Everyone knows someone with some form of online store and with the existence of effective, dedicated platforms such as WooCommerce and Shopify, it has never been easier to set one up.
If you’ve landed here, there’s a good chance you’re already the proud owner of your own online business already, or you’re considering setting up a new venture. Either way, establishing your presence and boosting sales is key and this post is focused specifically on getting your product descriptions right; a critical success factor when it comes to digital marketing and grabbing the attention of your target audience.
Why is product description so important?
There are two really important elements to product description; narrative and photography. Customers are unable to try on, handle, taste or smell a product from an online store so all they have to go on is an insightful and accurate description, and high quality imaging. Many E-commerce sites fail because they don’t take product descriptions seriously enough. There’s always a chance to update and improve these and the golden rule here is; don’t rely on tedious, standard and boring. Make your description snappy, professional and if you are able to, fun!
Focus on your customer
This is where search engine optimisation (SEO) comes in and it is all based on keyword research. The measure of the success of a product description is the inclusion of truly effective keywords. You need to know your product and your customers inside out; how customers write or talk about this particular product, how they source the same, or similar, products and who is doing it right when it comes to keywords (and what will work for you).
Doing some keyword research for products also gives you a better idea of how to talk about your products, not just about which words to include. Find out what the real value of the product is and adopt the same lingo as your consumers to communicate and promote your goods.
Don’t rely on generic text product descriptions
It’s easy (and very tempting) to simply copy and paste the descriptions provided by manufacturers. Other than the obviously negative connotations of appearing lazy and less than professional, there is a key reason why you shouldn’t use a default description and it is this; many other online stores may stock the same product/s and will also adopt the standard text, meaning that you will instantly fail to stand out. No one wants to be lost amongst their competitors and no one wants to lose out on potential customers.
Make it personal
Not every piece of text has to be boring. You can use your voice and your own, unique style to personalise your descriptions. Personalisation means you can be more recognisable, hopefully memorable (for the right reasons) and gives you the opportunity to align the E-commerce aspect of your site with your overall business branding. Always keep in mind that, with every transaction, you are not just selling your product/s, you are selling the experience of buying from your store. Each interaction presents an opportunity to promote your business and to further establish the brand.
Give it a story
It shouldn’t always be you who tells the product story. There is nothing more powerful than the positive backing of your customers; those who have taken time out of their busy lives to thank you, to share their experiences of buying from you and to tell you (and the world) that they are delighted with what they have bought. Ask your customers for input and use their insights to enhance your content and influence future buyers.
And finally…
Just because you have a shop set up, doesn’t mean overnight success is guaranteed. There are several key areas that you should consider honing in on, to promote your goods and services in the best way possible. When these factors are given equal weight and consideration, you can be assured that you are doing all you can to maximise the chances of boosting sales, establishing your business and increasing customer confidence in your brand. Dedicating time to brainstorm your product keywords, giving careful consideration to the imaging you use and thinking more creatively about your text descriptions can really make the difference.
If this post has been particularly helpful, why not check out our related ramblings, or call us at The Digital Studios HQ to discuss further?