12 Hacks for Writing Brilliant Product Descriptions
Ever wondered why some products fly off virtual shelves whilst others gather digital dust? Here's a secret: it's rarely about the product itself.
Take two identical wireless headphones. Same features, same price, same five-star reviews. One sells 50 units a month. The other? 500. The only difference? The words wrapped around them.
Those words – your product descriptions – are doing far more heavy lifting than you might think. They're not just describing. They're persuading, reassuring, and painting pictures in your customers' minds.
Most brands treat product descriptions like an annoying box to tick. Write something. Anything. Job done. But what if I told you that mastering product description writing could be the difference between scraping by and scaling up?
Let's dive into 12 hacks that'll transform your product copy for the better (a Iot better). ⬇️
The neuroscience behind buying decisions
Before we dive into the practical stuff, let's talk about what's actually happening in your customer's brain when they land on your product page.
It's estimated that 95 percent of decision-making is made unconsciously. Let that sink in for a moment. Your carefully crafted features list? Your rational benefits? They're important, but they're not what's actually driving the purchase decision.
Neuromarketing research using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machines has revealed that when test subjects are given early prototypes of a product packaging, brain scans can help marketing and design teams gain insights into which version people are more likely to pick up and buy.
What really triggers purchases happens in three key brain regions:
The ventral striatum (your reward centre) lights up when customers encounter something appealing.
The amygdala processes threats and creates urgency.
The prefrontal cortex tries to rationalise decisions that have already been made emotionally.
Your product descriptions need to speak to all three. ⬆️
The psychology of brilliant product descriptions
83% of customers need product images. But whilst images capture attention, it's your words that create the emotional connection that seals the deal. Over 80% of respondents said product descriptions were influential to making purchase decisions.
Product pricing and product information were independent variables in this study, whereas consumer buying behavior was a dependent variable. Customer satisfaction is mediated by one dependent and two independent variables. Confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis, and discriminant validity in structural equation modeling revealed that product pricing and packaging had a statistically significant relationship with the buyer decision process.
Hack 1: Exploit the power of loss aversion
According to the original research conducted by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, the pioneers of loss aversion, the torment of a loss can be psychologically twice as powerful as an equivalent gain.
When tested among other cognitive biases on an e-commerce platform, loss aversion outperformed the counterparts, reaching the highest increase in conversions and the highest mean scores for maximizing page views, as Daugirdas Jankus found out in his research at the ISM University of Management and Economics.
How to use loss aversion in product descriptions:
Instead of ❌"Save £50," try ✅"Don't lose out on £50 savings"
Replace ❌"Limited edition" with ✅"Only available until stocks run out"
Swap ❌"Free shipping" for ✅"Avoid £9.99 delivery charges"
Example transformation:
❌Weak: "Get 20% off this jacket"
✅Powerful: "Don't miss out – avoid paying full price. Only 3 days left to save £60"
Hack 2: Master the anchoring effect
The final decision is biased toward the most initial information value, and it is one of the most robust cognitive biases in human decisions. When people make judgments about something, they are often influenced by first impression or first information, like an anchor into the deep sea, fixing the minds of people and keeping the decision results away from reality.
The first piece of information your customers see becomes their reference point for everything that follows. Use this to your advantage.
Anchoring tactics that work:
Lead with premium pricing, then show your "competitive" price
Start with complex features, then highlight how simple your product is
Begin with industry problems, then position your product as the solution
👀 "Whilst competitors charge £200+ for similar skincare routines, our complete 3-step system delivers professional results for just £89. No salon appointments. No waiting lists. No compromise on quality."
Hack 3: Write for one person (not everyone)
This might sound backwards, but the best product descriptions ignore 99% of the population. They speak directly to one specific person—your ideal customer.
Marketing researchers have discovered two primary reasons customers make purchases — to imitate those around them or to feel more accepted within their community. These motivating factors highlight the critical role that social and cultural influences can play in purchasing patterns.
Think about it. When you're chatting with your best mate about something brilliant you've discovered, you don't speak in corporate waffle. You get excited. You use their language. You know exactly what'll resonate.
How to nail this:
Create a detailed buyer persona (and I mean detailed—what do they worry about at 3am?)
Use "you" throughout your copy
Write like you're having a conversation, not delivering a presentation
👀 Instead of: ❌"This skincare product provides moisturising benefits for all skin types" Try: ✅"Finally, a moisturiser that won't leave your combination skin feeling like an oil slick by lunchtime"
Hack 4: Lead with benefits, not features
Features tell. Benefits sell. It's copywriting 101, but most people still get this backwards because they don't understand the neuroscience behind it.
Research has shown that emotions play a significant role in decision-making, and that emotional responses to marketing stimuli can be measured using neuroscience techniques. For example, a study by Baba Shiv and his colleagues at Stanford University found that participants were more likely to make impulsive purchases when they were hungry, and that this behavior was associated with increased activity in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region associated with reward processing.
A feature is what your product has. A benefit is what your customer gets. And here's the secret: people don't buy features. They buy better versions of themselves.
The magic formula:
List your product's features
For each feature, ask "so what?"
Keep asking until you hit the emotional payoff
Example transformation:
Feature: Waterproof construction
Benefit: Never worry about sudden downpours ruining your day
Emotional payoff: Feel confident and prepared, whatever the weather throws at you
Hack 5: Master the art of scannable formatting
Let's be honest about how people read online: they don't. 79% of readers only scanned a webpage they came across, as opposed to reading word by word.
Your brilliant prose means nothing if it's buried in a wall of text. Make your descriptions scannable, and watch your engagement soar.
Scannable formatting essentials:
Bullet points for key benefits
Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences max)
Subheadings to break up content
Bold text for important points
Plenty of white space
Think of your product description as a newspaper article. The most important information goes first, and everything should be easy to digest in seconds.
Hack 6: Use social proof that triggers mirror neurons
Another theory that underlies neuromarketing is the idea of mirror neurons. Mirror neurons are a type of brain cell that activate when we observe someone else performing an action. Research has shown that mirror neurons are involved in empathy, social cognition, and learning. In the context of neuromarketing, mirror neurons can help us understand how consumers respond to marketing messages and how they interpret social cues in advertising.
Social proof isn't just about showing five-star ratings. It's about activating the parts of your customer's brain that make them feel connected to others who've made similar decisions.
Types of social proof that convert:
Specific customer reviews (with names and photos)
Usage statistics ("Used by 10,000+ professionals")
Before/after transformations
Community mentions
Peer recommendations
💡 Include social proof that addresses common objections. If people worry about sizing, include reviews that mention fit. If they're concerned about durability, showcase long-term users.
Hack 7: Create urgency without being pushy
70% of millennials experience the fear of missing out regularly. But there's a fine line between helpful urgency and sleazy pressure tactics.
Authentic urgency tactics:
Stock countdown ("Only 3 left in your size")
Time-sensitive offers ("48-hour flash sale")
Seasonal relevance ("Perfect for summer holidays")
Popular demand indicators ("12 people have this in their basket")
👀 "Only 3 left in your size – this bestselling style always sells out before we can restock. Don't miss out on the comfort thousands of customers rave about."
Hack 8: Optimise for search without sounding robotic
SEO isn't dead. But keyword stuffing? Definitely dead. Keyword stuffing — the excessive, unnatural use of search terms — makes content sound robotic, reduces readability, and can lead to search engine penalties.
The trick is weaving keywords naturally into compelling copy that humans actually want to read.
SEO best practices for product descriptions:
Include your primary keyword in the title
Use variations and long-tail keywords throughout
Focus on user intent, not just keyword density
Write meta descriptions that entice clicks
Use relevant keywords in image alt text
👀 Instead of: ❌"Best running shoes comfortable lightweight running sneakers" ✅Try: "These lightweight running shoes are designed for comfort, helping you go the extra mile without the extra weight"
💡Read the only checklist you’ll ever need for business blogging
Hack 9: Use sensory language that activates the brain
Sensory words make readers "experience" product descriptions by planting a seed in their imagination. Science says the perception of senses is more emotional and engages our brain, so we will definitely react to them.
Help customers experience your product through words that trigger sensory memories.
Sensory words that work:
Texture: smooth, rough, silky, crisp
Sound: whisper-quiet, crisp, melodic
Smell: fresh, aromatic, clean
Taste: rich, zesty, smooth
Visual: gleaming, vibrant, sleek
👀 "The buttery-soft leather moulds to your hand, and the precision-engineered clasp clicks satisfyingly into place"
Hack 10: Address objections before they surface
Every product has potential objections. Smart brands address them head-on in their descriptions, preventing the amygdala from triggering threat responses.
Common objections to address:
Price concerns
Quality doubts
Sizing worries
Compatibility issues
Delivery expectations
Return policies
Objection-busting language:
"Worried about sizing? Our fit guide gives you the perfect match"
"Concerned about quality? Each piece is individually inspected before shipping"
"Not sure it's worth the investment? 30-day money-back guarantee"
Hack 11: Tell stories that create neural connections
One effective way to create engaging product descriptions is to tell the story of your product. A well-crafted narrative can make your product more relatable and memorable, helping it stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Stories activate multiple brain regions simultaneously, creating stronger memory formation and emotional connections.
Story frameworks that work:
Problem → Solution → Transformation
Day in the life scenarios
Origin stories (how/why the product was created)
Customer journey narratives
👀 "Picture this: It's 6am, your alarm's going off, and you've got 15 minutes to look human before that important video call. This 3-in-1 skincare stick becomes your secret weapon – cleanser, moisturiser, and SPF protection in one swipe. From zombie to zoom-ready in under 30 seconds."
Hack 12: Write calls-to-action that compel action
Your CTA is the final push towards purchase. Make it count by tapping into the brain's reward prediction system.
CTAs that convert better than ❌"Buy Now"❌:
✅"Get yours before they're gone"
✅"Start your transformation today"
✅"Join thousands of happy customers"
✅"Experience the difference yourself"
✅"Claim your [product] now"
💡 The ultimate list of CTA copy to get your readers to take action
Ready to transform your product descriptions?
Armed with these 12 scientifically-backed hacks, you've got everything you need to create descriptions that transform browsers into buyers by speaking directly to the unconscious decision-making systems in their brains.
Need a little help transforming your brand voice and creating product descriptions that consistently convert?
Whether you need a complete verbal identity overhaul or just want to perfect your product copywriting, I help brands find their voice and use it to win customers.
Book a free strategy call with me and let's turn your words into your most powerful sales tool.
