The value of relevant and engaging content is undisputed, but for many website owners having to juggle the day to day demands of running a business leaves little spare time to write copy – let alone the luxury of employing a full-time copywriter to do the job!
Ecommerce sites lacking any unique or substantial product descriptions are a common example. All too often I come across quality sites with great potential, yet large numbers of pages with little/no content or recycled manufacturer descriptions.
Yet it’s pages like these which people are less likely to link to which makes adding value all the more important. Of course, there are all sorts of ways to add engaging content to your product pages (user generated content, videos, imagery, etc), but in this post I want to focus on the core written descriptions.
Put yourself in the shoes of the average site visitor. Why should I part with my hard earnt cash to buy a product or service from your website when it‘s available from countless other stores and perhaps at a more competitive price?
The more detailed, helpful and practical information you can offer on these pages; the more likely it will lead to a conversion. It’s important to establish yourself as THE authority in your market; building trust and providing reliable content that people are more likely to share. Writing in a style and tone that reflects the image of your brand can really help you stand out from the crowd.
When faced with potentially hundreds if not thousands of products to write for it’s hardly surprising that writing content is often seen as a chore, but this is a great opportunity – not just for search engine optimisation – but to connect with your customers. We’re not all keen wordsmiths, but with a bit of thought and creativity, there is plenty to say about virtually any product or service.
The second part of this blog will cover the essential elements of a great product description and, how by creating a template that serves as the benchmark for every product on the site, you can ensure these pages offer maximum value to both users and search engines alike.
