We increasingly turn to ecommerce and digital ordering for many of the products and even services we rely on daily. In other words, the online world is where we do our research, compare our options, and decide who gets our money. While some companies will have robust website content to inform and even delight us—product videos, software demos, webinars, and so on—the thing that unites all of them is product copywriting.
Looking to assemble the right arsenal of B2B copywriting tools for your business? In this blog, we’ll be focusing specifically on copy writing for products—including what it is, why you need to do it well, and how to write product copy that will resonate with readers and deliver results.
What Is Copywriting, in Simple Words?
In its broadest sense, “copy” refers to any printed or digital text that’s produced and published for an audience to read. Most modern brands have a number of different types of copy they produce, such as:
- Product descriptions you might see on Amazon or other retail sites.
- Blogs, ebooks, whitepapers and other materials that explain the technical details of product or service offerings—and the value they provide—in highly-sharable online formats.
One of the most commonly-encountered types of copywriting is product copywriting. There are essentially two sides to this coin: product description copywriting and advertising copywriting. You’ve likely read some of each of these types of copy already today! It’s easy to distinguish which is which: product descriptions are fairly straightforward and informative, while advertising copy tends to experiment more with things like emotional appeals and tones beyond “informative.”
What Exactly Does a Copywriter Do?
The short answer is that a copywriter writes copy, whether product-focused or otherwise. What a copywriter does, exactly, depends a lot on the business. For smaller or newer companies, copywriting might be an “all hands on deck” endeavor, while larger companies (with larger budgets) might be able to hire one or more dedicated copywriters.
A copywriter spends a lot of their time assessing the needs of the business and its customers, in order to prioritize what type(s) of copy should be tackled first—and how. Product copywriters focus their attention on making sure that any questions prospective customers might have about a product or services are answered in a format that’s easy to access.
What Are Some Good Product Copywriting Tips?
When it comes to effective product copywriting, it’s easy to fall down the rabbit-hole of “best practices” and tips. We’ll save you the trip—here are a few tips to get you started:
Know Your Audience and Objectives
You can write all day, but if you don’t consider the exact audience you’re writing for—or what you hope to accomplish with your product copy—then even well-written content may not perform as you hope or expect.
Paint a Picture or Tell a Story
When we read something with vivid descriptions or a compelling narrative we can relate to, we’re more likely to be moved to action. So, while the details of a product are important to include, copywriters also work to illustrate the value of those details—what they mean for customers.
Be Honest
Sure, exaggeration happens, and it often leads to sales. As soon as the customer realizes that reality doesn’t match what they were promised, they’re going to bounce—and now you’ve lost their trust. If you can’t make a compelling case for your product without resorting to dishonesty, it might be time to assess the viability of your product!
Resist the Urge to Sell
Even though product copywriting is meant to help sell your product, people know when they’re being sold to. And, what’s worse, we as humans generally hate being sold to. Save your best taglines for ad campaigns, not product copy.
Focus!
Our final tip for effective product copywriting is less about the writing you produce, and more about how you produce it. Especially when trying to develop a brand voice and create cohesive content that tells the full story of your products or services, it’s important to get—and stay—focused on the task at hand. Of course, you can take breaks when your focus or attention are waning. But when you’re writing, you should be writing.
Focus on getting a first draft together first, knowing that it doesn’t need to be perfect. Take a little break to refresh, and then you can revisit your text with more of an editor’s eye. Slice offers users a new kind of writing experience, one without all the distractions—so you can focus, create, and sell.
Where Can I Read Examples of Good Product Copywriting?
If you’re still reading, but wondering, “What does good copy look like?”, this final section is for you! There are two main ways to find great product copywriting examples you can look to for inspiration and instruction.
Revisit Your Favorite Brands’ Product Copy
Think about your favorite companies, the ones you love so much you recommend them to your friends, family, or colleagues. How did they originally hook you? How did they earn your trust? You may have been more influenced by effective copywriting than you realize!
Read Examples of Effective Product Copywriting Online
If you search the web for product copywriting examples, you’ll find a wealth of information. Here are a couple specific resources we recommend checking out:
- 10 World-Class Copywriting Examples You Need to See (sleeknote.com)
- 14 Copywriting Examples From Businesses With Incredible Copywriters (hubspot.com)
When You’re Ready to Write, You’re Ready for Slice
Slice is the first writer-focused writing app, ideal for product copywriters. It was developed to give serious writers a place to write without unnecessary distractions or a bunch of extra bells and whistles that just get in between a writer and their writing. For a less chaotic and more productive writing experience, check us out today!
