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In a physical shop, customers can pick up a product, feel it, try it on and ask a shop assistant.
Online, the product description has to do all of that work.
A good description answers questions, removes doubt and makes people want to buy.
A weak one, often copied from the supplier, leaves customers unsure and sends them to a competitor.
In this guide we show how to write product descriptions that sell, with a simple structure you can use for any webshop.
Why product descriptions matter so much
- They convert visitors into buyers.
Clear, convincing descriptions reduce hesitation at the moment of decision. - They reduce returns.
When customers know exactly what they get, fewer products come back. - They help SEO.
Unique text helps your product pages appear on Google, while copied supplier text often does not. - They save customer service time.
Answering the common questions on the page means fewer emails and calls. - They build your brand.
The way you write tells customers who you are.
Know who you are writing for
Before you write a word, picture your typical customer.
Are they a busy parent, a professional buyer, a gift shopper or an enthusiast who knows more than you do?
A parent wants to know if a product is safe and easy to clean.
A professional wants specifications and delivery times.
A gift shopper wants to know if it will impress.
Write for that person, in words they use, and answer the questions they would ask.
A simple structure that works
1. A clear product name
Use a name that says what the product is, plus the most important detail, such as material, size or model.
“Linen apron with leather straps, natural” tells more than “Apron 2”.
2. An opening that sells the main benefit
Start with one or two sentences about what the product does for the customer.
Focus on the result, the feeling or the problem it solves.
“Keep your clothes clean while you cook, in an apron that gets softer with every wash” is stronger than “This apron is made of linen”.
3. Three to five key benefits
Use short bullet points, each starting with the benefit and followed by the feature that supports it.
Customers scan before they read, and bullets make the most important points easy to find.
4. The details people need
Add size, dimensions, weight, materials, colours, care instructions, what is included and compatibility with other products.
For clothing and furniture, measurements are among the most important information on the page.
5. Answers to common doubts
Think about why someone might not buy, and answer it.
Delivery time, returns, guarantees, how it fits and whether it suits beginners are typical examples.
6. A reason to buy now
If it is true, mention limited stock, seasonal use or a gift idea.
Never invent urgency, because customers notice and lose trust.
Features versus benefits
A feature is a fact about the product.
A benefit is what that fact means for the customer.
“Stainless steel” is a feature.
“Will not rust, even in the dishwasher” is the benefit.
Good descriptions connect the two, so customers understand why the feature matters to them.
A simple trick is to finish each feature with the words “which means that”, and then write what follows.
Write like a person, not a catalogue
Read your description out loud.
If it sounds like a technical manual or an advert from the eighties, rewrite it.
Use short sentences, everyday words and a tone that fits your brand.
A playful brand can be playful, and a premium brand can be calm and confident, but both should be clear.
Avoid empty words such as “high quality”, “unique” and “best on the market” unless you can prove them with details.
Use sensory and concrete words
Online, customers cannot touch or smell your products, so help them imagine it.
Describe how fabric feels, how food tastes, how a chair supports the back, or how a lamp lights a room in the evening.
Concrete details, such as “fits an A4 notebook and a 14-inch laptop”, are more convincing than general claims like “spacious”.
An example: before and after
Before:
“Ceramic mug.
Volume 350 ml.
Dishwasher safe.
High quality.”
After:
“Start the morning with a mug that feels good in the hand.
This handmade ceramic mug holds 350 ml, enough for a large coffee or tea with milk.
The thick walls keep your drink warm longer, and the glaze is safe in the dishwasher and microwave.
Each mug is glazed by hand in a small studio, so the colour varies slightly and no two are exactly alike.”
The second version gives the same facts, but it also tells the customer why they matter, answers practical questions and gives a reason to choose this mug over a cheaper one.
Do not copy the supplier text
Many webshops use the same description that the manufacturer sends to everyone.
That means hundreds of shops have identical text, and Google has little reason to show yours.
Supplier texts are also often written for retailers, not for end customers.
Use the supplier information as raw material, but write your own description with your customer in mind.
Product descriptions and SEO
- Use the words customers search for, naturally, in the product name, the opening and the details.
- Write a unique meta title and description for important products.
- Describe images with alt text that says what the picture shows.
- Link to related products, categories and guides.
- Add structured data for price, availability and reviews, which many webshop systems and SEO plugins do for you.
Images and descriptions work together
The text and the images should tell the same story.
Show the product from several angles, in use, and next to something familiar for scale.
Then let the text explain what the pictures cannot show, such as materials, weight and how it feels.
If you mention a detail in the text, such as a hidden pocket, show it in a photo too.
Short or long descriptions?
It depends on the product.
Simple, cheap products that customers already understand, such as batteries or basic T-shirts, need short, clear text.
Expensive, technical or unusual products need more explanation, because the customer takes a bigger risk.
A good approach is to put the most important points at the top and more detail further down, for example in tabs or expandable sections, so both quick buyers and careful buyers are served.
Writing many product texts at once
If you have hundreds of products, writing every text by hand can feel impossible.
Start with your bestsellers and the products with the highest margin.
Create a template for each category with the same headings and the same type of details.
AI tools can help write first drafts from your product data, but always check facts such as sizes, materials and claims, and edit the tone so it sounds like your brand.
Test and improve
Look at products with many visitors but few sales.
Often the description, the images or the price is the problem.
Read customer questions and reviews, and add the answers to the description.
Change one thing at a time, such as the opening sentence or the bullet points, and see if the conversion rate improves over a few weeks.
Do not forget category pages
Category pages, such as “Women’s linen dresses” or “Garden furniture”, are often the pages that rank on Google for broad searches.
A short introduction at the top and a helpful buying guide further down can make a big difference.
Explain what the category includes, how to choose between products, and link to the most popular items and related categories.
Keep the top text short, so products are still visible without scrolling.
Common mistakes
- Copying the supplier description word for word.
- Only listing technical specifications without explaining what they mean.
- Missing sizes, measurements or care instructions.
- Long blocks of text without headings or bullet points.
- Claims that cannot be backed up, such as “the best in Europe”.
- Different information in the text and in the images.
A product description checklist
- Does the name say clearly what the product is?
- Does the opening explain the main benefit for the customer?
- Are there three to five scannable key benefits?
- Are sizes, materials, care and what is included clearly listed?
- Are delivery, returns and guarantees easy to find?
- Is the text unique, not copied from the supplier?
- Does the tone fit your brand, and is it free of empty phrases?
- Do the images show what the text promises?
Product texts in several languages
If you sell in more than one country, translate product texts properly rather than relying on automatic translation alone.
Sizes, measurements, care symbols and even product names can differ between markets, and customers notice when a text sounds machine-made.
Start with your bestsellers in each language, and use the same structure everywhere so updates are easy.
Need help with your product texts?
We write product descriptions, category texts and buying guides for webshops in English, Spanish and Danish, based on your products and your customers.
We can also improve your product images, set up structured data and help with SEO for your whole shop.
See our content writing prices or contact us for a free chat.
