Writing Better SEO Product Descriptions
If you have an online store, you cannot afford to overlook your SEO product descriptions. It really is that simple. You could think of your product descriptions as essential sales tools that make customers want to buy your products. Descriptions are not only important for helping to make a sale. They are also important for getting customers to your product pages in the first place.
Consider this analogy… let’s say you are looking for a quilt. You have some idea of what you want but you are open to ideas. You do an online search for ‘quilts for sale in south africa‘ or you may get even more specific and search for ‘find quilts in cape town‘. When you either of those search terms into Google, you will get a number of search results relating to quilts. Of those, the ones you will most likely click will have clear titles and descriptions that tell you exactly what to expect. The results that are closer to the top of the page will also get clicked before those on the second or third page.
You click on a few links to see whether the online stores in question have any quilts that catch your fancy. Which stores would you be more likely to purchase from – the stores that have well-written SEO product descriptions that make you visualise using the quilt or the stores that have photos with no text at all?
Why Are SEO Product Descriptions Needed?
Before we share some tips on how to get more from your SEO product descriptions, why exactly are descriptions so important? For starters, they help to bring in traffic organically while also offering a way to entice potential customers to make the leap from browsing to purchase.
In our quilt example, the online shops that have a wide range of beautiful quilts, with interesting product descriptions that are optimised subtly, a good delivery system, lovely photographs, clear links to contact and other useful pages, and headers that are relevant and targeted are far more likely to get sales compared to those who only have photographs and prices.
Treating online shops in a one size fits all way is the biggest mistake you can make, regardless of what you are selling. In order to grow your store online, you will need to put some effort and thought into your SEO product descriptions. Ideally, you want to work with a professional copywriter or SEO professional to ensure that your descriptions are optimised in a way that makes it easier for customers to find you online.
Getting More From Your SEO Product Descriptions
How else do you take your SEO product descriptions to the next level? Let’s take a look at some of the ways that you can get more from your product descriptions.
Write for your audience.
One mistake that many make is focusing so much on the SEO part that the human part is ignored. You are writing for people as well as search engines. That means using language that is designed for your target audience. Taking the time to identify your core audience is essential. Use your website demographics, think about the type of customer you hope to attract, use tools that help you find your target customer, create buyer personas, and think about how your products can benefit your customers.
Focus on benefits.
While we’re talking about benefits, focusing on benefits and features is another great tip. Although this does not have a direct effect on your SEO, it will definitely help your conversion rates. Descriptions that focus only on products without giving readers a clear sense of WHY they should use your products will not have the same effect as content that is interesting and benefit-driven. For each product, ask yourself what it is about the product that makes it unique, beneficial or must-have in some way.
Get creative with words.
You do not have to use boring descriptions that inspire no one. Instead, aim to make your descriptions fun and interesting. Use words that make people want to know more, words that make people want to buy, and words that make people respond emotionally. Make it fun. Add a sense of urgency. Showcase your products in a different way that sets you apart from similar shops.
Reflect your brand voice.
Another thing that does not always affect SEO but still helps hugely to drive conversion and increase loyalty, reflecting your brand voice is essential. What this means essentially is writing in a way that is consistent with the rest of your brand narrative – website, social, email, and even print media. If you are not sure how to find and write in your brand voice, you can view my tips on how to define your brand voice that will help you get started.
Use keywords smartly.
Finally, it is worth taking the time to think carefully about your keyword strategy. Use purchase-intent keywords such as ‘buy pink dresses in cape town‘ or ‘shop blue socks online‘ or ‘buy yellow hats online‘ and include a selection of relevant keywords that are targeted to your category pages as well as your product pages. This will help to drive traffic from shoppers rather than generic traffic that may not be sales driven.
I hope that these tips make it easier to plan your SEO product descriptions. If you’re looking for more advice or some help in writing your SEO product descriptions, get in touch and find out how I can help you take your ecommerce content to the next level.