How to Write Engaging Product Titles for an eCommerce Site?

9 Min. Read

A recent estimation shows that there are between 12 and 24 million e-commerce websites. How can your e-commerce stores compete with that variety? Two words – product titles.

With over 2 billion digital buyers, you shouldn’t lack the opportunity to win over new consumers. However, you need to attract your target audience with something distinguishable. You must captivate their attention from the very start. That means that you need engaging titles.

Writing effective product titles is a skill. It is a craft that you can learn and improve until it reaches perfection.

In this article, we will help you understand the value of engaging titles and how to write them. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

Why Are Product Titles Relevant in eCommerce?

The product title is your customers’ first encounter with the product. The same way you’ll take a book or choose a newspaper article by their intriguing title, the customers are drawn to the products with compelling titles.

The purpose of the title is to hint to users what your product is about. Sometimes the image isn’t enough. The title is there to eliminate any ambiguity and help customers create a mental image of its use.

Simply put, the main value of product titles is that they explain what the product is and why users should buy it.

Additionally, useful titles for your products can make it easier for you to organize your them into categories. You can segment the products based on titles to help users find what they want in no time.

We also mustn’t overlook the SEO aspect of product titles. If you effectively define a product through the title and optimize it, you’ll increase your chances of selling it.

However, the fact that the title needs to provide some basic information on the product doesn’t need to block your creativity. An engaging title can influence the consumer to make a purchase. It can provoke the need for that product before they even get to specifications.

The Benefits of Writing Engaging Product Titles

What can you gain when you put your effort into titling products? Many things.

Here are some key benefits that come out from writing engaging titles:

  • Create value in customers’ minds
  • Give your products an advantage compared to competitors products
  • Turn your e-commerce platform into a unique and memorable brand
  • Drive more traffic to your e-commerce website
  • Increase your conversion rates
  • Boost your overall engagement
  • Help customers understand your products better

Product titles matter. They can change your product listing effect from unnoticeable to compelling. Don’t miss out on this chance to make a difference in what kind of impression your products leave.

7 Tips for Writing Engaging Product Titles

Taking certain steps while crafting your product titles can steer you in direction of sales-boosting results. When you know what actions can turn your average product titles into engaging ones, the writing process won’t be as challenging

Without further ado, we present to you key tips for writing product titles that engage and attract consumers.

1. Make the Title Concise

There is always the question of length. What is the ideal length for a product title?

Sorry to disappoint, but there is no right answer.

The length of the titles depends on the product. Some products simply demand more description while others are plain and straightforward. For example, electronic devices ask for more information in the title than a face cream. You need to adapt the length to the product you are selling.

E-commerce platforms give you a specific number of characters to work with. On Amazon, the limit is 200 characters with spaces for product titles. However, that doesn’t mean that you must use it all.

Even though there is no rule about the title length, there is a strong recommendation to keep it concise. Make your words count.

The title should embody important information for the users, nothing less and nothing more.

The reason why you need to be mindful of title length is relevancy. Too many words can create an overwhelming effect.

Bear in mind that consumers glance at titles. They go through them as you would skim the sweets in a grocery shop. To grab their attention, you need to make up your title of several carefully picked relevant words.

2. Include Relevant Traits

The relevant words we were talking about refer to the product’s traits. Give consumers a sneak peek of the kind of product they are encountering.

Think of it as an introduction. You need to introduce your product by saying what it is and what it has to offer. To make a proper introduction, you must focus on relevant traits.

Listing relevant traits in the product title will help the consumers find a match in your products.

Typically, consumers have a certain product in mind when they browse the web. They imagine black skinny jeans, for example. If you mention those key traits in the title, their mind will signal that their search is over.

Use the psychological matching to your advantage. List important traits to turn on the alarm in the consumer’s mind that informs “we’ve found a match!”

The information you should include is the information that consumers need to make a purchasing decision. This includes the basics such as:

  • Brand
  • Product name (if there is one)
  • Color
  • Material
  • Flavor
  • Size
  • Unit of length
  • Quantity

These types of relevant traits are what customers are looking for. They won’t even get to read the product description if the title doesn’t reflect the product characteristics they need.

3. Use Descriptive Words in Product Titles

Descriptive words help your products make a stronger impression. They take your titles from a basic introduction to making a connection with consumers.

This type of writing is used in all forms of content creation. Its varied use and frequent applications derive from its power to win over the reader.

The purpose of descriptive words is to help you further clarify what your product can do for the consumer. Words like smooth, cozy, modern, round, soft, and other can give your product titles a new dimension.

If your product titles include such “lively” words they will paint a picture of what kind of “new life” your product promises. It will create a sense of satisfaction that will come out of purchasing that product.

To help you get a better idea of how this works, let’s take Lucky Paws’ product titles as an example. They own the descriptive game with product titles such as Cozy Cuddler The soothing blanket for dogs and Calming Cloud The orthopedic rug for dogsThese titles don’t just propose the main characteristics, they help you see the better life these products can give.

Another great benefit of using descriptive words is the higher precision of what your product is and looks like. If an image can’t load or is loading slowly, the consumers will be tempted to click on the product even without the image.

Products with lots of relevant traits that take up too many characters usually don’t leave room for description. In those cases, don’t force the descriptive words as the title will be overbearing. Leave this tactic for product titles that allow it.

4. Integrate Keywords When Titling Products

To maximize your products’ reach you need to write a title with SEO in mind. That means, that you mustn’t forget about keywords.

The right keywords will help you connect with your target audience and make your products more discoverable. Keyword-rich titles can help you rank for more search terms and thus, make your products visible to a wider audience.

However, you shouldn’t take the optimization process lightly. If you want your strategy to work, you need to do your research. Use SEO tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to surface relevant keywords in your niche and for your type of products. You don’t want to waste characters on keywords with low ratings.

When choosing keywords, you need to have your consumers in mind. The fact that a keyword is popular doesn’t mean that you should add it. Ask yourself: Is this keyword relevant for consumers? Does it help them understand this product better?

As you pick and add keywords, be careful not to overdo it. Keyword stuffing is a harmful practice that can ruin the quality and clarity of your titles. Remember that the primary goal is to create clear and concise titles. Add only those keywords that can contribute to that goal.

5. Order Words by Relevance in Titles

Throwing relevant words randomly won’t do. The only effect this will create is confusion – and we don’t want that.

How you arrange the words is just as important as the words you use. You want to frame the title to be highly relevant to consumers.

So, what kind of structure should you choose? Start with the most relevant word and work your way down to the least crucial feature.

It is recommendable that you follow this order:

  1. Brand name
  2. Product name
  3. Material
  4. Product type
  5. Size
  6. Color

To help you visualize how this word order will look like, here are some product titles from Amazon:

You can make some alternations in word order for the sake of comprehension.

For example, even though the product type is more relevant than material, the material-product type order makes more sense. It is more conversational. You won’t say that you bought a shirt cotton but a cotton shirt. Consumers will, therefore, phrase their search in that manner.

Be led by the rule to include the most relevant details first while maintaining the title’s comprehension and consumers’ search intent in mind.

6. Emphasize Unique Selling Proposition

Give consumers a reason to lock their eyes on your product title. Include the unique selling proposition (USP).

What makes your product worthy of consumers’ attention? That’s what USP should state.

A simple word can completely change the effect your product title creates. Including the USP will help your products stand out.

For example, Susanne Kaufmann’s pillow spray is titled Pillow Spray CalmingClearly, what’s unique about this spray is that it has a calming effect. Without this word, the product title will fall in the same basket with other products that have the same plain title Pillow Spray.

USP will help you differentiate your products from the rest. It will give that “this is why you need to buy this” insinuation.

7. Add a Pinch of Your Brand’s Personality

If you want to ensure that your product titles are unmatched, let them reflect your brand’s personality.

A brand with a unique personality can experiment with product titles to make them fun and original. You can induce some of that distinguishable writing style in your product titles. As you’ve already adapted your writing tone and voice to your target audience, your titles will be more appealing to them.

In case you want to develop a unique writing style for your product titles, start with getting information on your target audience.

Who is your key demographic? What kind of language appeals to that audience? How do their preferences match your products?

These are some questions that can help you figure out how to add a creative twist to product titles. But let’s not leave this only to theory. Let’s learn from brands that have managed to create such titles.

Chubbies Shorts is an e-commerce brand with a strong humorous personality. Their humor-rich copy aims to build a connection with their target audience – Millennials. What you can notice about their product titles is that they are both descriptive and humorous. For example:

  • The Hypno-Thighzers 5.5″ (easy mesh shorts)
  • The Floral Report (performance polo)
  • The Pineapple Effect (t-shirt)
  • The Domingos Are for Flamingos 7″ stretch (zipper back pocket)

They manage to use their creativity to make the titles unique and true to their brand identity. The product titles mostly reflect the product’s design, thus, making it both descriptive and funny.

Incorporate the language that resonates with your audience and makes your titles unforgettable.

What to Avoid When Writing Product Titles

To round up this product title journey, we must cover the don’ts as well. Knowing what NOT to do, will help you engrave these don’ts deep into your mind and avoid them religiously.

Give your best to stay away from the following practices that can harm the engagement of your product titles:

  • Using all capital letters – This can give your product title an aggressive or imposing tone.
  • Adding subjective descriptors – You should be the one who titles your product “the best.” That’s on the customers to decide. Subjective descriptors can give the title a pompous feel.
  • Not proofreading – Proofreading is a must. Spelling and grammar mistakes can deteriorate your brand’s image.
  • Including information on shipping or promotions – Product title isn’t the place for stating “free shipping” or “special discount.” Such information in the title can make you seem like an amateur.
  • Using unnecessary punctuation – “Men’s s*h*o*e*s” type of title can only help you confuse the consumers. Nothing good can come out of excessive punctuation.
  • Wrapping Up

Don’t underestimate the importance of product titles. They play a huge role in winning over consumers. Learn how to write engaging titles and you’ll have in your possession a traffic-driving, conversion-increasing tool.

To make a change in your e-commerce business’s performance you need interesting, informative, and descriptive product titles. The product titles set the tone for the rest of the browsing experience so make sure that you start on a good not

Wrapping Up

Don’t underestimate the importance of product titles. They play a huge role in winning over consumers. Learn how to write engaging titles and you’ll have in your possession a traffic-driving, conversion-increasing tool.

To make a change in your e-commerce business’s performance you need interesting, informative, and descriptive product titles. The product titles set the tone for the rest of the browsing experience so make sure that you start on a good note.

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Jessica Fender

Jessica Fender

Jessica Fender is a copywriter and blogger at GetGoodGrade with a background in marketing and sales. She enjoys sharing her experience with like-minded professionals who aim to provide customers with high-quality services.

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