Copywriting Secrets to Boost Ecommerce ROI

Ryan Gould

You may not realize it, but your eCommerce copy could be costing you sales. Though there are many ways to teach and perform highly-converting eCommerce copywriting, sadly, many e-sellers don’t feel that copywriting is necessary. However, if you hope to gain attention and convert visitors into paying customers, you can no longer afford to “wing it” in the content department.

Copywriting Increases Your Store’s Value

You may have asked yourself how you can increase sales without increasing your e-store’s budget for acquisition. Copywriting is the logical answer. Here are two reasons; the first being that persuasive copywriting can cause customers to want your product now. The second being that good copywriting makes your products more enjoyable for the prospect to browse through. The overall answer is that copywriting is a technique that can improve your brand’s value and give you a higher return on investment in the long run.
Here is how to give your copy a boost for higher conversions going forward.

Separating Your Audience Into Segments

Copywriting is all about finding those words and phrases that resonate with your audience. This requires extensive research. But the type of research you do will depend on what type of audience segment you are targeting.
Before you write a single word, separate your audience into segments revolving around a barrier to sales. For instance:
Too Many Abandoned Carts: People are shopping, but no one is committing. To find the right words to appeal to this group, start looking into the average customers’ anxieties, fears, and frustrations that prevent them from buying.
Where do you look? Social media is an excellent source for data mining from your average consumer, and surveys always work well when given to customers and prospects alike. Scoring an interview with a customer would be ideal.
Why is this important? Addressing the most common concerns at the moment the concern is raised is the highest form of copywriting.
So, let’s say that data theft is a major concern of your target group. Putting “100% Secure Shopping” into your sales copy, especially in the shopping cart section itself and throughout the checkout process, will alleviate buyers’ concerns, leading to more sales.
You should have a list of words and phrases that appeal to every audience segment you are targeting. Keep these words handy as they will assist you with the copywriting process.

Only Unique Product Descriptions Will Do

Never use the manufacturer’s’ product copy, as those are usually copied across multiple sites. That’s bad for SEO and shoppers can usually spot swiped copy a mile away, especially if the brand is a popular one.
And even if you think your copy is unique, you might want to run it through Copyscape anyway. People may have stolen your copy, potentially making it a liability to your search rankings.

Cheat and Use the Customer’s Words

When writing copy, explain the features of the product using the average customer’s language without resorting to jargon. Descriptions such as these are more useful for customers and give the impression that you know your audience, which you do now that you’ve done the proper research.
For example, if you are selling a Bluetooth projector, one of your key features might be borrowed from a product review you read on Amazon or heard during a customer interview “Can be viewed without any cords in the darkest light and it’s like watching a movie screen at home!”

How to Optimize Your Product Descriptions for More Sales

To write effective product descriptions – that is, the ones that will cause your audience to sit up and take notice – you should have intimate knowledge of the products you’re selling. You should be able to hold them in your hand or at least use them and examine them closely. You should also be clear of the identity and preferences of your buyer persona.
Next, you should make a list of all the product’s features and benefits. List out everything a customer might care about, whether it’s the product height, weight, dimensions, color, or memory capacity.
With those details ready accessible, writing your product descriptions should be easy. Focus on where, when, how, and – most importantly – why your ideal customer might want to own your product.
Once you have that information written out, match it to the tone you’re going for. The best tone is the one that matches the very one used by your customers on social media and in those reviews, testimonials, surveys, and interviews you recently scoured through.

Write with Verbs & Go Easy on the Subjective Adjectives

Verbs are exciting as they entice action. Adjectives, on the other hand, are subjective. Something could be exciting to one person and dull to another. Features and benefits can’t be denied. For example, instead of being too dry and adjective heavy with a description like “Massive outdoor tent that is perfect for any sized family”, be factual and write with verbs and objective language, such as “Keep your family safe from the elements in this 10X10 outdoor tent that comes in ten vibrant colors.”

Convey a Sense of Urgency

When you want customers buying from you now, not later, you must be thorough with your delivery. You must present your customers with the information they need to make a positive buying decision. Then, then you need to convince that it’s in their best interest to buy from you immediately.
Some ways to do this include:

  • Limited Supply: “Only four left in stock!”
  • Scarcity of Size: “Only two Large’s Available!”
  • Time Limit: “Only 8 hours left to save!”

Add Personalization

Many marketing tasks are automated, such as email. It’s important to balance personalization and automation so that you don’t make your brand seem too robotic. Personalization also helps to build trust with your audience, which contributes to higher conversions. Using the customer’s name, their past purchases, items they might be interested in, and the items they’ve left behind in their shopping carts are all excellent ways to spark extra attention.
Example: “Mark, we noticed you left your software package in your shopping cart. Did you have any questions we could answer?”

Straightforward Descriptions – With a Twist

Salespeople have always relied on the senses to sell. Using words like soft and vibrant, durable and fragrant bring specific details to mind that can help sway the customer in your favor. While it is important to be honest and forthcoming with your product descriptions, don’t be afraid to make your words more colorful by appealing to all five senses as you write.

Use Social Proof

To solidify the trust you build with customers, add social proof to your website and product descriptions. Post testimonials and reviews right on your website, and feature reviews on Facebook posts.
In some cases, testimonials and reviews are all you need on a product page to persuade customers to commit. In this sense, you are allowing your customers to write your copy for you.

Overcome Objections

People may be afraid to spend money with you because they don’t know who you are. Some are merely averse to spending money online. Others may question the quality of your products or the reliability of your warranty.
To combat these common objections, use language that offers aversion to risk.
Examples include:

  • “Take advantage of our money-back guarantee!”
  • “We offer free shipping and complimentary returns.”
  • “Your personal information is encrypted and secured.”
  • “We offer a secure checkout process for your protection.”

Once your customers realize that it is safe to shop with you, conversions rise.

Tell a Story

If you can develop an interesting story around your brand and products, you will differentiate yourself from competitors. You’ll essentially succeed at answering the common objection of whether customers should buy from you or the other guy.
Creating a compelling brand story is not an easy task, and may be a better job for a writing professional. However, there is no reason your story can’t be a behind-the-scenes look at how your business got started, infused with stories about your pleased customers. A story like that practically writes itself.

Format for Skimmers

When it comes to finding key features and benefits of any product, customers are more likely to skim than they are to read every word you wrote. Therefore, make use of bold and bullet points, and separate your key points with plenty of white space so that they are easy on the eyes.

Now Write (and Sell) Boldly

You now have the information you need to ramp up eCommerce sales and grow your business, but don’t stop here. Your research should always be ongoing, because sales could always improve. Make sure you discuss any customer preference changes with your sales teams to ensure your copywriting remains on point. As long as you keep an open ear on what your audience is saying, you should always know those words that cause them to shop, commit, and return in the future.

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