Describe It so People Will Buy It.
There’s this sorta-clear photo of the widget you’ve searched for, but it doesn’t grow any larger when you click the “Larger Image” link. (This is a whole other topic.) So, you click the “More Information” link hoping to actually find out More Information so you can decide whether to make the purchase, or not.
There is this vague sentence that barely tells you that the widget is even a widget. GREEEAAAT!
You hit BACK and head to your Google search to try the next match.
So, if as a Seller my goal is to get you to buy, buy, buy, and then buy some more, why, then, do many Sellers, most of whom should know better, actually drive away hard-won traffic by shorting the descriptions on products?
Part of the reason can be traced to the notion that there is only a short time-window in which the Buyer will stay on a web-page. It is thought that too much text on the page will drive the Buyer away, so keep it to the minimum — certainly stay “above the fold” with all descriptive text.
But, this tactic contradicts the true facts about the Buyer. At this stage, the Buyer is actually looking for MORE information, not less. If there isn’t enough information, then, true to the expectation, Poof! They bolt.
If actual Features and Benefits are being offered in the form of text or charts or lists, or photos, the Buyer will stay as long as it takes to digest and decide whether to proceed to Checkout or not.
So, the fundamental rule for Product Descriptions is to start with PLENTY of text, lists, charts, features, benefits, testimonials, and persuasive narrative. START with Far More than will end up being used.
The other Part of the Reason for poor descriptive text is lack of copy-writing ability. It takes a special writing flair to turn pedestrian descriptions into persuasive narratives. It takes a Story-Teller to tell the story of this product in such a way that it is:
1. Read
2. Understood
and
3. Persuasive.
So, in the descriptive text, we need to tell the story of what this product is, how it is made and works, and how it will make your life so much better if only you added it to your Basket. The old AIDA formula still works.
Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
I’ll explore these in a later post. For now, however, I need to review each of our product listings, and test for the Story. If it is lacking, I get to add it back in. If it is there, how can I revise it to tell it even better?
Describe It so People Will Buy It. The Key to keeping traffic interested.
JLL