How to create Amazon product descriptions that convert

If you’re manufacturing a private label product to sell on the Amazon marketplace, it’s important to have a product listing that is descriptive and helpful for shoppers. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to craft a product description designed to convert shoppers into customers.

Why Product Descriptions Are Important

Think about the last time you went shopping for a specific item. What’s the first thing you did when you found it? Did you just throw it in your basket, or did you inspect it for a few minutes? Most likely, you spent some time making sure it was exactly what you needed. You probably assessed the quality and then looked at the shelf to compare it to similar products.

In the online retail space, buyers don’t have that luxury. Instead, they must rely on how well the seller describes the item. Based on that information, they will make a decision about whether to buy or move on to something else — and you don’t want that. You’ve worked too hard to let that happen!

That’s why product descriptions are so important. You only get one first impression, and you want to give prospective buyers all the details they need to make a purchase. If your wording is vague or misleading, your business will suffer. There might be a bit of a learning curve at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be a pro and reap the rewards!

Know the Style Guide

Amazon offers a general style guide in order to help make sure that all customers have the very best experience possible. Some categories also have additional category-specific style requirements.

You’ll have to review a lot of dos and don’ts when it comes to copy and images, but it’s better than winging it. If you don’t follow the rules, not only could you create a poor customer experience, but the listing could actually be suspended. Don’t risk it!

Use High Quality Images

We are visual shoppers. Whenever we walk into a store, we naturally start scanning and stop when something catches our eye. It’s not any different for online shoppers. In fact, it’s even more important to stand out in the highly competitive Amazon marketplace when potential buyers can just keep scrolling past your listings.

How do you stand out? One of the easiest and most important ways is to have high-quality images. Showcase your product from several different angles in order to give your customers a good idea of what they’re buying. Including lifestyle images in addition to photos of the product itself can help create visual interest and get shoppers to picture themselves using your product. If possible, including a video is even better. You’ll set realistic expectations, which will lead to buyer satisfaction and may even prevent negative feedback and/or returns.

It’s All In the Title

To go along with your attention-grabbing images, you’ll want to give your listing an excellent title. There’s a lot of advice out there about how to best accomplish this feat, but you really can’t go wrong if you craft the title with your customer in mind. What are they searching for? How will they best find your product?

Consider including keywords, but don’t overdo it. Keep it simple and straightforward so that buyers will know they’ve found what they need. When titles are too long or confusing, people might be less willing to spend the time to read and decipher them. You want something that’s concise, but effective. The whole point is for your product to be searchable and instantly recognizable to buyers.

Format For Scanning

Writing web content for Amazon is tricky. You want to provide buyers with all of the details they need to make a purchase, but not overwhelm them with too much text. It can be a hard balance to strike, but using the right formatting can make a world of difference.

One of the best things you can do is create a list to describe your product. Simplify the text by removing jargon or any unnecessary wording and then present the information in bite-size, scannable bullets. When your listing is easy to read and understand, buyers will feel more confident in making a purchase.

Use Keywords Effectively

You’ve probably heard a lot about search engine optimization (SEO) and how using the right keywords can improve your listing’s visibility by making it easier for customers to find your products. Knowing this, a lot of Amazon sellers stuff keywords into their listings and titles thinking it will increase sales. The truth is, this can actually hurt your business.

While it’s best to include keywords, you don’t want to use so many that it becomes confusing. Your title and description text should still flow naturally and make sense to readers. When you try to squeeze too many search terms into a listing, it can look spammy, ultimately making customers lose confidence and trust in your business.

Be Honest In Your Description

Here’s a crucial piece of advice — be completely honest with your customers about your product. If you’re not confident in its quality or usefulness, maybe you shouldn’t be selling it. You should be comfortable providing a genuine, transparent description of exactly what buyers can expect when it arrives on their doorstep.

Use every possible space you’re given on your product listing page to paint as clear a picture as possible. Describe the item as if you are explaining it to someone who has never seen anything like it in their life. Instead of saying your sheet set is “blue,” for example, say it’s “cornflower blue.” Colors mean something different to every person, so be very specific. You can use color codes such as Pantone to ensure that you are being very clear.

Again, great pictures and videos add value to your product listing by setting realistic expectations for shoppers. Don’t underestimate your customers or take them for granted. They’ll know the truth as soon as they open the package, so why risk unnecessary product returns or negative reviews? People value honesty, especially in the online retail space. When you’re upfront with buyers, they’ll have more trust in your brand.

Consistent Branding

Finally, make sure you are representing your company consistently across all channels. Your social media pages, website and Amazon storefront should all feature the same logo, colors and theme to boost brand recognition and reputation.

Amazon A+ Content is a great (and free) way to go above and beyond the typical product listing. You can even fine tune your content with a new feature available to brand registered sellers called Manage Your Experiments, which allows you to split test two pieces of brand content to see which performs best.

Celebrate Your Uniqueness!

Manufacturing a private label product can be a huge risk — but if you do it right, it can pay off. Use every opportunity to celebrate your uniqueness and set yourself apart from all of the other sellers on the Amazon marketplace. Provide detailed, honest descriptions, but don’t shy away from being proud or passionate. Let the world know why they need to shop your brand. Enroll your product in Amazon’s Brand Registry to access greater control over your product listings and tools to protect your brand.

Learn the rules for your category, trim down on unnecessary text and use high-quality images to showcase your product. When buyers see how much effort you’ve put into your Amazon listing, it shows that you care about your business and your customers. Selling on Amazon marketplace takes a lot of hard work, so don’t run out of steam right before the finish line.

The views, opinions and images in this article are purely the author’s own. Global Sources does not own responsibility for what is presented in the article.

Jeanne Croteau is a staff writer at eComEngine. She’s also a psychology professor and freelance writer with a keen interest in exploring the minds of online shoppers (including her own!). She loves hockey, cooking, running, and spending time with her husband and six children.