How do you take your ecommerce copywriting from “duh” to “wow”? Scaling your copywriting style and embracing the unique tone of your brand does not happen overnight. But it better happen fast if you want your ecommerce business to flourish.
The core part of ecommerce copywriting is making people say: “I want this product!” Just like that, an emotional reaction which translates into the action of purchasing. It is no easy job – but so many are good at it, so it is not impossible either.
Here are a few simple tricks to help you become a pro at writing about your products and getting the sales you need:
- Find the Right Keywords
Keywords are important for SEO, you know that. But what you really need to understand is that the right keyword helps a potential customer find your website and your product. It’s no use ranking for “spectacles” when everyone is searching for “glasses”. Your customer won’t describe your shirt as “azure” but “light blue”.
When trying to rank for keywords, first do a search with the Google Keyword Tool. You want to find words with a lower competition, true, so settle for long tail or LSI keywords. But don’t come up with something the average customer would never type in Google search.
- Learn to Describe Products the Way Customers See Them
This may sound a bit tricky, but it is not. Just look over your own product reviews on the website and on the social media. How do your customers talk about your products? How do they describe them?
If you are just starting your ecommerce business and don’t have product reviews yet, here is a simple solution: go to Amazon and search for similar products. Browse the customer reviews you will find there. Soon enough, you will understand your prospects’ mindsets and will write copy they will relate to.
- Show, Don’t Tell
Every ecommerce product page has at least one high quality product photo (this is the bare minimum). Other companies also offer product videos and augmented reality apps in which people can virtually try on the product. The bottom line is: people do not need a physical description of the product in the copy.
So, what do you write about? For instance: the sensation of absolute relief once they lie down on a mattress after a long day at work, the sense of floating while walking wearing an air cushion shoe, or the fresh, energizing sensation of taking a dip in the ocean every time you use a shower gel.
People want to be able to picture how good their life will be once they have your product. Your copy needs to create this visual experience using words.
- Revisit and Improve Your Product Pages
If it works, why change it? It is true, but ecommerce is a very dynamic world. People’s views, lifestyles, needs and tastes change. And your copywriting must keep up with them and continue to be meaningful.
After all, if great copywriting were immortal, Pepsi and Coca-Cola wouldn’t have changed their slogans since the 1970s.
- Beware of Copy/Paste Even for Similar Products
We understand: the suede moccasins are just like the leather moccasins, except for the front material. But you still need to find other words to describe the product apart from this difference. Google doesn’t like duplicate content – it doesn’t index it.
Therefore, always write slightly different product descriptions for similar products – even if the only change is in using synonyms of the words in the previous description. It is a bit more laborious, but your products will stand a chance to be found by customers among thousands of other options.