Why You Shouldn't Copy Product Descriptions for Your Own Site

If you own a small business that sells products from large brands and manufacturers, there are two ways to post your products online- the fast, easy way and the more detailed, time consuming way. The easy way involves copy and pasting the exact product description from the original manufacturer’s site. After all, it is perfectly legal to do this. Large brands actually want you to take their exact product descriptions. The likelihood of you outdoing them in terms of ranking on the Google results page is slim to none, and they’re still profiting off of you purchasing their products in bulk to sell on your site.

As they say in life, the easy way is not always the best way, however. In this case, it’s the absolute worst way. Think of how many small to moderate sized businesses sell products from some of the world’s largest brands such as Nike, North Face or Calvin Klein. Now imagine if every single one of those businesses pulls the same exact product descriptions straight from the manufacturer’s site.

If you are one of those businesses, how would you stand out to potential customers? Most likely, you wouldn’t. Yet, there are still so many businesses that take the easy way out and copy and paste these product descriptions. This is a huge “Don’t Do”. The importance of product descriptions cannot be understated. They not only enhance the customer’s experience when looking through what you offer on your site, they also improve your SEO and help you to outrank your competitors on Google.

This is where that second way we talked about just moments ago comes into play. It is the more detailed, time consuming way, but it’s the best way. Writing your own product descriptions or adding additional compelling content to preexisting descriptions will ensure that your customers notice you. Your site is no longer the same as the 20 other companies you’re competing with. Unique descriptions also give your site a voice and will portray a sense of trust with your customers.

As far as SEO goes, Google loves detailed, original content and will rank this higher than recycled content. Since your positioning on Google is a vital aspect when it comes to your site traffic and conversions, taking the time to write fresh descriptions will be worth the extra effort in the end.

It’s still important for your product descriptions to be cohesive, accurate and as detailed as possible. The most successful businesses include the must-have information (usually in bulleted lists) but also choose an angle in their description that relates the product to customer. As long as you keep a consistent voice and unique style, you’re well on your way to improving your SEO and thus, improving your conversions!