Every product description will tell you the basics – what the product is, what it does, how big it is, and so forth – and those things are important to know. However, it’s important to understand that a bare bones description won’t sell your products, inspire confidence, or trigger loyalty in a shopper. They won’t stop a potential customer from clicking away and buying the same item from your competition, either.
That’s where the rules of dynamic copywriting and description come in. Here we’ll take a look at some effective ways to engage your customers, effectively convert casual visitors, and inspire brand-centric loyalty that lasts.
- Insert an emotional hook.
Even if a customer isn’t consciously aware of what’s happening, they’re hard-wired to respond to engaging language that inspires emotion on a profound level. Writing that contains emotion helps to grab a reader’s attention and hold it. It activates the portion of the brain in charge of making decisions, as well.
Don’t passively describe your products. Speak directly to the reader using “you” and “your.” Use dynamic language that helps paint a picture of what it would be like to use that product. The more emotion you can inspire in your reader, the greater the chances of closing that sale.
- Understand how important uniqueness is.
Far too many eCommerce sites rely on existing manufacturer’s descriptions to sell their products, and there are two very important reasons why they shouldn’t. First of all, content that is identical with that found on other websites can’t and won’t be ranked by search engines. Second, a canned manufacturer’s description is highly unlikely to reflect the unique voice your company could be bringing to the table.
Make sure your product copy reflects the spirit of your company and the one-of-a-kind selling points attached to your brand. Use it to convey to your customer why it’s worth it to buy this item from you and not someone else.
- Use language to help shoppers connect with the product.
As touched on above, language that is bland and boring does nothing to help a customer see how a product could fit into their lifestyle. Descriptive language, on the other hand, helps a reader truly connect to the product.
Effective product descriptions use sensory adjectives and active verbs that tell customers a story about what they’re buying. They also do a good job of showing a customer how that item will make short work of a problem they’re looking to solve and make their life better as a result.
- Lose the fluff.
The effectiveness of a given product description isn’t just about what you choose to include. It’s also about what you choose to leave out. While good copy is descriptive, it’s also succinct. Avoid padding descriptions with jumbled, lengthy sentences that fill space but fail to provide further information about the product. Otherwise, you risk losing the reader’s interest and inspiring them to look elsewhere.
You’ll also want to avoid reliance on phrases that are overused when it comes to product copy. Shoppers see repetitive words so often that they’re no longer capable of reacting to their impact. Instead, use unique language and dynamic terms to get the point across. Don’t forget to back up any claims you make with proof!
- Make the copy easy to scan.
The easier you can make it for a shopper to find the information they’re looking for when it comes to your product descriptions, the higher your sales numbers will soar. People want to know right away if a given item is capable of meeting their needs. Only then will they be interested in more information.
Give some thought as to which information is the most critical, and make it easy to scan for. Incorporate it into a list, use bullet points, or use different font sizes. Also decide which parts of the description are most likely to help a customer connect with the product. Put that part right up front and make sure it’s easy to read.
Don’t leave out detailed specs and other information that the customer might need in order to make a final decision. Do consider placing it behind an “expand for more” section the customer can click when they’re ready to see it. Otherwise, you risk giving them a raging case of information overload.
- Use stories to address rational barriers where appropriate.
Some products sell themselves with the help of clean copy that’s descriptive while remaining succinct. However, some items fare best when presented with a story. Examples include luxury items like wine, artwork, or antique furniture.
Ask yourself whether or not knowing the story behind a given product would better help the customer connect with it. Telling such a story can help lower rational barriers and even make the customer entirely forget someone’s selling them something.
- Use social proof to help shoppers justify the purchase.
In the event a given shopper isn’t quite sure whether or not to pull the trigger on a purchase, it’s natural and normal for them to start looking around for suggestions. For that reason, many customers are swayed by higher numbers of positive reviews. Fears and doubts are soothed by endorsements.
It’s possible to make the power of social proof a part of your product descriptions as well. Describing the popularity of a product is one way to do it. Finding ways to highlight certain products as customer favorites or best sellers is another. If appropriate, you can even include quotes from satisfied customers or respected publications that have endorsed your product. All of these things go a long way toward assuring a shopper that they’re making a smart decision that lots of other smart shoppers before them have made.
As you can see, there’s a fine art to crafting product descriptions that generate results. It’s all about knowing your customer, understanding what makes them tick, and understanding how to apply that knowledge effectively.
