Product descriptions act like sales assistants. They answer questions, educate your audience and show customers why they need the items you sell. To write compelling, effective and persuasive product descriptions, follow these steps.

Create Buyer Personas

Before you write a single product description, define your audience. Are they single moms, young teens, busy executives, or senior men? What problems do they have? What objections will they have before they will purchase your products? This composite sketch of your audience helps you create buyer personas and craft appealing descriptions that address your customers’ specific needs.

Focus on the Solution

You may be tempted to write about the product and share details about how it works or what it does. However, your buyers want to know how it can solve a problem they have. Address these needs as you write product descriptions that offer a solution. For example, include details about how your vacuum cleaner picks up dog hair, reduces allergens or operates for hours on a single battery charge or how your app can improve productivity, maximize efficiency or boost sales.

Share the Benefits

Do your products make customers happier, improve their social standing or simplify life? Include these benefits in your product description. Tell customers how your artwork enhances their living space or office, or share details about how your handmade soap reduces skin irritations and improves skin health. By sharing benefits, you show customers that they need your products in their lives.

Include Product Specifics

Share the top features of your products, and include additional technical specifications, too. Details about the product’s size, color, material, weight, and care instructions help customers choose the products that meet their needs. These details can also reduce product returns after the sale.

Use Exciting Language

Because customers can’t touch, see or examine your products, you have to bring the product to life. Use action verbs, exciting language and stories in your descriptions. They should match your brand values and buyer personas as you build excitement and enthusiasm for your products.

Avoid Cliches and Jargon

Phrases like “amazing product” or “excellent quality” don’t tell your customers anything new and may turn them away. Instead, share why your product is amazing or what makes the quality excellent.

Remove any industry jargon, too. Write in common language all your customers can understand even if they’re not experts in your field.

Be Unique

Manufacturer descriptions include valuable information, but don’t copy those or a competitor’s descriptions. Unique product descriptions help you stand out from your competitors and show customers that you’ve put effort into your sales pitch. You also need unique descriptions to rank on Google and improve brand and product visibility.

Include SEO Keywords

Optimize your product descriptions to improve their Google rank. While you don’t want to stuff keywords into your copy, try to include them in your title, heading, meta description, copy, and image captions.

Proofread and Edit Every Description

After you write great descriptions, check the spelling and correct any grammar errors. Also, verify that all the information, including technical specifications and dimensions, are correct. Proofreading and editing enhance your professional image and build trust in your brand.

Format the Description

Long paragraphs of text bore readers, so format your descriptions properly. Include headers, bold text, images, bullet points, and short paragraphs to improve readability. The right format allows customers to quickly scan the description for pertinent details and entices customers to make a purchase.

Embrace Multimedia Descriptions

In addition to the written descriptions you post on e-commerce sites, create videos, infographics and other visuals that highlight your products. Showcase the items in action, and demonstrate their features. With visual references, your customers gain a firsthand view of your products and see exactly what they’ll get.

Test and Tweak as Needed

Keep your descriptions fresh and relevant when you test them. Publish a few different product descriptions to see what works. You may find that certain wording or formatting appeals to different buyer personas. Then make tweaks as needed by changing your wording, format or keyword placement. Over time, you’ll find the right formula for your audience and bottom line.

Compelling product descriptions serve as sales assistants for your products. Use these tips to write effective and persuasive copy that engages your customers and boosts sales.

Post contributed by PJ Taei.