Perfect Product Descriptions
A good product description can entice people, a better product description can get people to make a purchase, a great product description can get multiple conversions and increase visibility with paid advertising due to improved SEO. You can read how important product descriptions are to paid advertising here.
A great product description will always consider the ideal customer and will use storytelling to paint them a picture of what life is like with your product. By turning the features into benefits and answering who, what, when, where, why and how, you’ll take them on a journey from click to purchase.
Let’s first break this down and look at the anatomy of the product description. Then download the worksheet below to put it all together!
Who - The first step is always knowing exactly who your ideal client is - specifically for this product. If your product is a gluten free Detroit style pizza with pineapple, using a description for someone that likes regular Detroit style pizza won’t work. You have to consider the specific features of the product that might isolate a certain group. If you’re not sure who on earth your ideal client is, don’t worry, you can work through that here.
What - This includes the product and relevant details, including sizing, product dimensions, fabric content, what’s included and any specific functions.
A couple notes on sizing:
Pants have rise and inseam lengths
Unless your product is a shoe, true to size is not a size
When - When would someone use this product? Is this a seasonal item or something that can be used year round? Or just for special occasions? If so, what occasions are those.
Where - Where would someone use this product? Is this something for travel? Indoor or outdoor use? At the office, playground or at home? Etc.
Why - Why is this better than the competition?! Consider the benefits of your product and what makes it the best. Be sure to have images to back it up! This is also the place to overcome objections! The key is to anticipate an objection to purchasing that your ideal client might have and respond to that objection before they even have a chance to think of it.
Pro tip hack: go to Amazon, find a product in your category with the most reviews, sort to read the one star reviews, find common complaints and use those to reverse engineer overcoming objections. Example: if it’s a pair of leggings and all the one star reviews for the leggings you found on Amazon say the dye transferred to their skin, then include that yours won’t or how to avoid it!
How - How does this work? If it’s a top that can be worn without a bra, tell us how. If it’s a pillow specifically for side sleepers, walk us through how this it supports your head while sleeping.
A couple more things to consider:
What format to use - YES this should cater to… YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER. If your product is super technical, you might want to go with long form, while a pair of shoes might use broken up paragraphs mixed with bullet points. My own personal opinion is to make it scannable since people mostly scan websites looking for what appeals to them.
What language to use - Keep the language simple. The average reading level of Americans is 8th grade. So while you might have an advanced degree in structural linguistics, your reader likely does not. (Unless your ideal client is specifically pursing an advanced degree in structural linguistics…)
Now that you’ve answered the who, what, when, where, why and how - it’s time to tell the story of your product!
Here’s an example, using my favorite product on earth - a round self sealing chip clip. Our ideal client is a single guy in his thirties who really has no clue how to maintain a pantry and his house looks like a bachelor pad.
Dude your pantry isn’t doing you any favors when you bring girls home for that third date.
When she goes for that post-romp salty snack, you want her to find an organized pantry full of fresh snacks! Not a stale mess like her last boyfriend.
The round self sealing chip clip is a fan favorite bag sealer that will keep your snacks fresh longer than your last situationship. Because snack size does matter, they come in multiple sizes to accommodate any size snack.
4 of each 4”, 8”, 12”
Sold in sets of 12
BPA free
The chip clip we’re used to is no different than your worst nightmare - it’s old, tired and not getting the action it deserves because it doesn’t even really work! The round self sealing chip clip completely seals your bag of snacks so nothing can get in OR out.
Fold over the bag of snacks and just slide the shaft of round chip clip, down the center of the fold. It will grip and lock into place nice and tight.
Don’t let your pantry be the reason she ghosts you. Transform your pantry of snacks and let her see the stud you really are.
Ready to start writing the perfect product descriptions?
Download the fillable worksheet that will walk you through creating your own!