How to get the most out of your product descriptions
I tried to make one of the easiest Amazon purchases ever: a roll of tape. A full thirty minutes after searching for “roll of tape,” I placed my order for “Scotch Magic Tape, 6 Rolls, Numerous Applications, Invisible, Engineered for Repairing, 3/4 x 650 Inches (6122).” …What?
In a world where minimalism is the new maximalism, Amazon has flipped the script. Product titles not only include the product name, but a full-blown description of the item. I’m confused. Is this not why products have a “description” section?? Have we no respect for the mantra “stay in your lane”?!
Turns out there are good reasons for sellers to write essay-style titles:
- Solving consumers’ need for speed. Shoppers rely on product titles to learn about your listing efficiently to decide whether to commit to that precious extra click.
- Amazon will rank you for it. If you want your product to hang with the “cool items,” you need to optimize your title around Amazon’s A9 algorithm, which determines where listings land in search results. Remember, it’s not who you are on the inside that matters, but what you say you are on the outside that counts!
Now, am I saying to write a dissertation in your product title? No. But what I am saying is KEYWORDS! Identifying the right keywords for your listing is key. Word. It sounds obvious, but it’s important stuff. Deciding which words to include? All you have to do is CARE:
- Competition – Do you want to compete for high traffic search terms, or win those relevant albeit smaller-volume terms?
- Accuracy – Don’t just throw in words because they sound good. Select words that are actually true to your product.
- Readability – Include bars or dashes in between keywords so shoppers can clearly understand your offering.
- Everything Else – Okay this one is a stretch, but it’s meant to represent the details (capitalize the words, spell out measurements, use 7 not seven, take out all the curse words, etc.).
Also Amazon has laid down the law about how your product title should look – and if you don’t follow the guidelines, they make it near impossible for customers to find your products. Check out some tips to make sure your listings are hitting the mark.
I guess if a picture is worth a thousand words, an Amazon product title should have just as many.
