Complete guide to creating an outstanding product sheet

9 out of 10: that's how many opportunities you lose if your product pages are incomplete. That's 86% of customers who won't repeat their purchase on your e-commerce site because of a poor-quality product page (source: Shotfarm Product Information Report).

Your mission (if you accept it)? Seduce and convert, rather than drive away. And that starts with creating a useful, optimized and structured product sheet. Ready to find out how? Here's our complete guide. To be consumed without moderation, to learn how to write exceptional product sheets.

What is a product sheet? Definition, objectives and benefits

A product sheet is a detailed description of the technical features, functions and benefits of a product or service offered by a brand. It's a flagship page on e-commerce sites: its creation, structuring and SEO optimization are decisive in encouraging web users to buy online.

The aim of a product sheet is not to oversell a product or service, or to lie to customers. The idea is to inform the customer with a realistic and accurate product description. With a complete product data sheet, you'll be answering your customers' questions, even before they ask them. In e-commerce, the product data sheet replaces the salesperson in the store.

The product data sheet is also the last web page in the customer's path to purchase. It must reassure the buyer, to have a positive impact on conversion. The product page is a lever for your growth, at various levels. In particular, it increases the average shopping basket.

Our advice? Consider implementing a cross-selling strategy on your product pages, to offer products that complement your customers' needs. For example, on Rakuten France product pages, you can find "customers who have seen this product have also seen" or "customers who have seen this product have also liked" inserts:

What's the other advantage of a product sheet? Improving your company's positioning on search engines like Google. As part of a natural search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, the product sheet is a formidable element. It generates qualified traffic to your website and increases your company's visibility... as long as the text is optimized. We'll explain how to improve the SEO of your product pages below.

Ultimately, the benefits of a product sheet are numerous:

• Inform the customer about the product, as a salesperson might do in a store
• Highlight essential qualities and benefits
• Improve your e-commerce site's SEO (search engine optimization) and gain visibility
• Stand out from the competition with clear, memorable content
• Boost conversion and business growth

30% of Internet users have abandoned an online shopping cart because of an incomplete description (source: Shotfarm Product Information Report). Don't neglect your product description, and avoid the following mistakes.

Writing a product description: mistakes to avoid 

1. Writing a product data sheet without thinking about SEO

With the expansion of e-commerce, it's impossible not to consider SEO a priority. To increase online visibility and simplify access to your product page, the use of keywords is essential.

Be careful, however, not to over-optimize your product page by using too many keywords in your texts. It's all a question of balance.

2. Writing an imprecise product sheet

Remember: your customers can't see or touch your product "in real life". So, when they shop digitally, they need a detailed description. From features to instructions for use, use all the information you have to reassure buyers.

For example, on this Rakuten France product sheet, the technical details relating to the power of the product (an intelligent robot vacuum cleaner) are particularly important to buyers. The seller therefore values them with precision:

3. Write a product sheet without call-to-action

Yes, the purpose of a product sheet is to inform. But it's also about selling. And how do you encourage customers to buy without a call-to-action (CTA) on the product page?

A call-to-action is a button that can be clicked to move on to the next step, such as placing an item in the shopping cart or paying for it.) This button is a central element of the product page, and should be visible at first glance (eye-catching color, prominent font size, action verb, etc.).

4. Neglecting visuals when writing a product sheet

When a product sheet loads, 56% of Internet users look first at the photos, images and visuals presented (source: Baymard Institute). Once again, since customers can't physically see the product, they need to be presented with a variety of 2.0 visuals. Or even a product presentation video.

Without photos, it's impossible to project confidence in the company. A missed opportunity for e-commerce sites.

To take full advantage of the power of photos, you can also include important information. For example, on this product sheet from a Rakuten France seller, the e-tailer has included comparative information on the size of its suitcases:

 

5. Writing a product sheet without social proof or customer interaction

The product data sheet is not top-down marketing content: it's a place for conversation. Your product is the center of attention, but so are your customers. So, have you thought about integrating customer reviews, to reassure buyers and motivate them to go ahead with the purchase?

Double bonus: reviews are highly appreciated by web users... And their presence impacts the growth of your e-commerce site. A product listing with customer reviews increases sales by an average of 18%. 42% of orders are even higher, thanks to reviews on product pages (source: Reevo x WebRepublic, relayed by WeLoveCustomers).

For even greater impact, consider integrating a question/answer insert. This feature allows undecided Internet users to ask their questions publicly. The brand's answers not only reassure them about the product, but also build trust in the company.

To find out about all the mistakes to avoid when creating an e-shop (and your product pages), go here: the complete guide to creating a high-performance online store!

How to write a product sheet? 5 key steps

After the theory, it's time for practice. Here's how to write a complete, useful product sheet that converts, in just 5 steps. To your keyboards!

1- Get to know the customer

Before rushing into writing a product description, it's essential to know your product. But also (and above all) your customers!

So, what are their needs? Their questions? Their expectations? Their objections? What motivates them to buy? Their preferences?

Strengthening customer knowledge is not just a marketing strategy. It's also an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of your buyers, so you can build a personalized relationship with them.

So take the time to interview your prospects and customers. Their answers will enable you to write a product description that anticipates other visitors' questions.

2- Write a relevant title

A good title for your product page consists of the following elements:

• Correctly spelled product name
• A few differentiating elements (brand name, color, etc.)
• One or more main keywords

And don't forget to include a sub-heading for additional details.

On product sheets, all these elements must be clear, explicit and impactful.

If the title doesn't convince the user, he won't continue his online journey. And they may be drawn to a competitor's product sheet.

Here's an example of an attractive headline, including brand name, product name, year of release and important additional information ("with charging box"). The sub-heading completes the title, notably with the color or other specific features (wireless, etc.).

 

3- Listing and structuring sales arguments

What specific information should be included in the product data sheet? How should it be structured? Here are all the arguments to emphasize (in this logical order), within the content of the data sheet:

• An explicit, optimized and catchy title with the product name
  Product description: brand, sales pitch, advantages and benefits, availability, target, price.
• Attractive visuals or product video
• Technical specifications: dimensions, weight, materials, colors, warranty.
• Instructions for use: assembly instructions, precautions to take, indoor or outdoor use, product maintenance, instructions for use.
• Accessories supplied, recommended or required to use the product: chargers, batteries, cables.
• Mandatory legal information: standards, age of use, nutri-score, safety rules, allergens, composition, origin of the product.
• Delivery terms: delivery times, shipping costs, modes of transport, click&collect.
• Customer reviews
• A visible CTA, such as "Add to cart".

4- Use storytelling

A product sheet isn't just a succession of technical details. It's also content designed to create an emotional relationship with the web user, before prompting a purchasing decision. So, have you thought about emphasizing emotion in your product sheet? And to use storytelling techniques to tell the consumer a story?

For example, before describing your products, write a short story that focuses on the buyer as the main character. Explain his situation, the problems he faces and how the product can help him in his daily life.

The creation of this embodied speech will allow customers to project themselves. Just like testimonials and opinions from other consumers, which are essential for boosting trust and purchasing.

5- Optimize product sheet text

The content of the product sheet must speak to consumers. But also to search engines. This is an important stage in the copywriting process: optimizing content for search engine optimization (SEO).

Here are a few tips on how to achieve this:

• Intégrer les mots-clés principaux dans le titre H1
• Rédiger une balise Title inférieure à 70 caractères, qui comprend le mot-clé principal
• Rédiger un contenu d’au moins 300 mots avec les mots-clés principaux et secondaires, pour être mieux référencé. La création d’un texte inférieur à 300 mots n’est que très rarement considérée par les moteurs de recherche comme Google.
• Structurer les informations en paragraphes aérés, et ne pas hésiter à ajouter des intertitres
• Renommer les photos, images ou vidéos de produits en intégrant le mot-clé principal et en renseignant leur balise Al
• Carry out an SEO audit and keyword research, to identify the main expressions to highlight
• Integrate the main keywords into the H1 title
• Write a Title tag of less than 70 characters, including the main keyword
• Write content of at least 300 words with the main and secondary keywords, to be better referenced. Search engines such as Google rarely consider text shorter than 300 words.
• Structure information in well-spaced paragraphs, and don't hesitate to add headings.
• Rename product photos, images or videos by integrating the main keyword and filling in their Alt tag.

 

 Your product sheet is a salesperson who never sleeps. Available and accessible 24/7, it's a golden lever for your acquisition strategy. It also contributes to improving your natural referencing, reinforcing your brand image, informing and reassuring customers or standing out from competitors.

Now you know what you have to do. E-merchants, work on the quality of your product sheets. And join the movement: at Rakuten France, we help more than 8,500 sellers sell their products on our marketplace. Our 12 million customers have access to their product data sheets. When will they be able to see yours?