Dropshipping Product Description Guide For Beginners

Did you know your conversion rates can climb to nearly 80% by writing a good product description?

That proves product descriptions’ power, especially for a dropshipping business dripping in stiff competition. Compelling, detailed descriptions can influence customer decisions and enhance your search engine visibility, so it’s worth learning how to write them well.

In this blog post, I’ll provide insights and strategies to help you craft effective dropshipping product descriptions 🙂

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

Effective product descriptions require understanding your audience, avoiding genericism, using emotive language, and making the page visually appealing.
While customer engagement should be your top priority, following SEO principles will ensure your website ranks and more people can buy your products.
Always test product descriptions before posting them and review metrics to continually refine the content and maximize sales.

The Role of Product Descriptions in Dropshipping

Product descriptions serve many roles. Want to learn about them? Perfect. Here they are.

Provides information about your product

At its most basic, a product description tells your reader what you’re selling.

The product description might include specs and will always delve into features. People can read the description and decide if the product is right for them.

Of course, if they’re still on the fence or want to learn more, they can click the internal links in your description or review the videos and images the description should include.

Incentivizes purchases

Besides being informational, your product descriptions can be sales-driven to drive conversions.

The best way to do that is by focusing on the product’s benefits. By putting your readers in the shoes of your average customer, they’ll realize how valuable your product is and check out with it in their cart.

Improves the customer experience

Have you ever encountered a product online with no description, just a price?

It’s sketchy, right?

Photos alone aren’t enough to inspire a confident purchasing decision. Quality product descriptions will enable more faith in your brand and products.

Helps your dropshipping website rank in search results

Perform keyword research, identify mid-difficulty terms your audience searches for, and then use them in your product description to signal to search engines that your dropshipping website should rank for those specific terms.

The more visible you are online, the more website traffic you should expect, which can result in more sales.

The differences between mediocre and outstanding product descriptions

Of course, not all product descriptions are the same. While having some descriptor is always better than none, the best ones stand out for these qualities:

They target your ideal market based on research.
They use evocative, descriptive imagery.
They’re keyword-optimized.
They include storytelling elements.
They’re benefits-focused.
They include social proof, either testimonials or reviews.

Key Components of an Effective Product Description

How do you make your product descriptions shine? They should include these components, at the very least.

Features

What does your product include? You should list all the biggest features (or every feature, depending on how many). What better way to inspire people who need your product than by describing what the features are?

Be direct in describing your product, but don’t be boring. If your descriptions are dry, no one will bother reading them, which means missing out on sales.

Benefits

Weave the benefits into your product features.

For example, if you’re selling a vacuum cleaner and talking about how well it sucks up pet hair, mentioning how this will help those with heavy-shedding dogs or multiple pets in the house is a benefit. It naturally pairs with the feature.

Dig down deep when writing benefits. This is your chance to showcase your unique brand’s value and differentiate your products, so take your time and put a lot of focus on this.

Specifications

I’ve already proven the value of product specs, or at least, I hope I have.

A product’s dimensions are part of what influences a person’s purchasing decision. They need to know if it weighs too much for them to pick it up when it’s delivered to their doorstep or if it’s too long to fit in their living room.

If you leave your customers guessing, they won’t bother buying. They’ll move on to your competitor, who provides clear specs.

Good narrative

The best way to think of a product description is as part sales copy or as part story.

I’m not saying you should approach your description like you’re sitting down to write the next great American novel.

However, interjecting your personality, incorporating your brand’s story, and sharing your values in the product description are great ways to keep people hooked.

Like any good written material, you want people on the edge of their figurative seats, eagerly awaiting the next word. Using a narrative separates the good product descriptions from the truly great ones.

Keywords

This is your reminder that researched keywords are a valuable part of your product descriptions. You only need to insert each one once, maybe twice, but use them conversationally.

Your audience doesn’t care about your SEO or keywords. They care if you robotically stuff keywords into copy in a way that doesn’t make sense or read naturally.

Social proof

A product description doesn’t need to bog down the reader with reviews.

One glowing comment is all it takes to drive home the fact that your products change lives and that your customer could be the next lucky one to experience the benefits.

Bullet points and bolding

Formatting is so important in a product description.

Use bolding the way you would subheads to split up points and create bulleted lists for features and specs. These small but important changes make the copy much more readable, augmenting the user experience.

Tips to Write Product Descriptions That Sell

Do you want your dropshipping product descriptions to knock it out of the park? Check out these strategies to increase the appeal and persuasiveness of your copywriting.

Know thy audience

You can write the most flowery prose, but your product description will flop if it’s not geared toward your specific audience segment.

Dig into your audience data before you write a single word, taking it segment by segment. Get to know their pain points, interests, challenges, and needs.

Then, consider what kind of copy would generate the biggest response and write it.

Use language that evokes emotion

Words have power; they’re like magic.

Well, if you use the right ones, that is. Curious to know what they are? Here are 50 words that connect emotionally with your audience and inspire them to buy, whether those emotions are anger, curiosity, or FOMO.

Unconditional
Little-known
Safety
Elite
Unlock
Guaranteed
Ironclad
Rare
Genuine
Lifetime
Protected
Certified
Tested
Limited
Jackpot
Frenzy
Insider
Skyrocket
Running out
Budget
New
Explore
Never again
Affordable
Last chance
Revolutionary
Imagine
Life-changing
Miracle
Along the way
Always
Magic
Our promise
Caliber
Friends
Family
Data-backed
Market leader
Achieve
Backed by
Available
Vetted
Pioneers
Tested
Got you covered
Results you want
Take control
Walk you through
Before it’s too late
Bonus

Cut out generic copy

Have a second set of eyes read over your product description. Do certain lines feel like they could have been written by anyone about anything?

Omit those immediately.

Your product is one of a kind. Sure, there may be thousands of vacuum models, but yours does X, Y, and Z.

Double down on what makes your dropshipping brand and products unique, and remove all genericism.

Skip cliches

Don’t we all love a good cliché, like describing a ball moving at the speed of light or using your products as easy as pie?

Yes, we do, but you don’t want them in your product copy.

Why, you ask?

After all, cliches are evocative, interesting, and often have storytelling elements. And while that’s all true, they’re also overused and reduce your uniqueness.

Here are some cliches to skip (some are less obvious, so you might not even realize you’re using them!):

Head over heels
Losing track of time
Every rose has its thorn
Open a can of worms
It’s easy as pie
Bring to the table
Like a plague
At the speed of light
Safe and sound
In the nick of time
A fine kettle of fish
A bad egg
Without a care in the world
Fit as a fiddle
Happily ever after
Diamond in the rough
Going bananas
Take a chill pill
Cold as ice
Light as a feather
Driving you crazy

Let AI help

At the end of the day, if you’re still struggling to piece together good product descriptions, you can always count on the generative abilities of AI.

Through machine learning, AI can master your tone and brand.

That said, AI tools sometimes churn out a generic copy, so you might want to edit the material before you publish it on your dropshipping website.

SEO Best Practices for Product Descriptions

You’ve written some killer product descriptions and want them to be seen.

Let’s make it happen.

Here are some SEO strategies for writing unique product descriptions to help put your dropshipping brand on the map.

Write for humans first and foremost

You want to create something to improve your SEO ranking, but that doesn’t mean writing for the almighty algorithm.

Instead, your copy should be people-focused. Your audience reads your product description, so you should write it for them.

Remember, that means good formatting, non-generic copy, evocative terms, and natural use of keywords.

Make them easy to read at a glance

If someone wants the quick version of your product description, can they glean that by glossing over it, or do you require them to sit down and read the entire thing? If it’s the latter, make it easier and faster to read.

That doesn’t mean people will largely ignore your product descriptions. However, you’re giving the option to those who don’t have time to make it easier and faster to read.

Add a CTA or two

What’s the point of writing a product description? To sell, of course. And what tool helps you sell? The call to action.

Add a CTA link above and below the fold; maybe you can use some buttons. The language in the CTA should be clear so that when a user clicks the link, they know where they’re being redirected. This will encourage them to click the links with confidence.

Include keywords in the product title

I’ve talked enough about using keywords in the product description, but they should also be in the title.

The title is a chance to catch the reader’s attention and inspire them to continue reading. It should reflect the information inside, like a subject line for the body of the email.

Increase readability with bullets and graphics

Readability goes a long way toward keeping your users on the page and elevating your SEO rank.

Do all your prospective customers a favor and make your text as readable as possible. Use graphics like images, videos, bullet points, and bolding to break up the copy.

Oh, and don’t bloat your paragraphs. A paragraph should only be three to four sentences, max, and for readability, not longer than six lines.

Utilizing Visuals and Media

Kettle & Fire Keto bone broth product description example — *Image courtesy of eCommerce Fastlane*

Visual media such as images and video are important in complementing text descriptions. Making the most of visual media is as easy as following these pointers.

Use high-res visual media

What’s the sense of sharing visuals if they’re fuzzy, grainy, or poorly quality? If your dropshipping business only offers its products online, it’s not like your audience can scope them out in a store.

They need the highest-caliber visual media to help them buy with confidence. If your photos and videos are too crusty for your audience to make out the product details well, they will seek out the competition instead.

Don’t bog down the page loading speed

While you should always prioritize high-quality visual media, that can’t affect your website loading speed.

You will lose traffic if your site doesn’t load within two to three seconds on desktop and eight seconds on mobile.

Think with Google reports that the bounce rate likelihood goes up 32% for each second it takes a webpage to load between one and three seconds.

Show the product from several angles in photos

Many product descriptions feature a main image, then an expandable carousel of additional photos.

The product images should showcase the product from all sides and angles, including the top, sides, and bottom.

Make sure you take photos of the product in optimal lighting.

Natural daylight is best, but alternatively, bright LED lighting does a good job. Avoid fluorescents and other lights that give off a dingy yellow glow. They will make your products look bad.

Include a video showing the product in use

Recording a quick video tutorial on assembling and using the product will go a long way toward motivating sales.

Once people see how easy it is to use the product, many of their worries or concerns will melt away.

Use high-quality equipment.

You don’t need a professional camera, per se, but a newer smartphone. Again, choose good lighting and film in a clean, bright space without distractions or passersby.

Make your visual media mobile-friendly

If your video or image takes up the full product page when a user logs in on mobile, they will bounce. Mobile optimization is such a common part of today’s marketing and SEO that there’s no way you can miss it.

The videos and images have to display well on the mobile version of your website as well as the desktop version. The pages don’t have to be identical but should look close to maintain your branding.

Optimize your visual media for SEO

Add alt descriptions to all your images, where you briefly describe the photo’s contents.

This is another great spot to add your product keywords, and it helps SEO.

Test your visual media

Make sure to A/B test your product page before it goes live.

Sometimes, gaining more conversions boils down to the CTA button or image placement, and the only way to know where everything should go is by testing.

Overcoming Common Challenges

Writing good product descriptions can be tough, as you can face several obstacles.

Let’s talk about the common pitfalls in writing product descriptions for dropshipping and how to avoid or solve them.

Generic descriptions

As I said before, have a second or third set of eyes review your product description before you post it.

If they feel like there are generic, everyman kinds of statements in the copy, erase them or modify them to be more on-brand and original.

Keyword stuffing

While using targeted keywords signals to search engines that you should receive a boost in rank for those search terms, keyword stuffing is still a no-no.

It’s about how you use the keywords, not how many times.

That’s what keyword stuffing is: jamming in search terms as often as possible, regardless of whether they fit naturally. Google penalizes search engines that engage in this behavior, so limit your keyword usage across product pages.

Outdated descriptions

Some of your descriptions could become outdated as you build up a product roster. For instance, saying a product is the best in the line when it’s been usurped is outdated.

Fortunately, dropshipping platforms like Shopify allow you to bulk-edit your product descriptions by using the admin dashboard. This simplifies what would have otherwise been days of work.

If you don’t use the Shopify store, search for an eCommerce solution that also offers bulk editing, or you’ll lose a lot of time whenever your product descriptions become outdated.

Outsourced content is inaccurate or veers away from your brand

You might outsource product description writing to a freelancer to save time.

That was smart thinking, but you must ensure two main points. First, the content has to be accurate, and second, it must be on-brand.

Getting accurate content is as easy as sending product specs, fact sheets, and other information not necessarily available to the public.

As for keeping the content branded to your dropshipping store, send the freelancer a style sheet with your brand tone, and work with them to refine the copy until it’s perfect.

Analyzing and Optimizing Descriptions

You’ve written some descriptive copy for your dropshipping store, and of course, you tested it.

The product description has since gone live, but how do you know if it’s helping your business?

Simple, you have to track KPIs. This list will get you started:

Website traffic
Webpage traffic for specific product pages
Time spent on page
Bounce rate
Cart abandonment rate
Sales amount
Conversion rate

Performance data will tell you a lot about your product descriptions.

For example, if one page gets all the traffic and another only attracts moderate traffic and has a high bounce rate, you must examine that page.

Traffic alone isn’t necessarily a positive metric. If you get a lot of traffic to a page but people still bounce, you should again consider revising your product description.

You don’t necessarily have to go back to the drawing board. Rather, do some A/B testing to see what you can improve. Make your revised page live and see how it performs.

It can take some trial and error, but eventually, you’ll learn what product descriptions your target market likes.

Examples of Successful Product Descriptions

Before wrapping up, let’s look at some product description examples and explain why they’re successful. I hope these inspire you to write your product-based copy for your dropshipping store!

Innocent Drinks

Innocent Drinks is a UK brand specializing in smoothies, juices, and water for kids and adults. One of its products, Seriously Strawberry smoothie, has a fantastic descriptive copy.

Innocent launches into its description by talking evocatively about strawberries, using such descriptive copy as “a side of cream at the tennis” and “crushed lovingly into our drinks.” Then, they establish their expertise by mentioning how picky they are about the strawberries used in their smoothies.

The product description mentions that 25% more strawberries are added to the smoothies, as does the bolded checklist, which says the smoothies contain two portions of fruit.

The photo of the smoothies against a white backdrop lets their natural colors shine.

Jamba Juice

Speaking of smoothies, Jamba Juice also knows how to write good product copy. Jamba wrote a catchy title to promote its Aloha Pineapple Smoothie: “It’s a luau for your mouth!”

As if that didn’t capture your attention enough, they focus on the beach imagery and even add the tongue-in-cheek line of “Gigantic sunbrella and tiki bar not included.”

It’s only a two-sentence product description, yet it gets the job done well. Below, you can learn more about the products in the Aloha Pineapple Smoothie and its nutritional information.

The photo of someone holding the smoothie makes it easy to picture the Aloha Pineapple Smoothie in your grip.

Ember

Ember specializes in drinkware, including travel mugs with excellent heat resistance. To sell its thermos, Ember focused on how smart its product is, mentioning how it includes an app for adjusting drink temperature and setting custom presets.

To the right is an image of a person holding a phone, showing a temperature of 135 degrees, the perceived temperature of the drink in the Ember thermos. Below is a simple CTA button that says Learn More.

The color cohesion between the image, the CTA button, and the other page elements—neon orange—makes the page look clean and appealing.

Conclusion

A well-crafted product description for dropshipping businesses can have a transformative effect, driving massive success. When creating eCommerce content, creativity and precision are top priorities, so bear that in mind as you begin writing about your products!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why are product descriptions so important for dropshipping stores?

Your dropshipping store has an exclusively online presence, precluding your target audience from seeing the item before they order it. Product descriptions invite prospective customers to learn more about your product and then purchase it.

2. How long should a good product description be?

Keep your product descriptions between 300 and 400 words. Anything shorter doesn’t fully encapsulate your product, while a longer description is too much.

3. Can I use the manufacturer’s description for my products?

You can use bits and pieces but should not copy and paste it word-for-word. This won’t help your SEO; most manufacturer descriptions are dry and bland, so you won’t motivate your audience to buy.

4. How often should I update my product descriptions?

As often as required, such as when introducing a new product in the same series or discontinuing one of your old products.

5. What are the best tools for writing and optimizing product descriptions?

You have many great options to explore, including ChatGPT, Jasper, Rytr, Anyword, Frase.io, WriteSonic, AISEO, Rytr.me, CopyAI, Hypotenuse AI, Shogun AI, and Copysmith.

6. How can I make my product descriptions stand out from the competition?

Use your brand, which makes you different from your competitors. Ensure your descriptions match your tone and brand values.