Have you noticed that, besides seeing them eBay, Amazon or Etsy, product listings are often picked up in search by Google, Bing or Yahoo? Here are some tips to help you do two things:
- Get your listings found by search engines
- Write descriptions that sell more product
There are two places search engines look for matching content – titles and product descriptions. Titles and product descriptions are content. Creating good, relevant, content is what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is all about. Delivering relevant content works better than any SEO trick you may have heard about.
Win Sales by informing & educating your potential buyer
Winning descriptions don’t just describe the product details. They inform and educate the potential buyer.
Start by describing the product features and benefits. Always include important information such as: quantity, taste, color, size, features, benefits, the price, and any customization available.
I typically write a one or two sentence basic product description, followed by bullets that cover the size, color, specifications, etc. to begin with. Then I keep writing until I run out of benefits to write about.
Remember: Features describe, but benefits sell!
24-inch padded guitar strap is a feature. Our adjustable padded guitar strap with non-slip lining is comfortable, adjustable and will keep your guitar in place, describes the features as benefits.
Note: My research on the products I sell, shows that longer descriptions work better than short ones. However, that may not be true for all products, so you should test this for yourself
Create White Space in your listing
Remember how people read on a computer –they scan! Therefore, it is important to make your description easy to read. Use bullets for important points and short paragraphs with a double return between each paragraph to create white space. This is what I have tried to do in this post.
All products should have their own individual description
Even if you have somewhat identical products, resist the temptation to copy/paste the same info into several listings. Why? Remember, one of the things search engines penalize is web pages that have identical content on them.
Here is an example. Let’s say you sell several models of a fashion bracelet. And each listing says: Add this bracelet to your cart today, so you don’t miss out to another bidder. Since each bracelet is slightly different, you might say something different in each listing such as: Add this lovely fashion bracelet to your cart today, so you don’t miss out to another bidder. Or: Add this lovely cuff bracelet to your cart today, so you don’t miss out to another bidder
Make it Personal
I always write in the first person. This way, it sounds like I am speaking directly to the reader. I might say something like:
My wife and I found this French fry cutter in a high-end kitchen store on our last trip to New York City. We bought one on the spot. When we got home, we tried it –and loved it. I researched the company and ordered them for our store. We have sold hundreds since then with only a couple returns.
If you don’t have a personal story, like the one above, you could always say something like:
We try and use every product we sell. So, we kept one of these French fry cutters for ourselves and love it.
Ask for the sale, and communicate a sense of urgency
Ask for the sale. If you are sitting in front of a customer, it is easy to ask for the sale. But, when you are selling online your product description has to do that for you.
Personally, I like to use promotions and coupons. (20% off, BOGO, Buy 2 or more and get free shipping, and so on).
Give the customer a reason for acting immediately. The moment a potential buyer clicks away from your website for any reason, the purchase becomes more unlikely. Communicating a sense of urgency discourages your buyers from leaving your website.
Urgency is prompted through a combination of time, exclusivity or availability, and saving money. Here are a couple approaches to create this sense of urgency in your product descriptions (I am sure you can think of more):
- “Order now – Only 5 left!”
- This is my last supply at this price. My supplier told me a major price increase is coming with my next order
Great product descriptions are essential to your bottom line. Put the time and attention into creating them and it will pay dividends in higher sales –and profits