If your e-commerce sales are plateauing, or worse – plummeting – we’d love to clue you in on some secrets to help. The secrets lie in your copywriting. You might think, “I already have my whole online store packed with copywriting.” But, is your copywriting:
- Powered by strong keywords?
- Peppered with little gems that stir your audience’s emotions or elicit curiosity?
- Inputted in every hidden field of your CMS?
I’ll tell you something: copywriting is an art. But it’s one that you can catch on to. For e-commerce store owners, mastering copywriting is not just a nice-to-have skill; it’s the secret ingredient of powerhouse sales.
Why You Can’t Ignore Excellent Copywriting
Excellent copywriting is the backbone of a successful e-commerce store. It serves multiple purposes, supporting a strong, integrated marketing strategy.
Does that sound like magic? Well, it might feel that way when you see how excellent copywriting works in tandem with your graphic design, UX, social media strategy and so much more.
Excellent copywriting will:
Engage Customers
Good copy captures the attention of potential buyers and keeps them interested.
Build Trust
Clear, informative, and honest copy helps build credibility and trust with your audience.
Enhance SEO
Well-crafted copy that includes relevant keywords can improve your search engine rankings.
Drive Conversions
Persuasive copy encourages visitors to take your desired action (e.g. buy your stuff!).
4 Key Areas You Can’t Skip
Before we get to our 10 sales-boosting secrets for great copywriting, you need to know where this great copywriting should appear. (Hint: it’s not just the product pages!)
To write great copywriting for e-commerce, pay attention to these four places:
1. Homepage
Your homepage is the main event. Google favors this when it’s dishing up search results. That means that if your home page is suffering, it’s not so likely that your products will get Google’s love.
Great e-commerce home pages have:
- Clearly defined brand identity
- Highlighted products, showcasing bestsellers or new arrivals
- Strong Calls to Action (CTAs) that compel visitors to take the next step
2. Product Pages
Product pages are where conversions happen. If a customer is on your product page, they are very close to the “bottom of the funnel” – i.e. buying. So, this is where your copywriting really needs to shine!
Great product pages have:
- Descriptive titles that include keywords
- Detailed descriptions that are well organized and packed with information on features, benefits, and uses
- Social Proof, such as reviews or testimonials
- Scannable content that makes it easy for the user to scan for the information they need
3. Category Pages
On the backend of your content management system, writing up your category pages will help users navigate your site. Sometimes novice business owners ignore this part because it’s tedious, and they’ve already written up their product pages.
But, excellently written category pages will great a user-friendly navigation experience. Category pages should:
- Be SEO-friendly, packed with relevant keywords, descriptions, and headings
- Provide clear descriptions that explain why this category of products can benefit the user
- Guide users to the answers they need
4. Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions are crucial for SEO and click-through rates. Meta descriptions are the short text that appear below a page title in a search results. So, if your page shows up in a user’s search, the meta description could convince the user to enter your page or move on to the next result…
Great meta descriptions should:
- Be concise, giving users only the key information they need
- Include keywords that are naturally used
- Encourage action to drive clicks
10 Tips to Make Copywriting for E-commerce Amazing
And, we’ve arrived! When you’re ready to start writing amazing e-commerce copy or optimizing your current copywriting for maximum performance, keep these tips in mind.
Know Your Audience
Understand your target audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points. Tailor your copywriting should show your audience how your products will serve these needs.
Use a Conversational Tone
Write as if your customer is sitting on the barstool next to you. How would you explain your products to the one person sitting there? Transform that tone and language into conversational copywriting.
Highlight Benefits Over Features
Your audience doesn’t care as much about the features of your products as they do about the benefits. Focus more on how your products will improve the lives of your customers.
Create a Sense of Urgency
Time-sensitivity and exclusivity are great drivers of action. Use phrases like “limited time offer” or “only a few left” to encourage users to buy.
Be Clear and Concise
Don’t try to be too fancy – just give users the information they need! Keep your copy straightforward and easy to understand.
Use Power Words
Weave in words that tap emotions such as security or belonging to make your copywriting more compelling. Words like “exclusive,” “guaranteed,” “proven,” and “instant” are good examples of this.
Incorporate Keywords Naturally
Use Google Keyword Planner or another keyword tool to identify strong keywords for each page. Weave those keywords naturally into descriptions, subheadings, and titles.
Test and Try Again
If something isn’t working, it’s time to try again. Find a different keyword or review for readability and scannability.
Include other Voices
“The proof is in the pudding,” so they say. Help your customers see the real-life impact your products can make by including customer reviews, testimonials, video demos and more.
Add Clear CTAs
Make sure your calls to action are concise, compelling, and easy to find. It’s okay to be a little catchy here, with unique copywriting, but not at the expense of clarity and concision.
Wrap it up with 25 Powerful CTAs that Convert
Before we leave you with 25 powerful CTAs, we have just one final nugget of advice for excellent copywriting for e-commerce: know when it’s time to hire help. Many times, business owners get things started on their own but later find that they don’t have the time or bandwidth to maintain momentum and continue growing. That’s when a team like Spicy Lemon Marketing can help.
25 Conversion-Loving CTAs for E-Commerce
- Unlock Deal
- Grab Yours
- Add to Bag
- Get Yours Now
- Get Limited Time Offer
- Discover More
- Claim Your Coupon
- Get X% Off
- I Want In
- I Want Mine
- Make it Yours
- Try for Free
- Shop Related
- Get the Style
- Reserve Mine
- Pre-Order Now
- Subscribe and Save
- Redeem Coupon
- Start Your Free Trial
- Earn Rewards
- Get the Trend
- Be the First
- Keep Shopping
- Shop for a Cause
- Get it Now
