REVISING PRODUCT NAMES

The Insight to...
Developing Effective, Marketable Product Names

Why should I revise my product names?

Customizing each of your product names not only helps set your product pages apart from the rest of your online competition but also gives you an opportunity to outperform that competition with pre-researched and superior terms specific to the way consumers are searching for your products.

Products are given names by the manufacturer. A name that best suits the marketing and inventory management of the product in the brick-and-mortar world. These names are generally very short and provide just enough information to distinguish one product from the next within a catalog. With respect to web marketing, in most cases, you're going to need to add some critical information to the product name that your competitors may have overlooked or neglected.

Product Names are equivalent to news article headlines. The purpose of a product name is to illustrate, at a glance, exactly what the product is. Much like a newspaper headline, product names should be concise, attention-grabbing, and briefly descriptive of the product.

Keyword research will help you identify the words or phrases that best represent the product according to what shoppers are searching for. Revising product names to align them with the way people are searching will have a direct and positive impact on your marketing.

Each product name should be unique to your website. While you can never prevent others from copying your quality content, you can avoid copying other people's content. Strive to ensure that your product names are unique.

Meeting Expectations

Shoppers have expectations. Be sure your product names meet those expectations. If you sell books, the appropriate naming method will be different than it would be if you were selling digital cameras. There is no single right or wrong way to revise a product name as long as the appropriate logic has been used. Establish formats that will be suitable for your product types. Here are some things to consider when naming each product.

• What is it...? Specifically!

• What does it do...?

• What is it made of...?

• Who is the manufacturer, author or artist...?

• Is it available in various sizes, lengths, colors, shapes or styles...?

• Is it an individual item, or part of a set...?

• Is it distinguishable by any particular style, genre or period...?

• Is it distinguishable by any particular capacity or output...?

• Is it distinguishable by any particular level of quality, craftsmanship or performance...?

• Is it age, gender, species, demographically or otherwise specific...?

• Is it specific to any particular activity...? Sporting...? Leisure...? Entertainment...? Etc...

Seamless Meta title integration

Product names that are kept within the meta title spatial limits will integrate seamlessly into perfect meta titles. If you develop your product names using the correct keyword logic, and you include the words that best represent the product, then by default, you've already created the best Meta title to represent the product page.

The Approach to...
Developing Effective, Marketable Product Names

A rose by any other name is still a rose

You don't necessarily want to "remove" information from the original product name, but rather, add information to it to make the name of the product more informative, more intuitive and easier for consumers and search engines to identify with.

Do not discard original content when modifying product names. Be sure to retain the original product name to be strategically inserted into the product description to maintain some of its original value in association with what the search engines have already indexed.

Some things just don't belong

• Never copy content from other websites

• Avoid the use of "stop words" or non-keyword content in product names

• Do not use all CAPITAL letters in product names

• Only capitalize the first letter of each word in the product name

• Do not use abbreviations in product names. Common acronyms are the exception

• Do not use exclamation points in product names

• Do not use ®s or TMs in product names

• Do not superlatives in product names

• Do not use the same word twice in any product name

Examples of poorly written product names

Each of the following examples are actual product names exhibiting no consideration to one or more of the following: What it is, function, material, gender, species, age, demographic, manufacturer, author, artist, reference number, size, length, color, shape, style, features or attributes.

Product name revision examples

Each of the revised product names above are within the SERP page SPATIAL limit

Check in frequently

We are well aware that this is not necessarily an intuitive process, and we do not expect you to go though it blindly. As always, you are more than welcome to email your technician with anything that you wish to be reviewed or commented on. Just be sure to provide the original content along with your proposed revisions, so that we can clearly see the contrast between the two and perform research of our own so we can provide practical feedback.

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION: The examples shown in this document are not intended to be used as templates. They are merely meant to illustrate possible approaches. The layout and information provided in each of our examples represent one suitable way of naming the products we selected for our demonstration. Following professional recommendations, there are many ways in which any product can be named for effective web marketing.

REVISING PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS

Professional Insight to...
Developing & revising product descriptions

Marketing TODAY

Welcome to the online advertising market of the 21st century, where billions of dollars are spent each year to brand, establish and promote new products and services. Businesses can spend tons of money to research and develop effective online content. In fact, strategic content development is a growing industry within the marketing industry and can be quite costly. However, there'll be no need to hire professional “copywriters” to develop your product descriptions if you follow some simple guidelines.

It's all about the INFORMATION

Search engines are "informational services" with the self-appointed task of providing the very best and most relevant information to their users. They were not designed to promote retail product sales. So you need to do everything you can to convince them that your information is more valuable to consumers than that of your competitors.

   "Descriptions that are fresh,
    relevant and ultimately better than
    the competition will have a distinct
    advantage"

Providing new, updated product information for consumers and search engines to read and index is not a recommendation, it's a requirement. Strategic content development and optimization is essential to improving the search engine friendliness of your product pages, and ensuring an informative user experience. Descriptions that are fresh, relevant and ultimately better than the competition will have a distinct advantage.

Don't COPY the copy

Online content is referred to as "web copy" by industry professionals. Web copy is specifically written for the purpose of online marketing and advertising. Ironically, “copy” is the very action you'll need to avoid at all cost. Many newcomers merely copy and paste existing content from the World Wide Web right onto their pages, and then expect results equivalent to those who've put hard work and originality into their content.

Unfortunately, copying competitors, suppliers or manufacturers existing product descriptions will not improve your marketing or your visitors' experience, and can in fact, invite "farmer algorithm" penalties, which can lower the value and performance of your website.

Unless you're poised to sweep the nation with the next gotta-have-it “fad” product, it's safe to assume that the search engines have probably already seen and indexed all of the content specific to your products. In fact, it's likely they've seen it thousands of times.

    "it's safe to assume that the search engines
    have probably already seen and indexed all
    of the content specific to your products"

Hypothetical bag of marbles

Imagine a thousand websites. Each one marketing the same product and using the same information. The combined product specific information from these websites can be compared to a thousand identical marbles. A search engines' job is to put all of those identical marbles in logical order based on value and relevancy.




 




                                              “Imagine someone handed you a
                                                bag of 1,000 identical marbles and
                                                asked you to identify the very 'best' one”

Imagine someone handed you a bag of 1,000 identical marbles and asked you to identify the very “best” one. With nothing unique about any of the marbles to distinguish one from the next, the task of organizing them is virtually impossible. With respect to the search engines and how they deal with duplicate content; they have to consider other factors for ranking, such as domain age, number of quality backlinks, meta tags, etc.

If an equal value was given to each piece of duplicate content on the web, it would completely devalue the SERP results and people would stop using search engines.

Benefits of creating original content

• Most competitors will never put much thought into on-page content and will be more inclined to copy or plagiarize pre-existing web content.

• Most manufacturers and suppliers exert very little effort and spend almost no money on transitioning their content from real-world advertizing to a format suitable for websites.

• Copying content from the source often results in text that lacks effective keyword placement or places too much emphasis on SEO.

• Providing complete, original and keyword balanced product descriptions has been proven to increase credibility, traffic and sales, while expressing to the search engines that you are serious about providing the best user experience.

Content is king...

Back in the mid-1990s, Bill Gates wrote a very forward-thinking article about the future of the internet, entitled “Content is King.” The article began with a single thought, “Content is where I expect much of the real money will be made on the Internet.”

    “Content is where I expect much of the real money will be made on the Internet”

The high-tech mogul went on to write, “I expect societies will see intense competition-and ample failure as well as success in all categories of popular content.” The “intense competition” he mentioned in his article more than a decade and a half ago is exactly what you're up against today.

Bill also pointed out in his article that “If people are to be expected to put up with turning on a computer to read a screen, they must be rewarded with deep and extremely up-to-date information that they can explore at will.”

Characteristics of EFFECTIVE product descriptions

Now that we've clarified the importance of fresh, quality content, let's quickly go over a few key pointers before you begin.

"If you're not describing all six sides of the proverbial box,
you're not being as competitive as you should"

Effective descriptions are...

• Unique, informative and thorough

If you're not fully describing all six sides of the proverbial box, you are not being as competitive as you should. When it comes to your product descriptions, settle for nothing short of exceptional. Be original, and attempt to teach your visitors something about your products that they may not already know.

• Attractive and visually appealing

Establish a presentation format that looks professional and makes practical use of headings and sub-headings with a uniform style suitable for your products.

• Structured for multiple personality types

Establish a layout for both “readers” and “Scanners.” On average 21% of internet users are readers who want compelling content to read and learn from. While 79% are scanners and simply want the bulleted facts quickly and clearly.

• Formatted to draw attention and interactivity to key areas

Subtle bolding and linking adds visual and interactive value to specific content. Place an important keyword in bold-face, which draws attention to that word or phrase and adds credibility to the surrounding content. Linking does the same, but also gives the visitor something relevant to click on for viewing related products or materials.

However, too much bolding or linking can ruin the appeal of the content for visitors and dilute its value for search engines. Apply this tactic in moderation.

• Written to anticipate and address questions

Anticipate questions that a consumer might ask regarding your product, and make certain that your description addresses them. If a shopper still has questions after reading the product description, there may be something missing.

   “If a shopper still has questions after
    reading the product description, there
    may be something missing”

REVISING PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS

Professional Approach to...
Developing & Revising Product Descriptions

Preliminary guidelines

• Know your product(s)

• Know your target audience

• Know your keywords

• Be original. Review existing content then re-write & improve it in your own words

• Write for your audience first, and the search engines second

• Be real. Speak to your audience. Speak their language

• Keep it simple and straight forward yet professional and thorough

• Avoid opinions. State facts clearly. Support those facts

• Focus on the benefits of the product

• Build value toward the reasons why the customer wants to purchase the product

Focus on one product at a time

Begin with your most important products first. If you have hundreds or thousands of products to revise, consider developing around five or fewer product descriptions a day.

With a steady revision schedule, you'll be less overwhelmed. Plus, you'll be continually improving your content over time, and the search engines will recognize that you are consistently maintaining your website.

Be the authority

Know your product(s). Research your product(s). In order for you to accurately and thoroughly describe any product, you must know everything about it including its uses, how it works, why it works, what its features and benefits are, etc.

Questions a consumer might ask before purchasing a product

• Who is the manufacturer, author or artist...?

• What does it do...?

• What are its most distinguishing features...?

• What are the benefits of its features...?

• What is it made of...? Is it available in more than one material...?

• What size is it...? Is it available in more than one size...?

• What color is it...? Is it available in more than one color...?

• Is it an individual item...? Is it part of a set...? What's included...?

• Are there parts, accessories or other related items available...?

• Is it distinguishable by any particular style, genre or period...?

• Is it distinguishable by any particular capacity or output...?

• Is it distinguishable by any particular level of quality, craftsmanship or performance...?

• Is it age, gender, species, demographically or otherwise specific...?

• Is it specific to any particular activity...? Sporting... Leisure... Entertainment... Etc... ?

Be vigilant. Don't stop there! You may discover additional points of interest that your visitors might be concerned with. Always be on the lookout for product information that might help a customer make a more informed decision. Be the authority that buyers are looking for.

Example product description

Following, is a product description that was taken directly from a supplier. We are going to use it as our example for the remainder of PART 2. Each element of the description will be broken down, explained and revised according to current SEO best practices.

Original description exactly as it came from the supplier

4 Motor Massage Cushion

Item# ODC100-1

$34.99

Product Description

Our 4 Motor Massage Cushion produces an amazing massage with a variety of intensity settings.

Features:

*The 4 motor massage cushion is portable *Powered with batteries. *Massage cushion also has fabric that is resistant to water, mildew and fading.

The revision

Perfecting your product information consists of following a proven method of presenting the facts that will interest consumers and give them the impression that they've found the best source of information.

Most product descriptions can be broken down into the following elements:

• Research

• Product name

• Introduction

• Identifiers

• Bullets

• Benefits

• Details

• Call-to-action

Of course, depending on your product type, you may discover other critical elements that should be included on each of your product descriptions.

The research

Product research will help you better understand and describe your products.

Keyword research will provide insight that will help you visualize, organize and prioritize the very words and phrases that will drive organic, qualified traffic to your website, allowing you to strategically enhance critical areas of your content.

Keywords identified during the research process:

The name

4 Motor Massage Cushion

Original product name

Our revision

Revised product name

Homedics 4 Motor Portable Massage Seat & Back Cushion

Some possible alternatives might be:

• 4 Motor Portable Massage Seat & Back Cushion by Homedics

• Portable 4 Motor Massage Seat & Back Cushion

• Massage Seat & Back Cushion by Homedics - Portable, 4 Motors

• etc., etc., etc...

The introduction

Product Description

Original introduction

Our 4 Motor Massage Cushion produces an amazing massage with a variety of intensity settings.

Main keywords from revised product name

The

Revised introduction

produces rejuvenating full back    

massages with a variety of intensity settings. With its versatile indoor and outdoor usability, this is the ultimate in affordable on-the-go back therapy. 

Four powerful vibrating motors deliver a completely invigorating massage anywhere, anytime. Select the "Wave" setting for a gentle fluctuation back and forth between the upper and lower motors, or the “Pulse" setting for 4 point stimulation. Or, for the best of both

worlds, select “All Motors" and be treated to thorough upper-body relaxation.

Original product name

Homedics has designed this battery powered 4 motor massage cushion to be an attractive and relaxing upgrade to your ordinary outdoor patio furniture or favorite armchair. Turn your recliner or lounge chair into a luxury massage experience in any weather, indoors or outdoors without going to the spa. With its weather resistant fabric, it will remain bright, colorful, dry and mildew free for years to come.

• The opening paragraph contains the actual keywords from the revised product name in the very first sentence, and introduces the product in a straight-forward manner, while stressing one of the primary benefits: portable, indoor and outdoor use.

The most important keywords and phrases are included, but in such a way that they do not seem to have been “forced.”

• The second paragraph specifically details the product features, and is worded to include just enough personality that the reader does not feel like they're being sold something. This approach entices the reader to “imagine” themselves or a loved one actually using the product.

Keywords are included in such a way that they do not seem to have been “forced.”

• The third paragraph describes the remaining features, and clarifies further benefits, usage and materials.

This paragraph draws additional attention to the associated brand name via a hyperlink that would point to a page containing additional products by the same manufacturer.

This paragraph also contains the “original” unaltered product name. Retain as much of the value of the original name as possible, by including it in your description revision.

Keywords are included in such a way that they do not seem to have been “forced.”

The identifiers

Original identifier

Item# ODC100-1

Revised identifiers

Item #: ODC-100 UPC#: 031262040572

Include all numbers or codes which could be used to identify the product. Different types of products have different types of identifiers, so be certain you are providing the numbers that are standard for your product type.

Some types of identifiers to be aware of are:

Item number Part number Serial number

UPC number EAN number JAN number

GTIN number MPN number ISBN number

The bullets

Original bullets

*The 4 motor massage cushion is portable *Powered with batteries. *Massage cushion also has fabric that is resistant to water, mildew and fading.

Features:

• All weather design

• 4  powerful motors

• Full back vibration

• 3 pre-programmed massage modes

• Variable 3-speed intensity

• Corded hand control

• Safe, convenient battery operation

• Water, fade & mildew resistant fabric

• 15 Minute auto shut-off

• Neutral color scheme

• Includes easy store & go carrying bag

Revised bullets

Bullet lists are proven to effectively convey information quickly to those who don't have the time or the desire to thoroughly “read” web content. Aside from time and desire, different people absorb information in different ways. Your goal is to accommodate multiple personality types all at once.

Bullet lists have visual and informative benefits. They provide an attractive way to mention the features, benefits or details of a product, in addition to any that may not have been important enough to include in the introduction.

NOTICE that the bullet list is simple, clean and concise. Each point is worded to be free of any “stop words” or "non index-able" words.

Keywords may appear naturally, but have not been deliberately used.

The benefits

As is typical, the original product description contained no mention of benefits.

Benefits may be presented in a nicely formatted table, block, or bullet list.

Benefits:

Health:

Used For:

For Use On: Versatile:

Recommended uses:

Stress relief, relaxation, increased circulation Calming tight or fatigued back muscles Upper body (lower & upper back)

Use it indoors or outdoors - Take it with you Home, office, auto, travel

Benefits

Depending on your product type, you may discover other appropriate benefits that should be included in each of your product descriptions.

The details

As is typical, the original product description contained no mention of details.

Details can also be referred to as specifications, technical data or additional information.

Details may be presented in a nicely formatted table, block, or bullet list. All crucial packaging, shipping and technical information should be included in each description

Details:

Shipping Weight: Dimensions: Nominal voltage: Power Source: Origin:

Material:

4. lbs

39.0 x 17.0 x 2.5 (L x W x H) 1.50 V - 1.65 V

Four 'AA' Batteries Imported

Weather resistant Polyester

Details

Call-to-action

As is typical, the original product description contained no call-to-action.

A call to action is a suggestive statement meant to capture the attention of every reader  and solicit them into performing desired actions. This is your chance to cleverly remind      the reader that they can have it right now, and that it would benefit them immediately if   they purchase it from you.

Call-to-action

Take a personal masseuse wherever you go, with the four motor portable massage seat and back cushion from Homedics, brought to you by http://domain.com/

The above call to action contains a few additional keywords, and the full product name including the name of the manufacturer. This example ends with a hyperlink that points to the home page. This forces the reader to visualize using the product, and quickly reminds them of the name of the domain being viewed.

â–º The finalized revision

Homedics 4 Motor Portable Massage Seat & Back Cushion

The Homedics portable massage seat and back cushion produces rejuvenating full back massages with     a variety of intensity settings. With its versatile indoor and outdoor usability, this is the ultimate in    affordable on-the-go back therapy.

Four powerful vibrating motors deliver a completely invigorating massage anywhere, anytime. Select the "Wave" setting for a gentle fluctuation back and forth between the upper and lower motors, or the “Pulse" setting for 4 point stimulation. Or, for the best of both worlds, select “All Motors" and be treated to thorough upper-body relaxation.

Homedics has designed this battery powered 4 motor massage cushion to be an attractive and relaxing upgrade to your ordinary outdoor patio furniture or favorite armchair. Turn your recliner or lounge chair into a luxury massage experience in any weather, indoors or outdoors without going to the spa. With its weather resistant fabric, it will remain bright, colorful, dry and mildew free for years to come.

Item #: ODC-100 UPC#: 031262040572

Features:

• All weather design

• 4  powerful motors

• Full back vibration

• 3 pre-programmed massage modes

• Variable 3-speed intensity

• Corded hand control

• Safe, convenient battery operation

• Water, fade & mildew resistant fabric

• 15 Minute auto shut-off

• Neutral color scheme

• Includes easy store & go carrying bag

Benefits:

Health:

Used For:

For Use On: Versatile:

Recommended uses:

Details:

Shipping Weight: Dimensions: Nominal voltage: Power Source: Origin:

Material:

Stress relief, relaxation, increased circulation Calming tight or fatigued back muscles Upper body (lower & upper back)

Use it indoors or outdoors - Take it with you Home, office, auto, travel

4. lbs

39.0 x 17.0 x 2.5 (L x W x H) 1.50 V - 1.65 V

Four 'AA' Batteries Imported

Weather resistant Polyester

Take a personal masseuse wherever you go, with the four motor portable massage seat and back cushion from Homedics, brought to you by http://domain.com/

â–º Closing comments

Keep in mind, your visitors cannot see or touch your products like they can in a local department store. So it’s vital that your product descriptions anticipate and cater to their needs. Doing so can be one of the factors that convinces them your company can be trusted to provide excellent products and related information.

Your final copy should achieve several goals:

• Convince search engines that your content is superior to your competitors

• Contain words and phrases that will bring in the most qualified traffic

• Establish trust with consumers and search engines alike

• Convince visitors that your product is right for them

• Persuade visitors to share, link to, bookmark or otherwise promote your pages

• Promote RSS feed subscriptions

• Build customer loyalty

• Convert lookers into buyers

Proof-reading and perfecting your content is a must. Your final copy should be flawless. If your visitors notice even a single grammar, spelling, or syntax error in your product descriptions, it can make your website appear sloppy, thrown together or even broken.

Developing your descriptions in accordance with today's web marketing standards and best practices is your key to attracting visitors and converting them into buyers. Your content should give your audience the most valuable information specific to what you sell.

R E V I S I N G

PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS

the DOs and DON'Ts of

Developing & revising product descriptions

The following recommendations are intended to illustrate the standardized DOs and DON'Ts for effective styling, spelling, punctuation, formatting and marketing of web based content.

â–º Engage your AUDIENCE

If we expect visitors to remember our domain, our products or our website, we'll have to give them a reason to remember us.

Be the authority on whatever you're selling.

DO...

• Research the product, identify characteristics that most appeal to consumers

• Write for your intended audience first, and search engines second

• Write in an active voice that speaks to the reader

• Write using American English spelling, grammar and punctuation

• Write in the third or second person perspectives

• Write using complete sentences

• Ensure everything you write adds something valuable

• Position targeted keywords near the beginning

• Educate the reader: mention the features and highlight the benefits

• Inspire the reader to imagine the benefits of using the product

• Strengthen the reasons why the customer wants to purchase the product

• Take advantage of bullet lists within your descriptions

• Use high quality images that compliment and support your content

DON'T...

• Don't copy and paste content from other websites

• Don't "trash" or speak negatively of other products, brands or competitors

• Don't use big words and lengthy sentences that might confuse or disinterest the reader

• Don't over-use exclamation points

• Don't over-use common superlatives – e.g. best, greatest, awesome, etc.

• Don't use ® or TM on brand names

• Don't  repeat  keywords excessively

• Don't make boisterous claims about a product or its features

• Don't make unsupported claims

â–º Build trust

If we expect visitors to trust us with their identity and/or credit information, we'll have to build that trust up front. Consumers have grown weary of online credit card scams, identity theft and fraud. In today's high-tech environment they have every right to harbor these concerns.

Not everyone who owns an online business is as honorable as you. Your integrity, and that of your online store, must be evident in your content.

DO...

• Write in an honest and forthright manner

• Write clearly when explaining payment or shipping and return processes

• Write with exceptional customer service in mind

DON'T...

• Don't over-embellishing the value of a product or its features

• Don't over-use common superlatives – e.g. best, greatest, awesome, etc.

• Don't hide any information, such as Used, imported, faux, knockoff, etc.

• Don't make any claims that could get you in trouble with the Feds, FDA, Gov., etc.

â–º SEO marketing

Focus on your audience and your customers. Try to keep search engines and SEO in mind, but do not sacrifice quality in your efforts to optimize your content. Just follow the guidelines and use common sense.

Keep the "end user experience" at the forefront of your thoughts and your goals.

DO...

• Mention the original product names once in your revised descriptions

• Include a read-friendly version of the revised product name in the first line.

• Include the single most important keyword, its plural and any researched variations

• Try to use a keyword from your bread crumbs in each description

• If your product has genuine reviews, try to incorporate them

• Hyperlink to related products or materials within the product description, if applicable

• Include a call-to-action in your descriptions

DON'T...

• Don't deliberately misspell keywords in your on-page content, even if the hits are high

• Don't abbreviate words, if the word is worth using, spell it out

• Don't put anything in ALL-CAPS, except acronyms: IBM, DVD, etc...

• Don't copy existing web content - Research, then re-write

â–º Perfect, polish and stylize

Shopping online is a 100% visual experience. Stimulate that visual experience by presenting your content in a format that appeals to everyone.

Presentation is everything to online shoppers.

DO...

• Use web-friendly fonts. Among the most common and readable web fonts are:

Arial

Arial Black

Georgia

Times New Roman Microsoft Sans Serif Tahoma

Trebuchet MS

Verdana

• Use reasonable font sizes

• Use H1, H2 and/or H3 HTML tags for titles and section headings, sparingly

• Use bold type for emphasis on keywords, sparingly

• Use only single line spaces between sentences

• Use double line spaces between paragraphs

• Spell out numbers zero through nine in general content

• Use numerals for numbers 10 and above, except at the beginning of a sentence

• Use a comma for all numbers containing four digits or more: 1,234

• Use italics for subtle emphasis on specific thoughts or ideas sparingly, or for NAMES OF:

books, journals, novels, plays, films, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, paintings, sculptures, statues, drawings, species names, technical or linguistic terms. television programs, ship names, and direct quotations

• Keep paragraphs left-justified, including the first sentence

• Use standard HTML basics for most formatting purposes: http://www.w3schools.com/ is one of the most comprehensive resources for up-to-date HTML information

DON'T...

• Don't start a sentence with “And” or “But”

• Don't use Renaissance or Shakespearean language, unless it's relevant