Product descriptions—text that describes an item, its use, and key information like size and material—give your customers critical information they need to make a purchase. Product descriptions can not only boost sales but also improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO). They also differentiate your small business from its competitors.
Writing product descriptions is often time-consuming and repetitive, making it the perfect task for artificial intelligence (AI). These tools can help by generating product descriptions that you can then tailor to your unique brand voice.
[Read more: 5 Small Businesses Tasks That Can Be Done By Artificial Intelligence Tools]
Jasper AI
Jasper is a popular AI content generator that offers specific templates for product descriptions. Once you sign up for Jasper, you can access a template with fields for the product name, a brief product description, and the tone of voice you want to use (e.g., witty or professional). Jasper’s AI will create a few descriptions of different lengths that you can use on your website or e-commerce platform. It’s up to you to make sure the information is accurate and to add any key words you’re targeting for SEO purposes. Jasper's pricing starts at $39 per month.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is known for its SEO products, but it also offers a free product description generator powered by AI. Simply choose a language from dozens of options, type some product details into the description box, and select the tone and length that you’d like the description to be. Ahrefs will instantly create a result for you. And if you need multiple descriptions of the same product (for emails, a product page, or social media, for instance), you can ask the tool to make “more like this.”
Hypotenuse AI
Hypotenuse AI is one of the more advanced tools on this list, as it enables you to write product descriptions in bulk, saving tons of time and effort. Start by importing product attributes or manufacturer descriptions from a CSV file or your content management system. Hypotenuse’s AI will then generate product descriptions, including SEO key words. You can select the tone to match your unique brand voice and edit within the platform using an organized workflow that keeps everything as streamlined as possible. Then, Hypotenuse can sync with your e-commerce platform to get your product descriptions updated quickly. Pricing starts at $19 per month.
GetGenie
GetGenie is a great option for business owners who use WooCommerce to sell products. Like other tools on this list, it will ask for input, including a product title or name and a brief description. However, GetGenie also includes space to add SEO key words so you can maximize the value of an AI-generated product description. You can then select the language, tone, and the number of descriptions you need. Once you make the updates you need, you can publish the AI-generated result right to your WooCommerce page. GetGenie is a WordPress integration. Pricing is free for up to 2,500 words per month.
Shopify Magic
Merchants who sell on Shopify can take advantage of the platform’s native AI tool Shopify Magic. Shopify Magic is equipped to handle a range of tasks within the e-commerce platform, including marketing, customer support, and back-office management. For product descriptions, you’ll need to provide a product title and key words. The AI tool will then generate a suggested product description. Shopify Magic can be found in your Shopify admin dashboard under “Products.” Shopify Magic tools are free for all Shopify merchants, regardless of your subscription plan.
Frase.io
Frase.io doesn’t offer a unique tool for writing product descriptions, but it focuses on writing for better SEO results, making it a great option for taking on this task. The Frase.io content writer creates copy inspired by search results for your query or product name. There’s a learning curve to using this tool—you’ll need to teach it to do research, analyze the results, and write the text you need—but it can help you outrank your competitors and get your products in front of users with high purchase intent. Pricing for Frase.io starts at $15 per month.
[Read more: How AI is Leveling the Marketing Playing Field Between SMBs and Big Business]
These tools can help by generating product descriptions that you can then tailor to your unique brand voice.
How to prompt AI for high-converting copy
While these tools do the heavy lifting of writing product descriptions, getting high-quality copy that is ready to publish can take some tinkering. Feed the AI model as much information as possible about the product; the more detail you provide, the better your result. Include information such as product names, images, features, specifications, materials, sizing, brand (if applicable), product category, and more.
Some AI models allow you to upload spreadsheets or CSV files so you can generate product descriptions in bulk. If this applies to your use case, make sure your file is well-formatted and consistent to avoid any mistakes.
Then, write a simple, straightforward, but thorough prompt. Here’s an example suggested by the experts at Notion: “Write a product description. Explain succinctly what [this product] does and how it benefits users in [less than 100 words]. The tone of voice should be [witty], [light-hearted], [aspirational], but [practical].”
At minimum, your prompt should suggest a tone of voice, a description length, any key words that should be included, and other features of the product you would like to highlight. Test your prompt on one or two products before applying the request to an entire spreadsheet.
Legal considerations when using AI-generated content
The legal implications of using generative AI are still somewhat murky. Bloomberg Law outlines the key risks associated with using generative AI for business purposes, including:
- Restricted commercial use of content.
- Attribution requirements.
- Third-party copyright infringements.
- Limitations on exclusivity.
First and foremost, each generative AI company has its own restrictions on the use of its platforms. These restrictions typically refer to content that is violent, hateful, or sexual in nature. However, AI models that are trained on open-source or public data often have terms and conditions that pass along risk to their end users (in this case, your business). Read the fine print to understand if you could be violating a restriction on commercial use by using an open-source AI tool.
Attribution requirements are also found in the fine print. “Many online terms of use require users to identify and give credit to the specific AI-generator when distributing generative content. In many cases, the AI platform's terms of use specify the manner in which the attribution must be provided, which may include an @ mention, link, or press release,” wrote Bloomberg Law.
Your business could also run the risk of being ripped off by a competitor who sells similar products. There’s no guarantee that AI will generate a completely original product description every time. And, unfortunately, you can’t protect your product descriptions with an intellectual property claim.
“At the moment, works created solely by artificial intelligence—even if produced from a text prompt written by a human—are not protected by copyright,” wrote the experts at Built In, an online startup community.
If you’re worried about using an AI product description generator, read the terms and conditions of the tool first. This policy will give you steps to protect your business and reputation from trouble down the line.
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
