Rose Van Hemmen
Struggling to make your food products stand out in a crowded marketplace? In home food business eCommerce, where customers can’t physically touch or taste your products before purchase, crafting compelling food descriptions is your best technique.
You don’t want to be part of the 10% of eCommerce sites that have insufficient product descriptions. This article will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to write descriptions that convert casual website visitors into happy returning customers.
Why You Should Care About Your Food Descriptions
Imagine scrolling through endless rows of online food products. Every photo looks great, but the descriptions all sound the same! That’s why you should care about standing out from the crowd. Here’s what a good description can do for you:
Bridge the gap between customer and screen: Unlike a brick-and-mortar store, customers can’t physically interact with your food. Vivid descriptions bridge that gap, transporting readers straight to your kitchen, leaving less skepticism and more engagement.
Tell a story that resonates: Food sparks memories, emotions, and shared experiences. Compelling descriptions tap into these deeper connections. By weaving a story that resonates with your target audience, you create a sense of brand loyalty and trust and an emotional connection that goes beyond just the product itself.
Differentiate your brand: The online food market comes with strong competition. Good descriptions set you apart from the crowd. By emphasizing what makes your food special, you grab the attention of potential customers who are actively seeking something different and memorable.
Crafting Captivating Descriptions: What Doesn’t Work, and How To Fix It
If you’re not intentional with your descriptions, they can actually do the opposite of what you want! Here’s how to ditch the duds and embrace descriptions that really drive sales:
❌ Technique to Ditch: Bland Feature Listing
Example: “Our cookies are made with organic flour, free-range eggs, and pure cane sugar.”
Why it Doesn’t Work: This generic listing tells, but it doesn’t sell! Customers don’t connect with a list of ingredients.
✅ Effective Alternative: Sensory Storytelling
Example: “Miss the aroma of freshly baked cookies wafting through your kitchen? Our melt-in-your-mouth delights are crafted with organic flour, free-range eggs, and pure cane sugar—a taste that evokes childhood memories of Mom’s cookies.”
Why it Works: This description engages the senses, painting a picture that makes the reader crave the cookies. It creates an emotional connection while still highlighting quality ingredients.
❌ Technique to Ditch: Generic Claims
Example: “Our brownies are delicious!”
Why it Doesn’t Work: This generic claim lacks detail and doesn’t differentiate your product. Everyone claims their food is delicious! This has a similar effect to having no description at all – which statistically leads around 20% of customers to choose not to buy a product.
✅ Effective Alternative: Benefit-Focused Description
Example: “Indulge in our decadent brownies, the perfect solution to a stressful day. Rich, fudgy, and filled with melted milk chocolate, these brownies are a delicious way to take a break.”
Why it Works: This description focuses on the benefit – a delicious stress reliever – and uses descriptive language to make the brownies sound irresistible.
❌ Technique to Ditch: Jargon Overload
Example: “Our artisanal, gluten-free granola boasts a superfood profile with activated nuts and chia seeds.”
Why it Doesn’t Work: Jargon like “artisanal” and “superfood profile” can alienate and confuse some customers. It’s unclear what “activated nuts” even mean!
✅ Effective Alternative: Clear & Concise Communication
Example: “Our handcrafted, gluten-free granola is packed with energy-boosting benefits! Real nuts and chia seeds deliver a satisfying crunch and freshness, perfect for busy mornings on the go.”
Why it Works: This description uses clear language to highlight the benefits (energy boost, healthy) and explains the unique ingredients (real nuts, chia seeds) without relying on jargon.
By ditching ineffective techniques, your home food business can craft descriptions that convert website visitors into devoted customers.
Techniques and Tips for Crafting Descriptions That Sell
If you’re ready to increase your reach and revenue, try out these techniques in your product descriptions:
USP Spotlight in Descriptions
What makes your food special? Highlight your unique selling points (USPs) directly in your descriptions. It could look something like this:
Locally Sourced: “Baked with sunshine! We use fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from nearby farms within [distance]. This [product name] bursts with the taste of [region] and supports local agriculture.”
Family Recipe: “A taste of tradition! This [product name] is lovingly crafted with our grandma’s secret recipe, passed down for generations. Each bite is a taste of [family history/culture].”
Unique Flavours and Food Trends: “Where taste buds collide! Our [flavour 1] and [flavour 2] [product name] is an explosion of unexpected deliciousness. You won’t find this unique combination anywhere else!”
Feature vs. Benefit: Beyond Just Ingredients
Don’t just list features – make your customers crave what you’re offering! Here’s how to translate features into benefits and highlight how your food solves their problems:
Avoid Listing Ingredients: Instead of saying “made with whole wheat flour,” say “packed with fibre to keep you energized all morning.”
Translate Features Into Cravings: Don’t just say “contains nuts and seeds,” say “bursting with crunchy nuts and seeds for a satisfying flavour and texture.”
Solve Problems: Does your soup warm you up on a cold day? Promote it as a comforting and cozy meal. Does your salad provide a light and healthy lunch option? Emphasize its clean taste and energy boost.
Emotional Connection Through Food
Food can trigger fond memories or create new ones. Here’s how to leverage emotional connections in your descriptions:
Comfort Food: “Busy week blues? Our slow-simmered [comfort food name] is a warm hug in a bowl. Made with [comforting ingredients], it’ll transport you back to childhood memories of [positive emotions].”
Celebration Treats: “Planning a party? Our [celebration food name] are the edible confetti you need! These vibrant [colours] and playful [flavours] will add a touch of fun and festivity to any occasion.”
Sensory Storytelling: Painting a Picture with Words
Go beyond the basics and engage all five senses, transporting your customers to your products! Here’s how to use sensory storytelling:
Focus on Sensation: Compare your product’s sensory experience to something familiar and delightful. Don’t just say “chocolate cake,” describe melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness that evokes memories of childhood birthdays.
“Imagine This…”: Ask customers to immerse themselves in the effect of your food. “Imagine the cool sweetness of our fresh lemonade on a summer day. Our lemonade is the perfect balance of refreshing and satisfying.”
The Perfect Pairing: “These melt-in-your-mouth [cookie type] were made for sharing (or indulging solo!). Dunk them in a cold glass of milk for the ultimate classic experience, or get adventurous and pair them with [unexpected pairing suggestion].
Highlight Exclusivity
Connect limited production to superior quality. Try descriptions like this to make your products more desirable:
“Limited time only!”: “Savour the taste of summer with our [seasonal fruit] crumble! This delectable treat features juicy [fruit] nestled in a buttery oat crumble topping. But hurry, this seasonal delight is only available until [date].”
Small Batches: “Our handcrafted [product name] are made in small batches with the finest ingredients. This ensures the highest quality and freshness, but also means limited quantities. Get yours before they’re gone!”
Stand Out: Make sure you explicitly use terms like “limited edition” or “small batch” to create a sense of exclusivity and desirability. Compare your batch size to mass-produced competitors and showcase the unique taste and quality that comes from small-batch production.
A/B Testing: The Science Behind Your Descriptions
You never want to spend time crafting a product description just to find that it doesn’t resonate with your customers. Here’s where A/B testing comes in—the science behind crafting descriptions that convert!
Craft multiple descriptions for the same product. Write 2-3 different descriptions for the same product. Change headlines, emphasize different benefits (healthy, indulgent, etc.), or use varying levels of sensory details.
Run A/B tests to see which descriptions convert best: Split your website traffic and show different descriptions to different visitors. Track which descriptions lead to more clicks, adds to cart, or purchases.
Google Optimize: This tool from Google integrates with your website and allows you to easily create A/B tests for product descriptions. You can define variations, target specific pages, and track results.
Optimizely: If you want even more out of your A/B testing, Optimizely has advanced features like heatmaps and personalization. This can be beneficial for more complex testing scenarios as your business grows.
Analyze A/B test results. After 2-4 weeks, see which elements of the winning descriptions had the highest traffic and engagement and refine your descriptions based on the data.
Remember that even though your descriptions should be different, you should always be accurate in all of them—50% of customers return purchased products because they did not match the descriptions given.
SEO Optimization: Appear at the Top of the Search Engine
SEO optimization is the key to climbing to the top of search results and getting discovered! Here’s how to up your odds:
Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords that potential customers might use to search for your products using free keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner or Google Trends. These tools suggest popular search terms related to your products and show their search volume. Incorporate these keywords naturally throughout your descriptions, but avoid keyword stuffing.
Meta Descriptions: Meta descriptions are short snippets that appear under your product titles in search results—think of them as mini advertisements! Keep them concise (around 150 characters) to make sure the entire description is displayed and include the keywords you researched earlier here!
Schema Markup: Schema markup is a special code you can add to your website that provides search engines with more detailed information about your products (like ingredients, price, and dietary restrictions). Implementing schema markup might require some technical knowledge, but there are guides available to simplify the process.
Beyond Words: The Power of Visuals
Captivating descriptions are essential, but don’t underestimate the power of high-quality visuals to truly make your food products shine! Here are some tips:
High-Quality Photos: Professional-looking photos are crucial. Invest in good lighting and a basic camera setup (even a smartphone with good resolution can work wonders!) and take photos from many angles. Alongside the 76% of customers who seek product descriptions for online products, 66% want to see images too.
Consider Video: Create short video clips (ideally under 1 minute) showcasing your food. You don’t need fancy equipment—just use your phone and basic editing tools like Canva or Inshot. Use video to showcase aspects that photos might miss, like the texture of a creamy soup or the satisfying crunch of a fresh pastry.
Tailoring Descriptions for Different Platforms
One size doesn’t always fit all, especially when it comes to descriptions! Here’s how to tailor your mouthwatering descriptions to different online platforms:
Focus on Key Information: Mobile users have limited screen space. Prioritize concise descriptions that highlight the key selling points and benefits (e.g., “Organic, gluten-free granola for sustained energy“).
Use Bullet Points: Bullet points are easily scannable and break up text, making descriptions more digestible on a smaller screen.
Keep it Short & Sweet: Social media feeds are fast-paced. Descriptions should be engaging and capture attention quickly. “Indulge in our decadent brownies, the perfect antidote to a stressful day!” is much snappier than: “Craving a stress-melting escape? Sink your teeth into our decadent brownies. Crafted with the finest ingredients, these rich, fudgy squares boast a gooey centre and a crackly chocolate crust,” which may be better suited for website selling.
Emojis can be Powerful: Emojis can add personality and visual interest to descriptions, which can attract attention quickly (e.g., “Our handcrafted granola is packed with energy-boosting goodness perfect for busy mornings on the go! 🏃♀️”). But use them sparingly! Nothing is more distracting than an overload of emojis.
The Final Touch
Your descriptions are almost ready! But before unleashing them on the web, here’s a final checklist to keep in mind:
Proofread meticulously: Typos and grammatical errors can turn customers away. Double and triple-check your descriptions for any mistakes before uploading.
Use spell-checking tools: Don’t rely on human editing—use Grammarly tools or other built-in spell-checkers to catch errors you might miss.
Read descriptions aloud: This can help you identify awkward phrasing or clunky sentences that need improvement.
Ask for a second pair of eyes: Have a friend, family member, or colleague review your descriptions for any errors or areas for improvement. They could even give you an opinion on whether they would buy your product based on the description!
Maintain consistent style: Customers want security, and security comes from consistency. Make sure your descriptions have a consistent voice and tone so that your brand stays genuine and trustworthy.
Exemplary Food Descriptions: Putting it All Together
Here’s an example that incorporates the strategies discussed above:
Limited Edition Summer Peach Pie
Website or Marketplace-Friendly Description:
“Savour the taste of summer with our limited-edition peach pie! Filled with juicy locally-grown peaches, this pie is a celebration of fresh, seasonal flavours. Just warm the pie up at home and get ready for the aroma of warm, flaky crust and sweet peaches wafting from your oven. Perfect for sharing with loved ones or indulging solo, this pie is the perfect pick for any summer day. Pair with vanilla ice cream for the most refreshing experience!”
Mobile-Friendly Description:
“Limited edition! 🥧 Our peach pie features juicy, local peaches. Flaky crust, warm aroma – perfect for summer! ☀️ Don’t miss out!”
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