Correct copywriting for online stores

ONLINE-SHOPS What are the biggest challenges when writing copy for online stores? Trusted Shops provides a guide to the perfect choice of words.Words have power. On tax assessments as well as in love letters - just with different effects. They can also be read on the websites of online stores. Many words are sober, some are annoying, some are strong, others arouse desire. However, most of the words in a tax assessment notice would have no or an undesirable effect in a love letter - and vice versa. Likewise in an online store: Every word must not only be correct according to the dictionary, but must also appeal to the customer and be in the right context. Only then will what it says be really good. Trusted Shops, the market-leading European trust brand in e-commerce, shows which pitfalls to watch out for when writing texts in online stores.Check: What makes my target group tick?The basic prerequisite for good texts in an online store is an understanding of the customer: Why are they interested in the store? Where does he come from? What do they want here? What words do they use themselves? Many stores make the mistake of using texts and words according to their own understanding: For the store owner, for example, the division of his product range into "bike parts" and "accessories" may sound quite clear and logical. For a visitor looking for a new saddle, it may not. Will they find their saddle under "accessories" or "bike parts"? At this point, the potential customer must resist the temptation to leave the store immediately and visit the next store. Then you would have lost the customer even before he has seen the first product. Why? Because the words are not well chosen.Instructions: How do I pave the way for my customers with text?When a potential customer searches for bike stores in a search engine and lands on the homepage of the online store, it takes a fraction of a second to decide whether they consider the store to be "worth the effort" or whether they would rather look for (and buy) their saddle elsewhere. In order to guide the customer in this decision-making phase, it helps to visualize the path the customer takes as soon as they reach a page. If they come to a crossroads where it is not clear where the paths lead, they will most likely simply go back and look for another route. In other words: another store. This option is always just a single click away for the store visitor. It is therefore essential to provide the customer with orientation using the right words.How words control the path through an online storeStep 1: The first impressionWhen shopping in a "real" store, customers are influenced by many factors that are not present in an online store. The choice of words and tone of voice therefore play a very decisive role in an online store. Only if the overall impression is right will the visitor be prepared to look further into this store.Step 2: Precise product classification/descriptionA clear product range structure and comprehensible and precise categories are particularly important here. If the product you are looking for is hidden behind cryptic category names, it will be difficult to convince the customer to take the next step.Step 3: Meet expectations with product informationOnce the visitor has arrived at the product they are looking for, they ask themselves: Is it really what they are looking for? Does it have all the advantages he expects? A good product description has an emotionalizing part that also inspires "product newcomers" for the product and a part with detailed information from which the "product connoisseur" can quickly read out the parameters that are important to him.Step 4: No mistakes on the home straightIf the information is convincing, the product ends up in the shopping cart. The visitor becomes a potential customer - now it's time to avoid mistakes. Clarity is crucial here. Inconsistent terminology ("delivery costs" vs. "shipping costs", "shopping cart" vs. "shopping cart") or imprecise click areas can stop the flow and drive away customers who are already certain.Step 5: Dialog after purchaseCommunication after the purchase until receipt of the goods, such as the order confirmation and information on the shipping status, can either be so bad that the customer remains a "one-time offender" or so good that the customer becomes a satisfied regular customer and active store recommender.Stumbling blocks: How do I avoid embarrassing mistakes?In addition to impeccable spelling, the consistent use of terms also plays a major role. The same applies to a consistent approach and tone of voice. Many stores make the mistake of adopting the ready-made modules of the store software without editing them. As a result, visitors are addressed in a friendly manner in the description texts and are suddenly formally addressed as "you" in the buttons. This not only looks unprofessional, but can also lead to the visitor having doubts about the seriousness of the store. And doubts are "poison" for business.Unique content: How do I avoid ranking killers?Time and individuality should be invested in the product description texts. This is because copying texts from other sites makes you doubly guilty: firstly, it can infringe copyrights (which can be expensive) and secondly, you are wasting the opportunity to fill your own website with unique content. In other words, content that search engines (and customers) love. This is an excellent opportunity to gain a real, valuable competitive advantage - even over the really big stores.