10 Examples of Product Descriptions That Sell
The best product descriptions give you the opportunity to interact with customers on a personal level. Great writing can create laughter, relate to experience or even touch hearts. These positive feelings are exactly what you want your customers to experience when reading your ecommerce copy because they motivate purchasing intent and brand loyalty.
The Way You Write a Product Description Makes a Difference
Well-written content makes shopping rewarding and fun for potential consumers. On top of that, though, the art of product writing can also have major benefits relating to organic search/SEO, lead generation and overall sales. Being able to weave keywords, popular search queries and related topics in product descriptions while also connecting to customers emotionally is the makeup of an e-commerce marketing genius.
Boosting your rankings on search engines and getting more traffic to your site ultimately will lead to more sales. Quality product description writing can do all that and more.
Amazing Product Description Examples
The 10 brands featured below have figured out how to write a product description that attracts their target audience, just like content writing agency professionals do. Learning the same lessons can help business owners know what it takes to deliver a spectacular online shopping experience.
1. Informative Content: DeWalt
To make purchasing decisions, people need information. An important reason consumers visit product pages is to learn more about features. Excellent product descriptions can help people find exactly what they’re looking for. The best product description writing focuses on who, what, why and how, though not necessarily in that order:
- What is the product?
- Who is it designed for?
- Why do customers need it?
- How can people use it?
Fluffy marketing copy just can’t compete with real information. Instead of trying to woo customers with fancy language, guide them to the right decision. This is exactly what DeWalt does when describing its 20V MAX XR cordless drill:
This DeWalt product description packs a lot of helpful information into a relatively compact paragraph. In a few sentences, DeWalt explains exactly why you’d want to buy this drill: It’s compact and lightweight, it fits in tight spaces, it has a long-lasting battery and it offers excellent performance. In less than 30 seconds, the reader already has a good idea if this product is the right fit.
How much info should you provide? That varies by product and target audience. To put it simply, the right amount of information is whatever your customers need to make a decision.
The DeWalt product description meets these needs in a smart way by using a separate section titled “Features & Specs.” Here the manufacturer mentions specific measurements and information about speed settings. Tabs are an excellent option for providing a lot of information without cluttering up the screen.
2. Clear Product Description Writing: REI
Most people enjoy content that is simple and to the point. You don’t need to write multiple paragraphs about a sweatshirt to convince people to buy it. In fact, trying to cram too much information into a description can have a negative effect.
Above the fold, limit yourself to one paragraph with two or three sentences. Some sales pages work wonders with a single powerfully worded phrase. Notice the simple yet immersive way REI describes a men’s rain jacket:
Outdoor adventure lovers discover the jacket of their dreams in one sentence. The words are easy to understand and express clear concepts. People who buy this coat get “complete storm protection,” but they can also move quickly because it’s incredibly lightweight. Many page visitors won’t even need to scroll down to decide whether or not to buy.
Of course, if consumers decide to look for more info, what they discover is just as clear and enticing as the main description. Thanks to smart bullet points and tabs, readers learn a lot quickly:
A professional copywriting agency understands that unless you’re selling replacement parts for manufacturing equipment, you must dial back on technical terminology. REI could have called the jacket “impervious to water” or “engineered for moisture protection,” but “complete storm protection” said the same thing in a clearer and more exciting way.
3. Expressive and Engaging Experiences: Joybird
The next step in creating product descriptions that shine is making them irresistible. Your content should focus on getting people involved. Engaging product descriptions show customers why a product is the solution they’ve been waiting for.
Joybird skillfully chooses to focus on what the customer will experience more than the features of its sectional. By addressing the reader as “you” and describing “dreamy comfort” and “room for everyone,” this product description gently nudges visitors toward imagining their own home with a plush sectional. The warm tones and laid-back accessories shown in the photo (who wouldn’t want to snuggle in that cozy throw?) add to the buyer’s excitement.
This appealing narrative continues a little further down the page. Instead of prioritizing a boring checklist of materials, Joybird highlights the moments families can share together with this piece: incredible movie nights, relaxing workdays and comfy afternoon naps.
Many e-commerce stores like to sell products by telling a story. A colorful T-shirt isn’t just a garment; it’s the mantle of a modern-day urban warrior who loves to take risks. Running shoes aren’t just for jogging; they’re an essential part of a healthy lifestyle tied to fresh veggies, relaxing spas and slim waistlines.
To deliver an immersive content experience, companies that offer product description writing services have an expressive vocabulary. Words such as “bold,” “elegant,” “eclectic” or “sophisticated” pack a powerful punch. These terms lead customers to associate products with a specific personality. If you describe clothing as “gritty,” “artistic” or “quirky,” members of your target audience who identify themselves with that lifestyle will feel attracted.
4. SEO-Optimization Lessons: Extreme Terrain
In today’s online marketplace, making a good impression with customers isn’t the only factor that counts. You also need to make sure your products appear to the right people during Google searches. This helps businesses attract new visitors and returning customers.
It’s true that high-quality content does wonders for search rankings, but you still need to keep traditional SEO elements in mind for product description writing. This includes keywords, title tags, image alt tags and meta descriptions. Long-tail keywords are usually more effective than generic terms such as “men’s shoes” or “cordless drills.”
One area where careful SEO is vital are replacement parts. Customers may know the make, model and part they want, but not where to purchase it online. Extreme Sports ensures a high ranking for its Jeep Wrangler parts by using keywords prominently and correctly.
There are several keywords included in this product’s heading and throughout the site. However, they don’t seem forced. To keep the title from being overwhelming, Extreme Sports wisely puts 10-18 Jeep Wrangler JK, an important long-tail keyword, in parenthesis. In the next section, these same keywords are repeated without feeling out of place. Notice the way that 2010-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK appears several times in different areas, including the description and bullet list:
In product description writing, where should you put specific keywords? An expert content writing agency will try to naturally include keywords in the page title, title tag, meta description and product description. If the keywords flow well, you can add them in bullet lists as well.
5. Visually Attractive Bullet Points: Nike
The visual layout of a product description is every bit as important as the writing style you use. One common mistake is to fill the screen with endless lines of text that take a long time to read. Instead, you want people to pick up on the key highlights of products in the first few seconds.
Instead of intimidating walls of text, create clear product descriptions that look bright and enticing. Including white space draws attention to things you want people to remember. Don’t use a paragraph to explain something that can be said in a few words — at least not above the fold. There’s plenty of room for more detail further down the page.
Nike is a superstar when it comes to balancing white space with impactful photos and clear descriptions. Its product description writing is attractive and exciting. This creates a sense of freedom and captures attention immediately:
Bullet lists are your friends when it comes to designing enticing descriptions that are easy to remember. They can express important selling points in a few words, motivating purchases right away. That way buyers can find the information they’re looking for quickly without having to wade through endless text.
When including additional details below the main description, separate the information using clear headings. This has the same effect as bullet points: it makes your content scannable. Nike does it just right with this shoe’s supplementary info:
Of course, it’s possible for bullet points and headings to be done incorrectly. If you try to include 10–15 points in a single list, you run the risk of overwhelming readers. Above the fold, stick to three or four bullets. In other areas, limit yourself to seven or eight max.
6. Expertly Branded Product Descriptions: Boardcave
No matter how many products you sell, each description should stay true to your brand message. Strong branding sets your products apart and tells customers about your core interests. This can create brand loyalty and make you feel relatable to your audience.
Two companies can sell the exact same pair of jeans but market them differently based on brand identity. One may appeal directly to teens who want to look chic while the other takes a family-friendly approach. Neither type of branding is right or wrong; they’re simply more effective based on the target audience.
Product descriptions need to follow your brand’s specific voice. An expert copywriting agency can add this type of personalized flair. Whether your company is vintage, modern, luxurious, hip, refined, playful or adventurous, product content and selected images should reflect that.
Boardcave has a brand voice with a strong surfer vibe. In addition to creating legendary surfboards, the company makes how-to videos for surfers and guides to the best breaks around Australia. It’s not surprising that their product descriptions use surf lingo and relaxed writing.
This paragraph for The Enduro even manages to ignore correct grammar and spelling with expressions such as “kinda.” For Boardcave, however, this is a perfect fit for branding. The description sounds less like a company trying to sell a product and more like a bunch of fellow surfers offering you advice on the best board to buy. If you build this kind of trust with your clients, they’re more likely to go to your website first for the things they need because they identify with your way of doing things.
7. Benefit-Oriented Product Descriptions: Williams Sonoma
One of the best ways to convince people to make a purchase is to show them exactly why they need your product. This involves providing information, but it goes further than that. The best product description writing services can convince people that specific items can improve their life in some way.
Where a basic description may describe a shoe’s materials and leave it at that, an effective piece revolving around benefits shows how the customer is involved. It may say something like, “This next-gen sole provides exceptional comfort for business executives who spend a lot of time traveling.” By showing why the shoe is awesome, suddenly frequent business travelers feel like they’ve discovered something designed specifically for them.
Williams Sonoma is a master of feature-oriented product description writing. Despite selling hundreds of different cookware products to professional chefs and casual cooks alike, the company guides visitors to the best fit using descriptive bullets that outline features and benefits. In the following example, notice the way technical elements are summed up in practical terms:
Instead of simply saying that the knives have 64 layers of steel Damascus and a powdered steel core, Williams Sonoma explains that this creates a “supersharp cutting edge” that’s inspired by “samurai sword-making techniques.”
Now readers can understand why the knife’s hefty price tag is totally worth it. The same thing happens when describing the moisture-resistant and resin-infused handles as “shaped for comfort and control.”
Stating that these knives are designed for “professional kitchens” not only has a great effect on expert chefs but also appeals to everyday cooking enthusiasts who dream of being professionals.
Copywriting agency pros also know that listing clear features can help people make a choice when a company sells several similar products. Williams Sonoma offers dozens of different knife sets, so bullet points showing the differences are important to help customers narrow down the list. The easier you make it for customers to find what they’re looking for, the more they enjoy the shopping experience.
The easier you make it for customers to find what they’re looking for, the more they enjoy the shopping experience 😍🛍. #ProductDescriptions #Ecommerce Click To Tweet
8. Mobile Friendly E-Commerce Descriptions: Bliss
More people use mobile devices to shop than ever before. This includes primary purchasing activities, not just investigation. If you want to appeal to as many customers as possible, you have to make sure your product descriptions and sales pages look incredible on tablets and smartphones, in addition to laptops and smart TVs.
Content layout is very important for mobile optimization. Smartphone screens are smaller and oriented vertically, so you need to be careful that large paragraphs don’t end up encompassing the entire screen. That’s why bullet points are helpful for creating mobile-friendly descriptions. Natural skincare company Bliss does mobile exceptionally well:
On the primary screen, product descriptions simply include an attractive image, the name of the product, a single descriptive sentence and customer reviews. Very importantly, the “Add To Bag” button is featured prominently to direct shoppers to action. This is the essence of great mobile marketing. Your product description writing services may not need to include any written paragraphs or bullet points above the fold at all for mobile descriptions.
Bliss uses this product’s second page to focus on four key ingredients and their benefits. These aren’t the only ingredients in the formulation, but the company doesn’t want to crowd the page with too much information. Wisely, Bliss uses a link called “See Full Ingredient List” for customers who want to learn more. The page also has accordions for further details.
Many e-commerce businesses rely on product description writing with an accordion layout to appeal to mobile customers. Below the fold, sections such as “Product Features,” “Shipping Information,” “Frequently Asked Questions” and “Additional Details” are neatly folded up on the screen. This way users can navigate easily around the page and still have access to extra information if they need it.
9. Image-Rich Product Pages: GoPro
Pictures can say more to customers than all the words in the world. Images are an essential part of e-commerce, and no product description is really complete without one or more picture. GoPro uses the power of images masterfully to promote a certain lifestyle with its products:
This image gets visitors’ blood pumping far more than bullet points ever could. Before reading a single word, target customers already feel connected to the product subconsciously. They can sense that the HERO7 Silver is cool, rugged and intense, and they start to secretly hope that they can afford it. A side benefit to this awesome image is the way it pairs well with mobile since not much text is needed to deliver the message.
Here are a few benefits of pairing well-written content with high-quality images:
- Visualization: The reason car dealerships encourage people to take test drives is that putting potential owners in the driver’s seat has a positive effect on purchasing intent. As the person imagines driving the luxury automobile in different situations, an inner desire to buy starts to grow. Attractive images in product descriptions have the same effect.
- Motivation: According to one Harvard professor, 95% of purchases are subconscious. They’re based primarily on emotional reactions rather than logical reasoning. Knowing how to write a product description with expressive images helps promote a desired lifestyle. For example, a photo of a family laughing around a patio fire pit provides a carefully chosen message: Buy this incredible fire pit, and your family will be happier and more relaxed.
- Information: In brick-and-mortar stores, customers like to look at items or try them on. In e-commerce, images allow buyers to interact with products in a similar way. When selling clothing, it’s a good idea to include several photos taken from different angles or a product video.
- Excitement: The right images make products look more exciting. This is why mountain bikes and SUVs are often pictured in extreme locations. To highlight the incredible luxury of a piece of furniture, sellers may use a Mediterranean backdrop, for example. Words could never have the same effect.
Choose high-quality images. They speak to your company’s expertise and quality. A great image with simple text can be more effective than a poorly lit image with ample descriptive information.
According to Harvard professor @gzaltman, 95% of purchases are subconscious. They’re based primarily on emotional reactions 🥰 rather than logical reasoning 🧠. #ProductDescriptions #Ecommerce Click To Tweet10. Audience-Centric Writing Styles: Supreme
You have a lot of freedom for creating product descriptions that attract your target customers. For the most part, there are no hard and fast rules for appealing to people. If your numbers show a marketing strategy works, that’s all that matters.
Some websites love to take risks in designing product descriptions that are humorous or downright weird. This type of content probably wouldn’t work for a prestigious Parisian fashion designer, but it appeals to people with the same sense of humor or style. In a way, this follows the concept of “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
That’s exactly what streetwear clothing company Supreme does with its product description writing. A typewriter font so small it’s hard to read? Check. The brand also opts for sentence fragments instead of description wordplay.
This type of description apparently works well for the skateboarders and celebrities who shop from Supreme; countless sold-out products prove it. The brand went from a small NYC shop in 1994 to a business valued at $1 billion in 2017. Just like the business, Supreme’s product descriptions blend grit and urban culture with chic elements and exclusive style.
What can businesses learn? If your primary customers are trendsetters who think outside the box, it can be a great idea to push the envelope with your descriptions. If you’re marketing bridal dresses for traditional weddings, on the other hand, you would probably choose language that is elegant and formal.
This factor also comes into play when deciding how much information to include in the description. For example, a laptop designed for office use may focus mainly on the hard drive, processor, memory, screen and software included, as well as price. On the other hand, a gaming laptop is designed for an audience interested in maximum performance. A description with far more technical information is completely appropriate in this case.
How To Write a Product Description
Whether you’re selling to families, travelers or college grads, it pays to know your audience before you write a single word. Things such as brand voice and target audience should drive every piece of content. At the same time, make sure to follow the best practices for product description writing:
- Keep it simple
- Use bullet points
- Separate information using headers
- Choose expressive words
- Ditch tired marketing phrases in favor of helpful information
- Write simple sentences everyone can understand
- Get customers involved in the story
- Answer the questions people have
Invest in Product Description Writing Today!
If you need additional pointers when it comes to product description writing, contact our experts at BKA Content. We have extensive experience creating product descriptions that move people to action. Our team is made up of many different content professionals, but we always speak using the customer’s distinctive brand voice.
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