Teacher Seller Tip: How to Write Better Product Descriptions in 5 Easy Steps
So you’ve created a product and are ready to upload it for the world to enjoy, but there’s one thing lingering — that pesky product description.
Writing product descriptions can seem tedious, so it’s tempting to throw a few words together and call it a day. You may think your product speaks for itself and the product description doesn’t really matter much — and you may be right, to a certain extent.
The product is, of course, the most important part of the equation. You’ve got a great product, and people should be able to see its greatness if they’re looking at your listing. But take a moment to consider how many other great products are out there too.
Aside from the cover, the product descriptions is the first thing your audience will see. Having an engaging and informative product description could make the difference between your product and someone else’s. Don’t lose out on a potential sale because you didn’t put enough effort into your product descriptions!
So how exactly do you write a solid product description? I’ve gathered a few of my favorite strategies below.
Note: The advice in this post is a compilation of strategies I learned while working as a copywriter a few summers ago. My job involved writing product descriptions for online retailers. I am by no means claiming expertise on this topic, but thought I could share some insight from my previous experiences.
1. Lead with an action verb
Action verbs are a staple of any product description. They put readers in the “driver’s seat” and allow them to visualize the product in action. Since readers who are browsing for products will only see a short snippet of your description on the search page, make sure to grab their attention early. Those first few lines are crucial, so don’t waste that space on generic lines like, “This product includes…”
Example 1: This product includes an editable bundle of organized, eye-catching course syllabus templates.
Example 2: Create an organized, eye-catching course syllabus with this bundle of editable templates.
Example 1 clearly states what the product is, but it's not as engaging Example 2.
2. Highlight the benefits
People respond well to products that offer solutions to everyday issues, so it’s important to highlight the potential benefits of using your product. Will it save teachers time? Will it help keep them organized? Will it engage students? Whatever it is, make sure to be clear about it. People can see what your product is, but they might not immediately know what it can do for them. Don't assume readers will figure out the benefits on their own. That's too much work.
3. Avoid unnecessary descriptors
Most writing guides advise against the overuse of descriptors (i.e., adjectives and adverbs), so make sure to apply that advice to your product descriptions as well. It might seem counterintuitive to avoid descriptive words in a product description, but unnecessary adjectives and adverbs can weaken your writing. We definitely don’t want that!
Now I’m not saying to abandon adjectives and adverbs entirely — just use them with intention. If you’re tempted to use a descriptor, see if you can replace it with a stronger noun or verb instead. Remember the phrase, “Show, don’t tell”? Adjectives and adverbs tell. Nouns and verbs show.
4. Proofread, proofread, proofread
There’s nothing worse than finding an error in a product description. Even if it’s just one or two mistakes, a potential buyer will lose trust in you fast. If your product description contains an error, there’s a good chance your product will too.
Avoid errors by reading your writing out loud — again and again and again. If you’re an English teacher, you’ve probably given this advice to students countless times. Make sure to heed it yourself, too!
You can also try reading it out loud backwards, starting with the last sentence and working your way up to the first. This forces your brain to read the text differently, and you’re able to catch errors or awkward phrases you might not notice otherwise.
5. Add text features
Once your product description is ready to go, it’s time to jazz it up with some text features. Like it or not, people are much more likely to read a list of bullet points than they are a big ol’ paragraph of text. Consider how your product description will look on the page and use the white space to your advantage.
If you're a teacher blogger or TpT seller (or are thinking about becoming one), check out my friend Kelsey's Facebook group, The Teacher Blogger + Seller Network. It's a great place to find support, encouragement and community from fellow teacher-authors!