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How to create product descriptions that attract more learners 

As a knowledge entrepreneur, creating engaging courses that sell is your main priority. Needless to say,  this takes a lot of time. There's plenty to think about, from choosing your course format to researching and writing the content. However, in the end, there’s one detail that makes a huge difference between a course your site visitors purchase and one they skip – the description.

Creating high-quality courses is the first step to becoming a successful knowledge entrepreneur, but the decisive step is marketing your content the right way. The first aspect to focus on is creating appealing product descriptions.

To increase your chances of turning potential buyers into customers, you need to write catchy, relevant, and persuasive course descriptions. Here are a few tips for writing product descriptions that boost conversion rates. 

Why are product descriptions so important?

Product descriptions are the first thing people see when they come across your courses, whether you sell them on a marketplace or a learning management system (LMS). If they are dull, unclear, or too long, potential customers will be less likely to buy your courses. 

In fact, 87 percent of shoppers consider product descriptions extremely important when making a purchase. Moreover, up to 50 percent of customers return the items they’ve purchased online because they didn’t match the product description. 

In conclusion, a course description can make or break your sales as it has the potential to immediately convert visitors into buyers or turn them off from your product. So, how can you craft compelling descriptions that convert? Read on and discover.

6 Tips for high-converting product descriptions 

There are a few strategies marketers and content creators use to create effective and persuasive copy. Here are some of the main tips gathered from these professionals that can help you improve your course descriptions and conversion rates:  

  1. Focus on benefits instead of features

    The most common pitfalls most course creators fall into when describing their products are features. It’s necessary to talk about your course, what it does and how it helps people. However, being overwhelmingly descriptive will only prevent readers from grasping the essence of your offer. 

    When writing product descriptions, always focus on benefits and not features. You can leave the latter for other types of copy, such as course guides, brochures, or blog articles.

    Effective product descriptions are short. This means you can’t afford to ramble about features because it’s not what people are looking for. They’re looking for benefits. A cat owner is not interested in the precise composition of the kitty litter they plan on buying. What convinces them to purchase a brand is odor control or minimized mess and dust, which are benefits. 

    Whatever course you’re selling, it’s essential to describe its benefits in the product description. Benefits make a difference for potential buyers because they represent the solutions to their pain points. 

  2. Answer major customer questions 

    You want people to choose you over competitors. Give them a valid reason to do this. How? By helping them realize that your courses provide answers to the major questions or challenges they’re facing. 

    Your courses should offer learners the knowledge they need to boost their skills, confidence, and happiness. Highlight the main aspects you’ll teach them and how you’re going to do it to help them tackle certain issues and achieve their goals.

    Here are two examples to help you out: 

    • Tired of using mainstream skincare products that contain harmful chemicals? Take this short course and discover 5 organic skincare products recipes anyone can create at home. 
    • Learning a new language seems impossible without practice, but who has time to attend courses or get a private tutor nowadays? The solution to learning German without a tutor lies in the course format you choose. Discover how you can learn German by yourself, at any time or place, with the help of our immersive video modules and AI-based audio assessment technology. 

    Read more: How to come up with and validate your e-learning idea


  3. Be concise and relevant 

    Product copy needs to be short and straight to the point. As an instructor, it might be difficult to adapt to this style of writing. But remember that the language you use in your courses doesn’t have to coincide with how you write course descriptions.

    This copy has to be concise because you’ve only got a few seconds to convince a person your course is worth it. People won’t stop and read a 500-word description because it’s simply too long. Conversely, a 50-word text that’s filled with benefits will draw their attention and interest. 

    Use short sentences and connectors to make the text readable. Also, steer clear of marketing claptrap when writing product descriptions. Don’t make claims you can’t support with arguments and provide relevant information rather than generic one. Here are two examples:

    • Too generic: Countless people are already using this course to master the art of gourmet cooking.
    • Better: 1,567 learners have gone from Amateur to Gourmet cooks thanks to my course. 

    Read more: 5 Elements of conversion-focused e-learning design


  4. Use smart description formats 

    How you write product descriptions in terms of length and content is extremely important for conversion rates. Yet, there’s something else you should also focus on – the format. 

    The visual impact your copy has on readers is important because it can make them involuntarily start skimming the content or immediately move away from it. To achieve the first result, format your copy in a way that drives attention and allows people to scan it easily. You can do this by using:

    • Bullet points
    • Words written in bold 
    • Different character styles
    • Large enough fonts 
    • Headlines 
    • Questions 

    Contrarily, avoid large chunks of text that are hard to read. There are different free tools you can use to improve your text’s readability such as Yoast or the Flesh-Kincaid readability tests

  5. Write like your audience speaks

    When you write course descriptions, your purpose is to convert. Therefore, this is not the right place to showcase your knowledge or writing skills. It’s the place where you need to keep things clear and simple and show people what benefits they gain from your products. 

    The easiest way to do this is by writing like your audience speaks. Obviously, this means having a buyer persona in mind. Once you know who your audience is, you’ll be able to find the right words. Here are some questions to help you identify your audience:

    • How old are my buyers and what is their predominant gender?
    • What is their education level?
    • Are they employed? If yes, what is their average income?
    • What are they passionate about?

    Answering these questions will help you understand the language your buyers are more likely to use. By writing in a similar style, your product copy will automatically resonate with them and increase conversions. 

    Using a language that’s too formal for a young audience or too casual and friendly when you’re targeting the corporate segment can have an off-putting effect. Therefore, always write with your buyer persona in mind as if you were talking to that person directly.  


    Read more: How to define your learner persona and why that matters


  6. Leverage social proof 

    Finally, there’s no better way to convince someone of your product’s worthiness than handing over some sort of social proof. However, you have to make a wise decision when it comes to this. People are becoming increasingly reluctant to ordinary client testimonials that praise brands as if they were their own.

    When offering social proof, you have to be genuine. Naturally, you want to place your courses in a good light. However, try to avoid sounding too salesy. Client reviews and ratings are a good way to go about it. 

    You can use the reviews that are most likely to boost visitors’ trust. Again, aim for specificity instead of generic or vague feedback. Here are some examples:

    Too generic: “This course was awesome and has helped me a lot.”

    Specific and convincing: “I loved this course. It only took seven days to complete and it offered me valuable copywriting tips I’m already using in my newsletters.”

Wrapping up 

Product descriptions mark the first point of contact between your potential learners and your courses. To increase conversion rates, you need to make them appealing, concise, and relevant. Use the tips above to create descriptions that boost conversion rates. 

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