How to write a description of a product card for an online store

The search engine algorithm is designed in such a way that pages of online stores without product descriptions are practically not indexed. This means that products without descriptions will not appear in search results, and customers will therefore buy them less. Additionally, with the help of clear and useful descriptions, it may be possible to persuade a doubtful client who has not yet decided what exactly he needs and where to buy it to buy. But don’t overestimate the role of product descriptions on a website.

Unfortunately, not all managers know how to write a high-quality product description and what it should be. That is why online stores are often filled with such descriptions that they not only do not sell the product, but also spoil the customer’s impression of the store as a whole.

Why the description does not guarantee success

Description is just one of the blocks of information on the site. In addition, not all clients read them. Much more often attention is paid to the photo of the product, its price, characteristics and customer reviews. If all or one of these elements is missing or poorly presented on the page, users are likely to leave the site without reading the descriptions.

In order for an online store to work effectively, beautiful descriptions alone are not enough. All elements of the product card must be of high quality.

What should the product description be?

Many online store owners do not understand that posting standard descriptions from a manufacturer’s catalog or a competitor’s website sometimes not only does not provide any benefit to the resource, but can also cause harm. Let's figure out how to make a high-quality product description for an online store.

Product Description Length

The optimal amount of text for product descriptions is 400-800 characters.

If the description on your website is smaller, there is a risk that it will not contain any interesting and significant data that could influence the decision to purchase a product. Also, smaller text is less likely to be indexed by search engines.

Large text is often difficult to read and comprehend. Especially considering that many people neglect the quality of its design on the site. A volume of over 800 characters is appropriate only for specific goods, the purchase of which is rarely impulsive - medicines, complex equipment.

Who needs uniqueness

Product descriptions in online stores must be unique.

What minimum acceptable percentage of uniqueness to choose, what program to use to determine its level depends only on you. In order to answer these questions, visit content exchanges and see how your competitors do it. However, do not strive for 100% uniqueness.

If you choose a program based on shingle verification of text uniqueness, for such small volumes of text it is almost impossible to achieve 100% uniqueness without losing logic and meaning. Usually 80-90% uniqueness is enough.

Keywords in description

Keywords must be used in product descriptions. In this case, it is best to include not high-frequency keywords, but medium and low-frequency ones. Thus, the page for a specific product will increase the likelihood of reaching the top of search results for your request.

For example, the page for the Redmond RMG-1203 electric meat grinder will not reach the top of search results for the query “buy an electric meat grinder.” You have a much better chance if you search for “buy Redmond RMG-1203 with inexpensive delivery.”

Helpful information

Ideally, descriptions should not completely duplicate characteristics. They should provide the reader with additional useful information about the product. The more specifics about the product, the better.

You can write everything - from how a mobile phone fits in your hand and whether it is convenient to dial a number with one hand, to what is the best way to wash and dry curtains so that they do not lose their original appearance for as long as possible.

Common mistakes when writing descriptions

Errors when writing descriptions are common not only for beginners in online trading, but also for well-known stores. Let's deal with them and never repeat them again.

Descriptions copied from the Internet

A real scourge for online stores. Thousands of stores stubbornly copy each other’s product descriptions and wonder why their entire websites or individual product pages fall out of search results.

Search engines work in such a way that sites with copied content are rarely indexed. Even if you manage to get indexed, all other things being equal, you will definitely be lower than the original source.

Search engines react poorly to such “pranks” and, just as with copied descriptions, may bypass your site. In addition, by copying descriptions for similar products, you can accidentally deceive the client.

When search engines find two similar products with the same description on a website, they perceive these pages as duplicates and leave only one in the index. A different description will show search engines that the pages are also different.

Abundance of keywords

Descriptions consisting only of keywords are a thing of the past. Search engine algorithms are designed in such a way that if you use key phrases excessively, you will simply fall out of the search results. Yandex and Google robots are getting smarter every day and guard the interests of ordinary users and mark such texts as spam.

Text is too long

All good things, even the best, should still be in moderation. Do not make product descriptions on the site in the form of long text. They are difficult to read, they look ugly, and the same malicious search robots are vigilant to make it convenient and useful for users.

But, if you are selling a completely new product, write an interesting and structured description exactly as much as necessary. After all, who would buy an item about which he knows nothing and it is not at all clear how and why to use it.

Where to get unique descriptions

All of the above is good, but you probably already have a question in your head. Where can you get unique product card descriptions? You can write them yourself or order them from copywriters.

Writing descriptions in-house

It doesn’t matter whether you start writing texts yourself, or entrust it to one of your subordinates. This method has both pros and cons.

• the performer knows the topic, understands what he is writing about, knows the good and bad sides of the product;
• the performer can pick up the described item, twirl it and touch it, and therefore convey this valuable information about actual use to the consumer;

• if the store’s assortment amounts to thousands, or even tens of thousands of products, you will have to hire a separate employee, pay him vacation and sick leave, and organize an additional workplace;
• not everyone can clearly express their thoughts on paper; it will take a long time to choose from among the employees who to entrust this task to, often to the detriment of their main responsibilities;
• When searching for a new employee, you will have to spend time on interviews, selecting applicants and testing their knowledge and skills.

In what cases is it worth writing descriptions yourself:

• a specific product that an incompetent author is unlikely to write about;
• small number of titles;
• there is an employee who is able and willing to do this work.

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