Skip to product menu
close
  • Recent Launches
    Press Space or Enter to display list of options
EXPLORE ALL PRODUCTS

Recent Launches

New

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Try now
New

Robotic process automation software to automate high-volume, rule-based tasks.

Try for free
New

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

Try now
New

Business formation service to launch and grow your businesses.

Try now
New

Privacy-friendly application analytics solution.

Try for free

Sales

 
CRM

Comprehensive CRM platform for customer-facing teams.

CRM
 
Bigin

Simple CRM for small businesses moving from spreadsheets.

Bigin
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
RouteIQ

Comprehensive sales map visualization and optimal route planning solution.

RouteIQ
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Suites
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

CRM Plus

Marketing

 
Social

All-in-one social media management software.

Social
 
Campaigns

Create, send, and track targeted email campaigns that drive sales.

Campaigns
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
Survey

Design surveys to reach and interact with your audience.

Survey
 
Sites

Online website builder with extensive customisation options.

Sites
 
PageSense

Website conversion optimization and personalisation platform.

PageSense
 
Backstage

End-to-end event management software.

Backstage
 
Webinar

Webinar platform for webcasting online webinars.

Webinar
 
Marketing Automation

All-in-one marketing automation software.

Marketing Automation
 
LandingPage

Smart landing page builder to increase conversion rates

LandingPage
 
Publish

Manage all your local business listings on a single platform.

Publish
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
LeadChain

Sync, manage, and convert leads across channels seamlessly.

LeadChain
 
NEW
CommunitySpaces

Online community platform for individuals and businesses to grow their network and brand.

CommunitySpaces
 
Suites
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Marketing Plus

Commerce and POS

 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce

Service

 
Desk

Helpdesk software to deliver great customer support.

Desk
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
FSM

End-to-end field service management platform for service businesses.

FSM
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Suites
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Service Plus

Finance

 
Books

Powerful accounting platform for growing businesses.

Books
 
FREE
Invoice

100% Free invoicing solution.

Invoice
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Inventory

Powerful stock management and inventory control software.

Inventory
 
Billing

End-to-end billing solution for your business.

Billing
 
Checkout

Collect payments online with custom branded pages.

Checkout
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
NEW
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Practice

Practice management software for accounting firms.

Practice
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce
 
Suites
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Finance Plus

Email and Collaboration

 
Mail

Secure email service for teams of all sizes.

Mail
 
Meeting

Online meeting software for all your video conferencing & webinar needs.

Meeting
 
Writer

Word processor for focused writing and discussions.

Writer
 
Sheet

Spreadsheet software for collaborative teams.

Sheet
 
Show

Create, edit, and share slides with a sleek presentation app.

Show
 
Notebook

Beautiful home for all your notes.

Notebook
 
Cliq

Stay in touch with teams no matter where you are.

Cliq
 
Connect

Employee experience platform to communicate, engage, and build positive employee relations.

Connect
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
TeamInbox

Shared inboxes for teams.

TeamInbox
 
WorkDrive

Online file management for teams.

WorkDrive
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Office Suite

Powerful collaborative work platform for teams.

Office Suite
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
Calendar

Online business calendar to manage events and schedule appointments.

Calendar
 
Learn

Knowledge and learning management platform.

Learn
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
ToDo

Collaborative task management for individuals and teams.

ToDo
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
FREE
PDF Editor

Collaborative online PDF editing tool.

PDF Editor
 
Suites
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Workplace

Human Resources

 
People

Organize, automate, and simplify your HR processes.

People
 
Recruit

Intuitive recruiting platform built to provide hiring solutions.

Recruit
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Workerly

Manage temporary staffing with an employee scheduling solution.

Workerly
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Shifts

Employee scheduling and time tracking app.

Shifts
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Suites
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

People Plus

Security and IT Management

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Directory

Workforce identity and access management solution for cloud businesses.

Directory
 
FREE
OneAuth

Secure multi-factor authenticator (MFA) for all your online accounts.

OneAuth
 
Vault

Online password manager for teams.

Vault
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Toolkit

Complete resource for any admin-related lookup queries.

Toolkit
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA

BI and Analytics

 
Analytics

Modern self-service BI and analytics platform.

Analytics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep
 
NEW
IoT

Harnessing IoT analytics for real-time operational intelligence.

IoT

Project Management

 
Projects

Manage, track, and collaborate on projects with teams.

Projects
 
Sprints

Planning and tracking tool for scrum teams.

Sprints
 
BugTracker

Automatic bug tracking software for managing bugs.

BugTracker
 
NEW
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo

Developer Platforms

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Flow

Automate business workflows by creating smart integrations.

Flow
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA
 
NEW
Apptics

Application analytics for all apps.

Apptics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
NEW
IoT

Build, deploy, and scale IoT solutions for connected businesses.

IoT
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep

IoT

 
NEW
IoT

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

IoT

Search Result

 
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

Try now
CRM Plus
 
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Try now
Service Plus
 
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Try now
Finance Plus
 
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

Try now
People Plus
 
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Try now
Workplace
 
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Try now
Marketing Plus
 
All-in-one suite

Zoho One

The Operating System for Business

Run your entire business on Zoho with our unified cloud software, designed to help you break down silos between departments and increase organizational efficiency.

TRY ZOHO ONE
Zoho One
Zoho Marketplace

With over 2000 ready-to-use extensions across 40+ categories, connect your favorite business tools with the Zoho products you already use.

EXPLORE MARKETPLACE
Marketplace
Skip to main content
Zoho Academy

Writing Killer Product Copy: An Introduction

  • 7 Mins Read
  • Posted on May 23, 2019
  • Last Updated on October 8, 2024
  • By Lauren

In our last ebook, we took a deep dive into what’s arguably the most crucial element of your ecommerce site: your product photography. There’s a direct correlation between the polish and professionalism of your product images and the amount of consumer trust you’ll have off the bat. Bad product photography will lead to fast bounces. Stellar photography, on the other hand, will keep them on your page a few seconds longer.

But now you’ve got to bring in another on-site marketing component to help seal the deal.

And that’s copy: the text you’ll use on your ecommerce site to speak to prospects’ pain points, establish your product as an ideal solution, and prompt them to convert.

Indeed, copy affects your business both before and after that initial visual impression made by your product photographs. After all, prospects can’t click into your site unless they know you exist; and that discovery process typically occurs through search engine queries. So product copy is precisely what’ll allow Google to recognize what you’re selling, and offer it up to the very prospects who are seeking the solution you offer.

On the other hand, once they’ve arrived on your site, there’s plenty of product information consumers will want that product photography simply can’t provide: Think product warranties, customer benefits, the product’s production process or backstory, social proof, and so on. Your product copy is there to fill in the gaps of that missing information. And, let’s be honest: It’s also there to entice them.

Ultimately, we’re talking about capturing two attentions: Google’s attention before the search query is even entered, and your prospects’ attention once they’ve arrived on your site. And you’ll need copy that’s both keyword-rich and customer-centric if you want to capture both. In the following pages, we’ll show you how to make that happen.

Why is Good Product Copy So Important?

Since numbers tend to talk, let’s start there. Consumer surveys conducted in recent years have shown how crucial product descriptions are to ecommerce sales conversions. Respondents to a Salsify survey said that product descriptions were the #1 element that contributed to their decision to make a purchase. Product descriptions outranked both customer reviews (#2) and product price (#3). According to another study by Shotfarm, 30% of online shoppers have abandoned a shopping cart because of poor product descriptions—that’s the third-highest reason for cart abandonment, behind price and delivery time.

Poor product content was also the reason 40% of online shoppers returned an item… and 87% of those consumers said they’d be unlikely to return to a retailer that provided inaccurate product content to give them a second shot.

“In the eyes of the digital consumer,” Shotfarm’s Product Information Report concludes, “a product is only as good as the information associated with it. If that information is incomplete in any way, purchases are delayed, products are returned, and brand equity is lost. All are very costly propositions.” Between cart abandonment (sales numbers), returns, and brand trust, we’re talking nearly every facet of your online business that can be affected—negatively or positively—by product copy.

But it’s not just thoroughness and accuracy that online consumers are looking for. 88% of consumers also expect product information to be “rich” if they’re going to hit that “Purchase” CTA. We’re talking copy that empathizes with the consumer, that demonstrates a passion for the product and how it will enhance the customer’s life. We’re talking copy that breathes life into your product through compelling language and a keen awareness of consumer psychology… including the psychology of your specific target market.

From an SEO perspective, Search Engine Journal recently cited content as the most important ranking factor according to industry studies. (Google itself ranks content among the top three factors.) So we’re back to that important line you’ll have to learn to hold in your product copy—content that’s keyword-friendly for the search engines and relevant, compelling, and even entertaining for your prospects.

The (Other) Benefits of Great Product Copy

We’ve just discussed how copy can affect ecommerce sales, returns, and consumer trust. But here are a few other benefits of terrific product copy worth considering:

  • It helps solidify your (unique) brand voice. Your company brand is something that will form over time, based on the messages you send across touchpoints and the ways your target market receives them. One of the most important elements of brand positioning is differentiation—and while differentiation occurs at the level of your offering, it also occurs at the level of what we’ll call company “personality.” Good product copy is an extension of the company voice you decided upon when you set out to discover what will make your business unique. It’ll help deliver that unforgettable quality to your site visitors—regardless of how understated or exaggerated your unique voice is.
  • It turns your products into objects of desire. We’ll discuss some of the strategies through which this transformation occurs in the following pages. Sometimes it means asking site visitors the exact question that will alert them to the fact that something is missing in their lives. Sometimes it means painting a picture of what their lives would look like with your product in it. Whatever the specific strategies, great product descriptions do more than… well, describe your product. After all, consumers aren’t actually interested in your product; they’re interested in what it does for them. (Note: This will require a strong combination of market research and empathy.) When you can offer this—making your product thoroughly desirable—you’ll see measurable results.
  • It earns you customer loyalty. Customer trust is one thing; customer loyalty is another thing altogether. Great ecommerce copy—anywhere on your site, but particularly on your product pages—is built around popular (and pressing) queries, anticipates and addresses prospect needs, and creates value by offering both quality information and insights. It also cultivates consumer feedback and responds to it. The copywriting great Robert Collier once advised: “Study your reader first—your product second.” We’d also add: listen to your reader first. Doing these things—and bringing what you learn into your product copy—will ensure a long-lasting, loyal relationship with your target audience.

Should I Hire a Copywriter for my Product Copy?

It’s a question we hear often; and the answer is: It depends. Content creation for product descriptions can be a delightful process; and if you’re the one who knows your product best—and who is most passionate about it—it wouldn’t hurt to sit down with the following pages, read our best practices, and try your hand at your own product descriptions first.

That said, product descriptions can certainly feel like a burden for an ecommerce entrepreneur. You’ve got a thousand other details to attend to in keeping your business afloat… and product copy isn’t an element of your ecommerce business you can afford to take lightly. We don’t have to tell you how difficult it is to earn consumer engagement these days: The bare minimum—basic specs—simply won’t cut it anymore. So if you don’t feel that you can meet consumers where they need to be met in order to make a purchase and solidify a relationship with you, it might be a wise move to outsource.

If you do decide to outsource, we’ve got a guide on how to hire a freelance blogger that should be just as useful for hiring professional copywriters for product copy. Wherever you search for copywriters—whether through referrals, social media, content mills, agencies, or elsewhere—the most important thing will be writing up a job description that filters out the weaker writers and gets you the strongest possible candidates. So take a look at that content before you get started on your search.

Product Copy: An Overview

If you do decide to try your hand at your own product copy, come along with us over the next few pages for the ride. Here’s what we’ll cover:

As an ecommerce business, “discoverability” will be the driving force behind most of the decisions you make around website copy. As we’ll discuss at greater length shortly, optimizing your site for search engine optimization (SEO) will entail not only knowing what prospects search for, but also knowing how competitive those queries are. The point, after all, is to rank. So we’ll discuss how to uncover the best keywords for your online store; we’ll also walk you, step-by-step, through each place in your ecommerce site you should sprinkle in those keywords.

And yet, strong ecommerce copy isn’t just about doing your research on search queries and competition—indeed, the hard data on searches is only half the battle. Now there’s the more nuanced stuff to consider, which requires knowing your prospects a little more deeply. The more acutely you understand your target market, the more clear you’ll be about how much product information your prospects need, what details to offer them in your product descriptions, and what tone to take with them in your copy overall. You’ll know what picture to paint and what “power words” to use to stoke their emotional fires. You’ll also know how to leverage psychology on your product pages to increase conversions.

We know: You might regularly come across great copy while shopping online; but you probably don’t spend time picking apart those business’s strategic decisions. That’s precisely what the following pages will help you learn to do.

Finally, what we offer in the following pages are strong strategies and best practices. The truth is that there’s noone way to craft remarkable product copy. You’ll find the style, tone, and strategies that work best for you over time… though the content here will get you started on your best foot. Over time, we’d suggest A/B testing your product descriptions so you can discover what works best based on prospect engagement and conversion numbers. (A good professional copywriter will know how to do this… so make sure that’s one of the questions you ask candidates if you’re outsourcing!)

 

Before you start crafting your product copy, you’ve got to know what your target market is searching for. After all, if you’re offering to solve a pain point no one has, or calling your product by a name your prospects don’t use for it, your site’s simply not going to see organic traffic. So in the next section, we turn to keyword research, and guide you through finding the right language for your ecommerce product copy.

Related Topics

Zoho products mentioned on this page: