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10 Tips for Effective Ecommerce Product Copywriting

Creating effective ecommerce product descriptions is a skill. Good copy on your product pages can be a highly effective tool in getting customers to click that all important add-to-cart button. Yet it is still one area where some website owners fail to invest time and effort, instead opting for the default manufacturer’s descriptions, brief and bland copy or worst of all, no details at all.

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Creating effective ecommerce product descriptions is a skill. Good copy on your product pages can be a highly effective tool in getting customers to click that all important add-to-cart button. Yet it is still one area where some website owners fail to invest time and effort, instead opting for the default manufacturer’s descriptions, brief and bland copy or worst of all, no details at all.

Follow the guidelines below to create sparkling sales copy for your ecommerce website.

    1. Clear Layout
      The average website visitor scans a page quickly, actually reading a mere 20% of the copy. Ensure that you hold your customer’s attention and direct them to key information by carefully formatting text into small paragraphs, with bold headings.
    2. Natural Keyword Use
      Although it is tempting to focus on SEO when writing content for your ecommerce product pages, don’t make it more important than your visitor experience. Rather than trying to force a keyword into your copy in a shoehorn-like fashion, write accurate, descriptive text about the product and it should naturally include relevant key phrases.
    3. Keep Quality High
      Remember those high school English lessons about grammar, punctuation and spelling? You are going to need those skills to write copy that is professional and high quality. Basic errors such as poorly constructed sentences and misspelled words can make your ecommerce website look amateurish and will erode a customer’s sense of trust.
    4. Consistent Product Descriptions
      Creating a consistent browsing experience for your visitors lets them find the information that matters to them easily. Maintain the same layout, formatting and tone throughout your product pages.
    5. Descriptive and Enticing
      Make a connection with your visitors by using the active voice, and describing benefits rather than features. Anticipate your customer’s motivation for buying the product and present them with ways that the item can meet their needs and solve their problems.
    6. Unique, Engaging Language
      Unless you make your own products, the chances are there are many other ecommerce websites using the same default product descriptions provided by the item manufacturer. Don’t go down this lazy road! Creating unique product copy doesn’t just make sense from an SEO perspective but is also an opportunity to express your brand’s personality and connect with your target audience.
    7. Simple is Best
      Keep your language free of clutter. Use short sentences and easy to understand language to keep your ecommerce website accessible for all levels of readers. Steer clear of jargon or overly technical terms, and instead translate these into words that a layman can understand.
    8. Honesty Matters
      Tantalize your website visitors with copy that illustrates how your product can benefit them without veering into exaggeration. Most customers can quickly sniff out a false product description, and those that are drawn into a purchase via hype and heightened claims will be disappointed and angry at being duped.
    9. Effective Micro-Copy
      Think carefully when considering your call-to-actions and button copy. There is a fine line to walk between using creative copy that complements your brand personality and adhering to conventional phrases that visitors expect.Although it is tempting to try and inject more colour to this micro-copy to set your website apart from the crowd, it is usually safer to stick to traditional call to actions that online shoppers are familiar with.
    10. Think Global
      Ecommerce website copy isn’t just about the words, but the meaning. Elements such as tone and phrasing can influence a visitor’s experience just as much as word choice, and this doesn’t necessarily mean when they speak a different language. Even English speaking countries such as the US, UK and Australia have very different cultures and use of language.

Ensure that your ecommerce website copy translates well into the most common languages of the locations where you take orders from and be particularly mindful of how tone and translation could be interpreted in the local culture.

Don’t be afraid to look for help when creating your ecommerce product descriptions. These pages are too important to write yourself if copywriting isn’t in your natural skill set. However, if your budget doesn’t allow for hiring a specialist then stick to the rules above to stay on track and craft effective product copy that sells.

If you are looking to start an online store or if you are an experienced ecommerce retailer and want to make sure you are handling the fundamentals, this ecommerce website checklist is a great resource.

HubSpot