Product content
How to write product descriptions that answer the buyer
A product description should help a shopper decide, not decorate the page. Open with one line on who the product is for and its main benefit, follow with three to five scannable features each tied to an outcome, then a specifications table in the same order as similar products (dimensions, materials, care, compatibility), and finish with what's in the box. Nielsen Norman Group found 20% of failed purchases in its e-commerce studies came from incomplete or unclear product information.
By the MoraLab team · Updated · 4 min read
The three jobs of a product description
A description is read by a shopper deciding whether this product is right, by a shopper comparing it with two others, and by search and answer engines deciding what the page is about. Nielsen Norman Group's guidance sums up what works for all three: clear, detailed, consistent and concise descriptions, with comparable information presented in a comparable way.
A product description template
Use these parts in this order. On a phone, the first two should be visible without opening anything.
Positioning line
One sentence: what it is, who it is for, and the main benefit. “A hand-thrown stoneware vase for dried and fresh flowers, sized for a dining table centrepiece.”
Key features (3–5 bullets)
Each bullet is a feature turned into an outcome: “Glazed inside, so it holds water without staining” rather than “Interior glaze”.
Short story or context (optional)
Where it is made, why it is designed this way, how it is used. One short paragraph; cut it if it says nothing a shopper would miss.
Specifications table
Dimensions with units, weight, materials, colour names, capacity, compatibility, certifications. Same rows, same order, same units for every product in the category.
What's in the box
Everything included, and anything the shopper needs that is not (batteries, cables, assembly tools).
Care and warranty
How to clean and maintain it, and how long it is covered.
Feature, benefit, proof
Shoppers distrust adjectives. “Premium quality” says nothing; “full-grain leather, stitched with waxed thread” says something they can verify. For each important claim, give the feature, what it does for the buyer, and the proof: “Waterproof to 50 m (feature), so you can swim and shower without taking it off (benefit). Tested to ISO 22810 (proof).”
Never invent proof. Specifications, certifications and test results must come from the manufacturer or your own testing, and claims about health, sustainability or performance are regulated in many markets.
Writing for search and answer engines
Search engines and AI assistants look for the same thing shoppers do: clear, specific facts about the product. Google states that there are no special requirements for appearing in its AI features beyond normal SEO practice and helpful, people-first content. In a product description, that means:
- Name the product the way customers search for it (“linen duvet cover, king size”), using your site-search and ad search-term reports
- State attributes as plain facts (“100% linen, 240 × 220 cm”), not only inside images or videos
- Answer common questions directly in the copy or a Q&A section
- Write unique copy rather than the manufacturer's text that dozens of other stores also publish
- Mirror the key facts in Product structured data, and keep both identical
- Never stuff keywords; one natural mention in the title and positioning line is enough
Sources: Google Search Central: AI features and your website; Google Search Central: Product structured data
Match tone to price and buyer
Tone follows the purchase. A €9 phone case needs a fast, factual description. A €900 armchair needs more reassurance: materials, construction, delivery and assembly, and a sense of what it is like to live with. Gift products need copy that speaks to the giver. Whatever the tone, keep the specifications table plain and factual.
Scaling descriptions across a catalog
Write full descriptions by hand for best sellers and new launches. For the long tail, build an attribute-driven template: fill the specifications from your product data, and write positioning lines and feature bullets per category with product-specific details slotted in.
AI writing tools can draft from product data quickly, but they also invent plausible-sounding details. Give them only verified attributes, forbid them from adding facts, and have a person check every description against the product before publishing.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a product description be?
Long enough to answer the questions buyers of that product ask. For simple products, a positioning line, a few bullets and a specifications table may be under 150 words. For considered purchases, several hundred words plus a full specifications table is normal. Put the decisive part first.
Should I use bullet points or paragraphs?
Both. Bullets for features and specifications, which shoppers scan and compare, and a short paragraph for context or story, which they read only if interested.
Is it bad for SEO to use the manufacturer's description?
It is not penalised, but it gives search engines no reason to prefer your page over every other store using the same text. Writing your own description, at least for your most important products, is one of the few ways to stand out.
Can I write product descriptions with AI?
Yes, as drafts from verified product data. Instruct the tool not to add facts, and check every description against the product. An invented specification is worse than a short description.
Sources
- Nielsen Norman Group: Product descriptions (2014)
- Google Search Central: AI features and your website
- Google Search Central: Product structured data
Sources checked 20 October 2026. Figures are reported as the publishers state them; where sources disagree, the article says so.