5 Steps To Write More Compelling Category Descriptions

SEO category descriptions are an increasingly important part of content strategy and are becoming a larger part of the e-commerce content marketing mix. As more companies realize the additional SEO benefits that come from well-written category descriptions infused with relevant keywords, the higher the demand there is for this type of content.

One thing to keep in mind though, is that writing category content requires a slightly different mindset than traditional blogs or other SEO content.

How To Write A Stellar SEO Category Description

Before starting your next category content project, remember these five things to create more compelling category descriptions for SEO.

1. Incorporate Categorical Keywords

From an SEO perspective, category content is a great way to target broader keywords that you wouldn’t necessarily target on a product page. For instance, if your company sells all kinds of shoes, you’d want to be able to target specific keywords around the many categories you offer and lead people naturally through the e-commerce sales funnel. That way if people search for “men’s shoes”, they find your SEO category description that gives them all of the products that relate so they’re already one step closer to finding what they want.

Blogging is another way to capture these categorical keywords, but increasing SEO rankings for these terms on your category pages is better. Ecommerce SEO is all about getting the right product in front of the consumer as quickly as possible so they don’t get lost along the way.

2. Keep It Conversational

The goal of an SEO category page is to establish an emotional connection between the customer and the company. The tone of your writing is a large part of this. Although companies want to stay professional and remain an authority figure in their niche, you don’t want to do this at the expense of alienating your readers. Here are a couple of category description writing tips to consider:

• Familiarize yourself with the personality of the brand and mimic that voice.
• Whether the tone is formal or casual, keep the copy conversational, like you are speaking face to face with the customer.

Don’t get too technical in your category content copy. Product specs are important but belong in product descriptions, not category descriptions. Remember that category pages are the soft sell of the products, helping to reinforce to the reader that they are on the right track to finding the solutions to their problems.

3.  Emphasize Benefits With the Right Words

When writing SEO category descriptions, it’s easy to boast about all of the things your company offers that make you stand out from the competition. In e-commerce content writing, however, talking about yourself is a big no-no. People are inherently selfish and want to know what’s in it for them. You need to let them know how the products within that category fill a particular void and add value. Here are some category description writing tips to consider:

• Choose adjectives and other words carefully to appeal to the target audience.
• Use industry lingo when applicable.
• Always say ‘you’ instead of ‘we’

For example, if you are writing category pages for a high-end boutique, you might say, “Join the glitterati this weekend by accessorizing your LBD with one of our opulent necklaces.” As another example, instead of saying, “We offer the widest selection of products…”, say this instead, “You’ll find the widest selection of products here.”

If you ever find yourself at a loss for just the right words, check out The Big List of 189 Words that Convert or reference Words to Use.

Adjectives and other words in an SEO category description go a long way to eliciting the desired response from the customer, but don’t overuse them. Keep the category content clear and concise.

4.  Use Complete Sentences

As with any type of content writing, always use complete sentences in your category descriptions for SEO. While it might seem natural to simply write “Free Shipping” or “Measures 3-inches by 5-inches” in a category description, fragments like these activate low-quality filters with major search engines.

The best SEO category descriptions are the ones that flow naturally and reinforce a potential customer’s confidence that they are close to finding what they’re looking for. Good category content is also a great way to subliminally show customers that these products are something you specialize in. What company creates category pages for products they don’t know anything about?

Incomplete sentences do still have a place in e-commerce content writing, though. These fragments are best left for product description bullet points that are quickly and succinctly identifying specific product features.

5.  Avoid If/Then Statements

Generally speaking, when writing SEO category descriptions it is best to avoid using if/then statements. The fact that customers are on the category page in the first place means that they are shopping for a certain type of product. Instead, embed a call to action in the copy. Here are some examples of product category do’s and don’ts:

• Don’t: If you are shopping for lighting solutions, you can find a variety of products that brighten up your home here at Guiding Light.
• Do: Brighten up your home with innovative lighting solutions from Guiding Light.

Softly pushing the customer to act is a way to help drive leads/sales. High-quality category pages can help to set the mindset of the customer towards purchasing before ever clicking on a specific product page.

Well-Written Category Descriptions Improve SEO

Regardless of what type of client you are writing for, SEO category descriptions that incorporate these five elements perform better. Comment below if you have any other helpful tips on how to write category content! Check out some of our other content marketing posts to find more ways to improve your website’s SEO content.