Whitepaper

Automated Product Descriptions in E-Commerce

This whitepaper answers the most frequently asked questions about content automation in e-commerce.
Whitepaper_Automation

About the Whitepaper

High-quality product descriptions have an important impact on the sales and earnings of retail companies. Taking into account decisive success factors, automated text creation can save resources in companies, increase the conversion rate, reduce the return rate and increase visibility in search engines.

What You Can Expect:
  • Factors for Successful Product Descriptions​
  • Economic Relevance of Product Descriptions
  • Comparison of Product Descriptions in different Online Shops​
  • Product Data as a Driver for Attractive Product Descriptions​
  • Return on Investment
  • Reasons why Content Automation works well​
  • KPIs for Performance Measurement​

The Authors

Whitepaper-Automation

First Look into the Whitepaper

Factors for Successful Product Texts

In order to avoid the high expenditure of creating product texts, e-commerce companies often use the ready-made texts of manufacturers or copy data sheets of the products as a replacement for a custom product text. The actual needs of the customers are rarely addressed, as only basic information is used.
Four factors in particular indicate poor quality of product texts:

  1. No buying impulse in the product text
  2. High return rate
  3. Very low traffic in the online shop
  4. High number of questions from customers

However, product descriptions are the figurehead for online commerce. The customer's decision to buy depends largely on the information and emotions that are instilled in the customer by the product description. Incorrect product descriptions lead directly to a decline in sales. Studies show that the reason for stagnating sales is not only that too few customers become aware of the online shop through the search engines, but also the unappealing product descriptions. 
Companies should always keep in mind what customers expect from the product descriptions. This is often a combination of correct information and a text that conveys the certainty that the customers is purchasing exactly the right product. 
Hereby, the correctness of the product descriptions plays a major role. On the one hand, incorrect descriptions lead to a high level of dissatisfaction with the purchased product and also to a high rate of returns. On the one hand, this reduces the company's turnover, reduces the chance of buying the product again and also causes high costs for the return of the product. In addition, online shops are badly placed in search engine rankings due to low traffic. However, a good ranking is an important prerequisite for winning new customers. All these problems can also be prevented by good and high-quality product descriptions.

6 Tips for Successful Product Descriptions

  1. Search Engine Optimization
    In order to reach a certain visibility in search engines and be recognized by customers, companies should execute certain SEO measures. For this purpose the use of moderate and qualitative keywords is recommended.
  2. Benefit Communication
    E-commerce companies must be careful not to turn the feature lists of products into a continuous text. Technical details, which can already be found in the product details, bore customers. It is essential to convey the practical benefits and show emotions to the readers. Example: Companies should not write that a television has four HDMI connections. Instead, they should show the added value this achievement
    has for the customer: „No more knee pain due to cumbersome plugging in! With this TV you can connect up to four devices at the same time.“
  3. Generate Additional Buying Impulses
    The aim is to generate additional buying impulses for potential customers. One possible buying impulse can be the delivery time, like „If you order now, the product will be with you in two days“, or via particularly convenient payment options. The key question that companies should ask themselves is: „What makes it convenient to order the product now?“
  4. No False Promises
    Disappointed customers are particularly fatal in online trading. False promises do not just result in a high return rate, which leads to high costs. In addition, it proves fatal for companies to diminish the customers’ joy about the product after the purchase. It is much better to truthfully address the disadvantages of the product.
  5. Living the Brand
    Product descriptions should be phrased in such a way that they match the company's brand. The tonality of the brand should be maintained throughout the text. This way, authenticity and recognition are gained.
  6. Completeness and Correctness
    The completeness and correctness of product descriptions should come naturally for online shops. Nevertheless, facts are often not mentioned in product descriptions or there are errors. E-commerce businesses that consider the factors for successful product descriptions and respond to the needs of their customers have a high potential to win new customers and retain existing customers.

Fill out the form and get your free whitepaper!