5 Common Mistakes in Product Descriptions (And How to Avoid Them)

Selling things online? These product description writing techniques will make the difference.

Many of us who have worked in e-commerce will know the euphoria of finally getting a product listing online; there’s nothing quite like the feeling of expanding your horizons and showing your offering to the world wide web. 

Ah, job done… Right?

Wrong. Double wrong. An emphatic, resounding wrong. 

The truth is that the majority of e-commerce companies are leaving money on the table by neglecting a few simple last-minute adjustments to their listings. 

The data also shows this, with around 70% of potential customers reporting that they leave product pages if the description is poor or incomplete. The gnawing question is this: Can you afford to lose 70% of your potential earnings to laziness? If not, read on.

In this blog, we’re going to talk about the importance of a great product description and five common mistakes you’re probably making when listing your products online.

What Are Product Descriptions?

A product description is the copy on your product page that tells the reader about the product. It should explain what the product is, why the customer needs it, and any other relevant details the reader may need to know.

At its most basic, a product description should cover the key details of the product, like its size, materials, colour and function. The best product descriptions go way beyond that, though, which you’ll learn more about later.

Why Do Product Descriptions Matter?

A product description may seem like an extra-curricular e-commerce task, something to make your page look prettier and give a brief description of what your product is. 

Well, that’s also wrong. If done correctly, writing great product copy will elevate your sales to a whole new level.

When written well, a product description addresses any customer concerns and erases buying hesitation. Good product copy will build trust and clearly explain the benefits of your product.

There’s more to it than sounding great, though. Brilliant product descriptions pull their weight from an SEO perspective, too. Embedding the right keywords into your product descriptions can send them skyrocketing up the Google search rankings. That boost increases traffic to your site and ultimately drives more checkouts from your online store.

Without well-written product descriptions, your sales efforts run the risk of falling flat. Data shows that poorly written or missing descriptions lead to decreased visibility and lost sales. Even if you still make sales with poor product descriptions, you’re not out of the woods yet: research shows that 64% of online shoppers have returned items because of an inaccurate product description.

What’s worse than thinking you’ve made a sale, only to have it returned a week later? You could alleviate infuriating admin from your daily routine by writing better descriptions.

The 5 Common Mistakes You Make in Your Product Descriptions

Now you’re aware of how product descriptions can make or break your e-commerce business, let’s cover some of the key errors businesses make when they’re launching their products on the web.

#1. Cookie-Cutter Copy

If you’re not excited about your product, how can you expect potential customers to be? Not only this, but duplicating manufacturer content will damage your SEO ranking, meaning your product listings will fall down the page and get lost in the nether.

To combat this, take pride in your listings. Craft unique product descriptions that are benefit-led and excite potential customers about your product. Tell them what they’re missing out on.

This can feel pretty abstract if you’re not well-versed in marketing copy, so here’s an example using adidas.

Cookie-Cutter Copy	Unique, Engaging Copy
These adidas running shoes are built for long-distance runs. They feature a cushioned midsole for stability and a durable outsole for traction.  Suitable for regular training and high-mileage use, they provide support and stability for runners.	Stay in your stride, mile after mile. The Adistar 4 is designed to keep you moving with comfort and confidence on your longest runs.  The REPETITOR midsole feels impossibly light, yet delivers responsive cushioning and stability when you need it most.  With a durable outsole built for high mileage, they’re ready to go the distance: just like you.

Comparing the two, the example on the right has much more to it. The writer transitions between conversational sayings and informative language, using a storytelling technique that engages readers and speaks to their desires. 

By using phrases like “go the distance” and “in your stride”, the writer speaks directly to their target audience with copy that motivates them to buy the shoes. The product description for these running shoes makes you want to lace up and hit the road. It’s as simple as that.

On the left, the writer is trying to put us to sleep. Let’s be clear, both examples are technically saying the same thing. The left just makes no effort to tell a story, grab attention, or excite the reader.

#2. Features Instead of Benefits

Many businesses will list features instead of benefits on their product listings, and I know, it doesn’t seem like a big deal.

Even qualified copywriters sometimes make this mistake, but it’s a fundamental marketing principle. Even if you think you’ve written a pretty good product description, it could be missing this crucial feature.

When you’re talking about the features of the product, you’re talking about the product. When you’re talking about the benefits of a product, you’re talking to the reader, about the reader. It’s a subtle marketing trick that subconsciously persuades a reader to buy a product.

Good marketing copy answers the question: Why do I need this in my life?

Feature-led Copy	Benefit-led Copy
Slip into a piece of history with Our Shoes. First introduced in 1979, these iconic trainers feature a premium leather upper for a snug, supportive fit.  The durable rubber outsole delivers excellent traction, while the streamlined silhouette stays true to the classic design.	Step into retro, classic style and all-day comfort with Our Shoes. Designed to hug your feet with soft leather, they provide you with a feeling of support day and night.  The durable rubber outsole provides a secure grip on every surface, allowing you to move confidently wherever the day takes you.

Look at the example on the right; it’s emotive and plays on the consumer’s needs. As a result, the benefit-led copy is more engaging and much more likely to end in a sale.

#3. Keyword OVERLOAD

There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. 

If you’re not well-versed in SEO best practices like anchor text, internal linking and keyword placement, you can end up oversteering in your efforts to get those web pages ranking.

Keyword cramming is the process of squeezing too many keywords onto pages to boost rankings. It may have worked 15 years ago, but Google sees straight through it now, and it won’t help you rank higher.

To combat this, write product descriptions that read naturally, and avoid stuffing keywords wherever you can fit them. Otherwise, you’ll just look silly to anyone who actually knows what they’re doing.

Here’s a simplified, slightly funny example of what we’re getting at:

Keyword Stuffed Copy

Natural, Readable Copy

The adidas Gazelle shoes are the ultimate choice for adidas Gazelle fans. These adidas Gazelle trainers bring adidas Gazelle retro style to your adidas Gazelle collection. The adidas Gazelle features a leather upper for a snug fit, and the adidas Gazelle rubber outsole offers adidas Gazelle traction for adidas Gazelle wearers. Add the adidas Gazelle to your adidas Gazelle wardrobe today for the adidas Gazelle vibe you love.

Inspired by the iconic silhouettes of the past, the adidas Gazelle Indoor Shoes pair vintage appeal with modern comfort.  The soft leather upper hugs your foot for a secure fit, while the durable rubber outsole delivers dependable grip, whatever the weather.  A shoe that delivers every time, the adidas Gazelle has been a mainstay in wardrobes since 1979.

The example on the right slots the target keyword, “adidas Gazelle”, twice into the passage, while maintaining a readable and informative piece of copy.

On the left, readers will think they’re having an aneurysm. 

This mistake will occur to varying degrees, and it won’t always be as apparent. As a general rule, if it doesn’t read like a human talking, there are too many keywords.

#4. Ignoring Your Target Audience

Many companies create a great product, but fall short when it comes to establishing their brand voice and marketing strategy. This point is about understanding your place in the industry and identifying who your product will resonate with.

If you write generic copy, it won’t resonate with anyone. If you write the wrong type of copy, it’ll alienate your ideal audience.

The trick for this comes way before you write your product description. You need to identify your buyer personas in your marketing strategy and write in a tone of voice that resonates with them.

 

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We will use adidas as another example below. They’re a brand that everyone knows, the German giant partners style with sports functionality. They’re cool, but careful; they’re not in your face, and they alienate no one. 

I can’t think of anyone I know who hasn’t worn a pair in their lifetime.

Not-so-true-to-brand Copy	True-to-brand Copy
Omg, these kicks are literally everything. The adidas Gazelle? So retro, so cute, and totally vibing with your aesthetic.  That soft leather? It’s giving major comfy feels. And the grip? Babe, you’re not slipping—unless it’s into these shoes.  So go off, make them yours, and flex on everyone in your feed.	Step into a classic. The adidas Gazelle Indoor Shoes bring back the iconic 1979 design, updated for today with premium materials and effortless style.  Soft leather wraps your foot in comfort, and the rubber outsole keeps you steady with every step. These timeless trainers are made to move with you, on the street or in the spotlight.

While the example on the left may work for some people, it’s certainly not a universal winner like adidas is. 

The use of younger, playful language can alienate older crowds, making them feel silly or out of touch. Would your grandfather buy shoes based on the description on the left?

The copy on the right stays true to adidas’ tone of voice; they’re a universally worn trainer that is both cool and functional, and the copy effectively reflects that.

#5. Not Covering All Bases (Mobiles and Skimmers)

Mobile commerce is here to stay. If you’re ignoring how your product descriptions work on these devices, you’re causing problems for the majority of your web page visitors.

The data solidifies this, too. Statista has reported that mobile phones account for nearly 80% of visits on retail websites, and are used for over 70% of orders. 

And it’s not just mobile users that prefer snappier information now; the world’s attention span is shortening, and you’ve got to align your copy with it.

To combat this, avoid dense blocks of text without formatting and organise product pages with bullet points, headers and short, snappy paragraphs.

Browser Copy	Mobile Optimised Copy
The adidas Gazelle Indoor Shoes are a reimagined version of the iconic 1979 design.  Crafted with a premium leather upper that hugs your feet for a snug, supportive fit and a durable rubber outsole that delivers excellent traction, these trainers seamlessly blend retro style with modern comfort, making them ideal for everyday wear, whether you’re on the street or heading to the gym.	adidas Gazelle Indoor Shoes Classic silhouette. Modern comfort.– Iconic 1979 design, reimagined for today – Soft leather upper for a comfortable, supportive fit – Durable rubber outsole for all-day gripAvailable in over 50 colourways.

Comparing the examples side-by-side, the example on the right features bold text, bullet points and snappy sentences to suit a smaller screen and a smaller attention span. It gives just as much information as the example on the left without looking dense or overwhelming.

Your Checklist for Product Descriptions That’ll Turn Heads

Now that we’ve established some of the most common mistakes people make when they’re writing product descriptions, we thought it would be helpful to list all of the most important things you need to consider during your creative content writing efforts.

After that, you’re good to go.

Leave Your Product Descriptions to The Experts

Now that we’ve established the importance of product descriptions and how not to do them, you should feel ready to craft some copy that packs a punch and turns heads on your website. 

The right formatting, careful keyword selection and a little bit of creative flair go a long way.

If the idea of spending your precious time writing product descriptions still makes you feel light-headed, you’re in the right place.

At Empowered English, we take pride in elevating our clients’ product and category pages to another level with our e-commerce copywriter services. We love what we do, and will handle your marketing strategy from start to finish, allowing you to focus on scaling your business.

If you’re unsure about hiring a digital marketing agency for your business, talk to us. 

During a free consultation call, we’ll outline what we’ll do for your business, clearly define targets, and work towards them immediately. Before you know it, your products will be the talk of the town.

Frequently Asked Questions