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Why eCommerce Sites Need To Rewrite Manufacturer’s Product Descriptions

When you acquire products for your eCommerce site, they come with a product description. These descriptions are written by the manufacturer, and are incredibly basic. They give the details of the product, such as size, weight, color, what it does, etc. It does not offer your customers much more than that, however. Many eCommerce companies think they can get away with leaving these descriptions just as they are for their own websites, but the truth is that you need to rewrite them. The two primary reasons for this are search engine ranking, and originality.

Search Engine Ranking

The main problem behind using manufacturer’s product descriptions is search engine ranking. Chances are high that nearly every other site offering those products are going to have the exact same description. This can drastically lower your ranking, and can (in extreme cases) even get your content flagged for plagiarism. You know you have every right to use that description, but it won’t matter one iota to the big search engines like Google and Yahoo.

Even if you manage not to get flagged by the search engines, you aren’t going to rank high with duplicate content. Search engines favor unique content, so if you rewrite the descriptions instead you can easily surpass the ranking of your duplicating competitors.

Originality

There is also the matter of originality. In your business, you need to strive to be as original as possible. It sets you apart from your competition, and helps to assert you as a company people actually need. No one is going to think they need your products or services if you are doing the exact same thing as everyone else. You can even use your product descriptions as a way to further your company brand or image. All you have to do is rewrite them in your company’s unique style, tone, and voice.

The Pros & Cons of Rewriting Product Descriptions

Now that you know the reasons why you should rewrite your product descriptions to be original, let’s take a quick look at the pros and cons of doing so.

The pros are numerous. They include higher search engine ranking, setting your company apart from the competition, better branding, more credibility, and the avoidance of search engine flagging, amongst others.

There is only one real con, and that is that you will have to invest a greater amount of time into listing your products.

It is immediately evident that the pros outweigh the cons. If you are strapped for time, you can always rewrite the descriptions a little at a time. Start with your best selling products and go from there.

Conclusion

If you want your website to rank high in the search engines, or to set yourself apart from your competition as being original, you must rewrite these descriptions. Rewrite them in your company’s own unique style, tone, and voice for the best results. It may take a little bit of time and effort on your own behalf, but it will be well worth it in the end.