How to Write Top-Performing Shopify Product Descriptions?

A well-written product description has the power to sell any Shopify product. Customers rely on product descriptions to determine whether your product is what they’ve been looking for. It is your no. 2 ally in making a product attractive.

From a business point of view, a good Shopify product description informs the customer about the product and drives sales with good conversion rates. About 87% of consumers believe it is an important part of purchasing. Matching the product’s intent is crucial, too, because 50% of buyers returned a product when it did not match the product description. 

This blog highlights the importance of writing Shopify product descriptions that sell and create a good customer experience generate conversions. Let’s jump right into it!

Why Is Writing Shopify Product Descriptions Important?

Product descriptions play a major role in the buyer decision process. 

Imagine you visited an eCommerce store and are searching for an encyclopedia. You find one with just an image and title. But, when you read about what topics it covers, it is blank. Well, it’s not a great experience, right? 

You scroll down and find another one. This one has a description, but it says, “This encyclopedia covers various topics and provides the best information!” Does it match your search intent? No. 

Finally, you scroll again and come across one that has a very detailed description –

“Curious about everything? We’ve covered Space, History, Biology, Anthropology, Sports, and more! Get in-depth answers with our Q&A section and Fun Facts for more learning. It comes with infographics, 3D pictures, and even a section dedicated to famous people in History! This encyclopedia has a glossary of terms, information from research, and valid sources. Latest 2023 Edition: Revised.” 

You can understand the details and what this encyclopedia has from the example. It gives the buyer a clear picture of what the product has and whether it matches what they’re looking for. 

Let’s analyze why it is important –

• The buyers will look elsewhere when your product can’t convey the message or solve a problem. 
• Product descriptions form a connection between the product and the consumer that helps them decide. It invokes emotions that make the customer journey smooth. 
• A good product description gives insights into the product – it must give maximum information in a short paragraph. 
• It gives a higher chance of conversion rates than looking at the product images. 

Now that you know its importance, let’s dive deeper into what it takes to write a good product description that sells. 

How To Write A Good Product Description That Sells? + Examples  

Before we tell you the secret recipe, it is important to keep Shopify’s guidelines in mind.

Shopify’s Guidelines For Writing Product Descriptions 

• Add the description as a block on the product page for better readability.
• It should be customer-centric.
• Make sure what you write is engaging. 
• The information must be accurate.
• Add suggested uses and benefits of using the product with evidence and product specifications (size, material, weight, etc.).
• Your product must be real and supported by evidence.

We will delve into the most important part now that discusses effective ways for writing: 

1. Define The Ideal Buyer:

The first step is defining the characteristics of your ideal buyer, which is your target audience. Remember, you’re not writing for the general audience; your focus should be on the target audience. Tell them a mini-story. 

Research the consumer base to create descriptions that get them personally and evoke emotion. This can be done by creating consumer personas, including their age group, demographics, location, pain points, what they are looking for, and more. 

Suppose your product (a trimmer) sells to people with facial hair. Here is how you will create a general persona:

• Age range – 17 and above. 
• Gender – Men, Trans, Non-Binary folks, Gender Fluid, Etc. 
• Location – United States and Canada.

Once that is done, create an image of the trimmer. Imagine a journey where the consumers are using it. Give that experience to the user. Make them experience the product vicariously through your description. 

Tell the customer a story that makes them say, “This is what I have been looking for!” Use the words ‘you’ and ‘your’ to make the customer feel that you are directly talking to them. 

2. Say No To Generic Words:

Using the words best, excellent, exceptional, and great will not convince the consumer. Everyone uses those words; what will it take to make your product stand out? Focus more on convincing the customer. Of course, you can use these superlatives if you have good proof to show. 

Persuade the people into the technicalities of the product rather than telling them that this is the best product they will ever see. Check this example by Nike, where they use convincing language:

They are making you feel the product and be honest about it, not stick to “Best Nike Shoes Out There!”

You don’t want to get stuck in the opposite effect and drown your message in a sea of cliches. 

3. Fuse Appealing Stories:

We also mentioned this in the first point. Let’s go in-depth. 

Start a sentence with the word “imagine,” and then describe how your customers will feel when using, wearing, or eating your product. Make them imagine what it is like to use the product and how it will feel when they buy it. Right now, it is an image on the screen. Persuade the buyer into making them see it live. 

Even if you’re not experienced in writing creative, powerful copy, you can hire experts at TopEssayWriting or TrustMyPaper (a professional writing website) to do it for you. Descriptive writing in marketing is no easy feat. Luckily, there are experienced experts you can work with. 

If you want to write it independently, try putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. It is very important to display empathy while curating content like this. When you empathize, it is when you connect with your customer. So, when writing, ask yourself these questions:

• Which emotions do you feel? 
• What associations do you connect to your product? 
• Does it have customer’s gain?

Here is an example from a vineyard:

Use these imagination triggers to include in your product copy. Keep yourself abreast with the latest copywriting tactics that work. 

4. SEO Optimization:

Your product description does have an impact on SEO. 

You need to find the right keywords for your description. Shopify has elements that can help boost your SEO game. You must also do your research to get in the search results. 

Do the following:

• Use keyword research tools like Semrush or Ahrefs. If you’re looking for free tools, try Moz, Google Trends, QuestionDB & Keyword Surfer.
• Note the keyword gaps – point out the keywords your competitors use in their descriptions. Make a note of all the keywords that you lack. 
• Get SEO tools to enhance readability and marketing tools for reach. Readability and reach are crucial points that will enhance your SEO for better clickthrough rates.
• Avoid using too many keywords that can hamper your ranking. This is called keyword stuffing, and it can have a negative impact. 

These techniques and a proper strategy can help web crawlers boost your content to a better position.

5. Clear & Concise Format

Format in a way that is easy to read and engaging. Here is how: 

1. Give It A Base:

You must give your description a skeleton – what will it look like, and what do you want your readers to see? 

Add bigger fonts for clear readability. Use bold fonts and headlines that instantly grab the customer’s attention. 

Also, describe what tone you will use – formal or informal. 

2. Ask Questions:

Ask yourself questions to form a description:

• What is the product?
• What can you do with the product? 
• How will it benefit the consumer?
• What are its special features?
• How will it solve the consumer’s problems? 

Take a look at how Phillips wrote its product description: 

Here is how this description helped: 

• What is the product? – Trimmer
• What can you do with the product? – Trimming facial, head, and body hair
• How will it benefit the consumer? – They can stylize their appearance and remove hair
• What are their special features? – All-in-one trimmer with 18 quality tools and accessories for multiple purposes and self-sharpening stainless steel blades. 
• How will this solve the consumer’s problem? – By trimming their hair with a portable device. 

3. Keep It Short & Crisp:

Modern customers avoid reading long texts. Making your product descriptions as long as possible is tempting, thinking it will give you an advantage in search engine optimization. However, lengthy descriptions will throw off your customers. Even if they are spectacularly written, the length will discourage them. 

According to Convertize, the ideal product description length should be anywhere between 300 and 400 words. This is the balance between search engine friendliness (not publishing content that’s too short) and reader friendliness (tight copy). 

If you have some well-written but lengthy descriptions that you don’t want to dismiss, get some editing help. Writing services such as TrustMyPaper or TopEssayWriting can connect you with expert editors who can concise your existing product descriptions. Maybe you’ll even pick up some tricks on how to keep your product descriptions short.

Even short text (300-400 words) can appear chunky if poorly formatted. Try thinking about it from your own experience as a reader: what makes reading a piece of text easier for you? 

4. Device Optimized

Be it a desktop or mobile, ensure your content is optimized to fit on any screen. 

6. Sow Benefits

Last but not least, show the benefits of your product.  Apart from mentioning the features, show them how it will help with productivity and make them healthier or happier. Highlighting the benefits and making them experience the product even before purchasing has a higher chance of conversion rates. This way, you drive better sales. 

Refer to the example below:

How does this benefit the consumer? The soft fabric will feel good on the skin, and these sweatshirts are in trend, and most people want what’s trending. It looks comfortable to wear and also tells a mini-story of how it will look in your pile. Apart from its features, it explains to the customer how it will benefit them. 

It is very human and gauges attention. So, when you sow benefits, you reap the benefits, too, with more clicks. 

Bonus Tip – Shopify Magic:

Shopify has simplified the job of writing descriptions with the Shopify Magic tool. 

It is an AI-enabled tool used to deliver automatic texts so that you save time. Integrated into Shopify’s products, it simplifies business operations and growth. It utilizes AI’s latest advancements to deliver personalized support in tasks like store building, marketing, customer support, and management. This tool is great for generating your product description as it will create according to the guidelines and give you precisely what sits well with Shopify’s rules. 

There are certain things to remember when you use Shopify Magic, the details of which are here. 

Check out how you can use the tool: 

• Set up a new product in your store. 
• Now, add the features of your product. 
• Choose the tone – formal, informal, sophisticated, etc. 
• Click on Autowrite.

Your product description will be ready. 

Is There A Way To Generate Product Descriptions Using AI?

There are plenty of AI generators ready to write a product description in seconds. How about going a step further? Let AI generate product fields and make your job easier.  This is possible by using AdNabu. The app offers an AI optimization feature that generates product details, titles, highlights, attributes, and more. The generating happens after you provide a detailed product description in the ‘Description’ section”. The AI model extracts the information and creates automatic fields with advanced algorithms. So, this way, you save time on filling out each attribute manually!

It is simple to use; here is a step-by-step approach to using it: 

• After installing the app from the Shopify App Store to your admin account, go to the Apps section or search it on the search bar.  
• Then, click on the app. Within the app, go to Settings > AdNabu AI. This page will appear. 

• Check if AdNabu AI is enabled. If it is not, click on Enable. 
• Select the fields you wish to optimize by AI for all products.  
• Click on Save. 

Your AI feature is now enabled. Check how to use it: 

• Go back to the product list. Select a product from there. 
• Add a detailed product description. You can check how optimized is your product description with the ‘Product Description Score.’

• The score analysis helps create an optimized product description, thanks to AdNabu’s AI optimization feature. 

• The total score will tell you how well it performs, ranging from poor to good, and the suggestions will reveal if the description has passed or needs improvement.

• Now, go to the top and look for “Generate AI Fields.”

• Click on it. It will automatically generate fields for – Product Titles, Product Highlights, Product Details, Age Groups, and Genders. 
• Check if the fields have been added. Feel free to make any changes. For example, check if the Product Title is accurate:

• You can use the feature individually if you do not want to use AI for all fields. Click on the “Ask AdNabu AI” button on the right side of the field. 

• Finally, click on Save to make the changes. 

More AI Generators On Shopify App Store

Apart from Shopify Magic, there are other AI tools available that will make your job easy: 

Name	Features	Pricing
Elliot – Product Description Generator	– Uses SEO-friendly terms  – Uses generative AI  – Works with OpenAI – Creates original content and refrains from copying.	Free to Install Unlimited: $10/month Unlimited Plus: $25/month
Advanced Product Descriptions	– Accordion tabs for proper descriptions – Easy to customize  – No code needed – Uses SEO-friendly practices	Starter Plan: Free Premium Plan: $9.99/ month
GoWise: AI Product Description	– Their AI creates SEO-centric details – Multilanguage feature- Choose a tone – Bulk feature to create several descriptions.	Completely Free
ChatGPT	– Conversational AI model – Input a descriptive prompt  – Generates the output in seconds – Uses GPT 3.5 & 4.  Read the detailed comparison of GPT 3.5 & 4.	ChatGPT 3.5 – Free ChatGPT Plus (4.0) – $20/month ChatGPT Team (4.0) – $25 per person/month
frase.io	– AI writer for product descriptions – Input product name and keywords, and it generates a description.	Solo: $14.99/month Basic: $44.99/month Team: $114.99/month

You can also check out more Shopify apps that will help boost your product sales.

Mistakes To Avoid While Writing Shopify Product Descriptions (Plus Expert Tips)

Teething troubles are everywhere, but that mustn’t stop you from aiming for excellence. From past customer mistakes and common mishaps, here are the mistakes that should be avoided and tips that will generate a great description:

• Refrain From Writing Long Descriptions: 

Avoid writing lengthy descriptions that make the buyer yawn or move to the next product. Try to crunch it within the word limit; although Shopify does not have a set word limit, you can stick with 500 words or less. Summarize the details shortly and clearly. 

Also, be consistent in writing descriptions for different products. 

• Avoid Grammatical Faux Pas:

People easily skip products with typos or don’t write proper sentences. Fret not; use grammar correction tools like Grammarly or Hemingway to avoid making mistakes. Another option is to use ChatGPT, where you can check your description with the bonus of extra words.

• Do Not Copy & Paste From The Wholesaler’s Website:

This practice is not good for your SEO as Google can deem it copied, and the product may not appear in searches. It will be marked as a duplicate.  

• Avoid Superfluous Words:

Words that exaggerate the product and don’t talk realistically about it are often rejected. For example, if you want to buy a to-do whiteboard, you must avoid writing “Fantastically gorgeous that shines under the bright light.” Focus on its properties and how it will benefit the consumer. Avoid extra adjectives.

If your gut says it is too much, it is too much. 

• Never Use Words That Can Hurt Someone’s Sentiments:

Don’t use words that can be deemed ableist, racist, or inappropriate. Your ratings can decrease, and there will be fewer conversions. 

• Don’t Just Describe The Image:

Don’t only focus on the images you will add to your products. Focus on persuasion, the feel, the technicalities, and make the customer want to buy it. 

We all grow from our mistakes. That being said, here is some advice we recommend merchants use:

Tips For A Good Product Description

• Create A Structure:

Use bullet points, bold and bigger fonts for better readability, and eye-catching headings and subheadings to make product descriptions scannable. Be organized by adding a format. 

Use copywriting techniques that sell your product well. Add lists where necessary. 

• Use Shopify’s Guidelines:

You can let your creative juices flow as long as they sit well with Shopify’s guidelines. This will have an impact on your SEO too. If you want your product ranking to be good, follow the guidelines.

• Navigate With Instructions:

Add extra elements – where can you place the product? How to use the product? What extra things can be done with this product? 

Also, add instructions for setting up or usage if it comes with various parts and the buyer has to join them. 

Conclusion

Winning product descriptions on Shopify result from information, insight, a lot of hard work, and even more testing. The best answers about your descriptions – performance will be visible only after you have published them and tracked their conversion rates. 

You can test your descriptions in an artificial environment with focus groups if you don’t want them to go straight to your online store. 

All in all, great product descriptions come down to understanding your customer. You really need to know who they are, what makes them tick, and what they need and like. When you have all this information, writing for those you know will be a breeze.