it in your product description!
3. Provide a simple recommendation.
The third step is providing a simple recommendation. Wrap up your product description by giving a recommendation. Recommend that the customer use your product a certain way, or suggest they buy another product to go with it.
For a wireless headphones product description, you might suggest your customer buy a wireless phone charger in your store too. If you’re selling clothing, you can suggest an accessory or another piece of clothing to help them complete their look.
Word Philocaly can Help You Write Product Descriptions
If you’re looking for assistance to write product descriptions, make sure to talk to our copywriters!
Now I’d love to hear from you. Have great product descriptions helped you convert? Was a product description ever so good it convinced you to purchase the product?
Send us an email and let us know. We will then chime in with our thoughts.
Thanks for reading this article. Until next time, learn often, market better, and sell more. Make sure you bookmark our website and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, so you never miss helpful articles, promotions, and services!
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