How to Write Product Descriptions That Sell

You’ve poured your heart into creating a killer product — one that should be flying off the shelves. But instead? Crickets. Customers land on your page, hesitate, and then disappear. Frustrating, isn't it? You’ve put in the work — sourcing, designing, and perfecting your product — but when customers land on your page, they hesitate. The problem? Your product descriptions aren’t doing their job.

A great product description isn’t just a list of features. It’s a sales pitch. It’s the voice of your brand. It’s the nudge that turns a maybe into a yes. Whether you’re selling high-end tech gadgets or handmade soaps, the way you describe your product matters. Get it right, and your sales will skyrocket. Get it wrong, and your customers will click away — fast.

This guide will walk you through how to write good product descriptions that don’t just inform but sell. You’ll learn how to speak directly to your audience, highlight benefits over features, create urgency, optimize for search engines, and finally — how to write product descriptions that sell. By the end, you’ll have the tools to make your product pages work as hard as you do.

Understand Your Target Audience

Imagine yourself in a store where the salesperson greets you with a pitch that feels like it was ripped straight from a robot’s handbook. That's not great at all. Your product descriptions work the same way. They need to sound like they were written for a real person, not a faceless crowd.

The story named "How to describe a product to sell" starts with asking: Who is buying this product? What are their biggest struggles? What excites them? Let’s say you’re selling noise-canceling headphones. If your target audience is remote workers, focus on how the headphones eliminate background noise from chatty roommates. If they’re travelers, highlight the peace and quiet they provide on long flights. Knowing your audience means you can speak their language — and make them feel like the product was made just for them. 

Focus on Benefits, Not Just Features

A feature tells. A benefit sells.

Let’s break it down. Imagine you’re shopping for a new mattress, and you come across two descriptions:

• Feature-focused: "This mattress has a multi-layer memory foam structure."

• Benefit-focused: "Sink into the perfect night’s sleep — this memory foam mattress adapts to your body, relieving pressure and keeping you cool all night."

Which one would you choose? I bet you'd opt for the second one. Features are important, but they should always be tied to a real-life benefit. Instead of just saying your product has "stainless steel blades," explain that they "stay razor-sharp for years, so you’ll never have to struggle through a dull cut again." That’s the kind of detail that makes people hit ‘Add to Cart.’

Use Persuasive and Engaging Language

Your descriptions should have energy. They should feel alive. A dead, lifeless sentence like "This jacket is waterproof" doesn’t exactly scream excitement. Instead, try: "Rainy days? No problem. Stay dry and stylish with our ultra-light, totally waterproof jacket."

Power words make a huge difference. Words like "effortless," "guaranteed," "instantly," and "unbeatable" trigger emotions and make the product feel irresistible. And don’t be afraid to paint a picture: "Imagine waking up refreshed, pain-free, and ready to conquer the day — this ergonomic pillow makes it possible."

The goal? Make your customer feel something. Boring descriptions get ignored. Engaging ones get sales.

Write Clear and Concise Descriptions

Nobody has time to read an essay about a coffee mug. Your descriptions need to be quick, punchy, and easy to digest.

Here’s a test: Read your product description out loud. If you find yourself gasping for breath before you finish a sentence, it’s too long. Break it up. Short, simple sentences work best.

Structure matters as well. Bullet points are your best friend when listing features: 

✔️ Keeps drinks hot for 12 hours and cold for 24 

✔️ Spill-proof lid means zero messes on the go 

✔️ Fits perfectly in any car cup holder

It’s clean, easy to scan, and instantly tells the customer why they should care.

Optimize for SEO

SEO sounds technical, but it’s really just about making sure your product shows up when people search for it over the internet. How to write good SEO descriptions? The key is keywords. Include them organically into your descriptions.

Let’s say you’re selling an electric toothbrush. Instead of just calling it "The Best Toothbrush," weave in what people are actually searching for: "Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush with Soft Bristles." Not only does this help your description rank on search engines, but it also tells customers exactly what they’re getting.

But here’s the trick — keywords should never feel forced. Don’t cram "best noise-canceling headphones for travel" into every sentence. Write naturally, and sprinkle in keywords where they make sense. Google will love you for it.

Create a Sense of Urgency

People procrastinate — until they think they’re about to miss out. That’s where urgency comes in. A simple tweak like "Limited stock — order now before it’s gone!" can push someone from "maybe later" to "buy now."

Other ways to add urgency:

• "Only a few left in stock!"

• "Exclusive offer ends soon!"

• "Get yours before prices go up!"

No one wants to feel like they missed out on a great deal. If you give them a reason to act fast, they usually will.

Incorporate Social Proof

Imagine you’re torn between two products. One has 200 glowing reviews, and the other has… zero. Which one are you buying?

Social proof — things like customer reviews, testimonials, and ratings — makes a product feel trustworthy. If real people love it, others will want it too. Try weaving this into your descriptions:

• "Over 10,000 happy customers swear by our anti-aging serum!"

• "Rated 4.9/5 by coffee lovers everywhere!"

• "Sarah from New York says: ‘Best running shoes I’ve ever owned!’"

Seeing that others have taken the plunge makes it easier for a new customer to do the same.

Make It Easy to Scan

Most people don’t read every word — they skim. If your description is one giant wall of text, they’re clicking away. Fast.

Instead:

• Use bold text to highlight key points

• Break up paragraphs for readability

• Keep sentences short and snappy

• Make sure it looks good on mobile

Think of your description like a well-designed storefront. If it’s easy to navigate, customers will stick around longer.

Include a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)

A great description is useless if it doesn’t nudge the customer to take action. Your CTA is your final push.

Instead of a weak "Check it out," go with something stronger:

• "Get yours today and experience the difference!"

• "Order now for fast, free shipping!"

• "Try it risk-free with our 30-day guarantee!"

Make it clear. Make it compelling. And most importantly — make it easy for them to say yes.

Test and Optimize

Think your description is perfect? Test it.

Try running A/B tests where you experiment with different versions. Maybe one version emphasizes social proof, while another highlights urgency. See which one converts better.

Look at your analytics, too. Are people adding products to their carts but not checking out? Maybe your CTA isn’t strong enough. Are they leaving the page too fast? Maybe your descriptions need more clarity or engagement. The best product descriptions are always evolving based on real-world feedback.

Now you know how to write a good website description. It isn’t just about listing features — it’s about persuasion, storytelling, and making customers feel like they absolutely need what you’re selling. Keep it clear, keep it engaging, and always think like your customer. Do that, and your descriptions won’t just sell products — they’ll sell more products.