How to Write Short Product Descriptions for WhatsApp Catalog Marketing

A good short product description for a WhatsApp catalog says what the product is, gives the one detail that helps a buyer decide, states the price, and tells the customer exactly what to reply. In practice that is about 20 to 40 words, written in plain language, with no hype. This guide gives you the formula, ready-to-paste examples and a checklist, so every item in your WhatsApp catalog can be read in a few seconds on a phone.

One note before we start: the 20 to 40 word range is my practical recommendation, not a WhatsApp rule. I did not find an official length requirement for the description line in the sources I could access.

Why Short Descriptions Work in a WhatsApp Catalog

Your customer is reading in a chat, between other messages, with a thumb. Long copy gets skipped.

What the research says about concise writing

The Nielsen Norman Group tested a website written in a concise, scannable and objective style against a promotional version. The rewritten version, which was 54% of the original’s length, scored 159% higher in overall usability. An earlier study of a tourist-information site found a 124% gain from the same style changes. These were website studies with 21 technical users in the larger test, not WhatsApp tests, so treat them as a strong signal about how people read, not a promise about your sales.

What a WhatsApp catalog actually shows

WhatsApp announced catalogs on 7 November 2019 as a mobile storefront where each item can have a price, description, product code and images, hosted by WhatsApp so customers can browse inside the app. In the WhatsApp Business app, third-party guides list the fields as name, price, an optional description, a link to the product on your website and an item code, with up to 500 items.

On the WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta describes several formats: single product messages with image, price and description, multi-product messages that present up to 30 products organised into sections, catalog messages that show a thumbnail of the full catalog, and product carousels. Each format puts your words next to a picture and a price, so your description should add what the picture and price cannot.

The Four-Line Formula for Short Product Descriptions

Think of the description as four short jobs. Not every product needs all four, but most do.

Line 1: Say what it is

Start with the product name and its most important fact, such as size, quantity or material. “Cast-iron wok, 32 cm” tells the customer more than “premium quality wok”.

Line 2: Give one deciding detail

Pick the single detail that answers the question your customers ask most. For cookware it may be which hobs it works on. For coffee it may be the roast date.

Line 3: State the price and any condition

Put the price in the description as well as the price field, plus any delivery condition. Customers should never have to ask what something costs.

Line 4: Finish with one reply

Tell them exactly what to type. “Reply WOK to order” is easier than “contact us for more information”.

Ready-to-Paste Examples

These are sample products for a fictional shop. Replace the details with your own.

Kitchenware

Cast-iron wok, 32 cm, pre-seasoned and ready to use. Works on gas and induction hobs. RM129, free delivery over RM150. Reply WOK to order.

Coffee

Pasar Lama House Blend, 250 g whole beans. Medium roast, roasted weekly. RM38. Reply BEANS and we will confirm your grind.

Fashion

Hand-printed batik scarf, 100 cm square, in three colourways. RM65. Reply SCARF with your colour choice.

A before-and-after rewrite

Before: “Best quality wok ever!! Limited stock, hurry hurry, super value, must buy for every home cook, cooking will never be the same again!!!”

After: the kitchenware example above. The before version has 23 words and no size, no material, no price and no next step. The after version has 24 words and has all four.

Templates for Special Situations

The same four lines adapt to common selling moments. Again, these are sample products.

A bundle

Coffee starter bundle: two 250 g bags, House Blend and Dark Roast. RM68 instead of RM76 when bought together. Reply BUNDLE to order.

A pre-order

Hand-printed batik scarf, new indigo colourway. Pre-order closes Sunday 8 November, delivery within 10 working days after close. RM65. Reply INDIGO to reserve.

A restock

Cast-iron wok, 32 cm, back in stock. 20 pieces available. RM129. Reply WOK to order.

Only state stock numbers and dates that are true. A specific, honest detail builds trust, and a false one does the opposite.

Start with your five best sellers

Do not rewrite the whole catalog in one evening. Rewrite your five best sellers with the four-line formula, check which keyword replies come in, and then work through the rest.

Words to Cut and Words to Keep

Short does not mean thin. It means every word earns its place.

Cut these

Vague praise such as “best”, “amazing” and “premium”, repeated exclamation marks, countdown pressure such as “hurry hurry”, and claims you cannot prove. As the earlier research on concise writing suggests, plain and factual wording is easier to scan than promotional wording.

Keep these

Sizes, quantities, materials, the real price, delivery terms and the exact reply you want. If a detail would change someone’s decision, it stays.

Be careful with claims

WhatsApp reviews new catalog items, and a guide from respond.io says new products show a green clock until WhatsApp reviews them for policy compliance. Keep your descriptions factual, and read WhatsApp’s Commerce Policy before listing anything sensitive.

Checklist: Before You Add an Item to Your WhatsApp Catalog

Run each description through these questions.

Can a stranger tell what it is?

The product name and key fact should be in the first few words.

Does it include one deciding detail?

Choose the one that answers your most common customer question.

Is the price stated?

Include the price and any delivery condition.

Is there one clear reply?

Use a short keyword that is easy to type and easy to track.

Is it free of hype?

Delete any word that you would not say to a customer face to face.

Using Your Descriptions in Campaigns

A good description also works outside the catalog. You can reuse the same four lines in a message, a multi-product message section or a status update, so your offer reads the same everywhere.

One reminder from Meta’s documentation: businesses should only message people who have opted in, and each opt-in should name the business. A beautiful catalog message to someone who never agreed to hear from you will still be ignored, or reported. If you use a tool such as Blaster Pro, apply the formula above to every item, send only to contacts who agreed to receive messages, and check your tool’s method against WhatsApp’s current terms.

Questions Businesses Ask

How long should a WhatsApp catalog description be?

I found no official length rule for the description line, so I recommend about 20 to 40 words: enough for the four jobs, short enough to scan. Third-party guides cite a much higher maximum, but a limit is not a target.

Should I put the price in the description?

Yes. The price field shows it, but repeating it in the description helps when the message is forwarded or shared as text.

How many products can a catalog hold?

Third-party guides say the WhatsApp Business app allows up to 500 items. For multi-product messages on the Business Platform, Meta says the limit is 30 products per message.

Do I need photos too?

Yes. WhatsApp’s catalog format pairs your description with product images, so write the words to add information the photo cannot show, such as size and price.

Can I use emojis?

I did not find an official rule either way. A single relevant emoji can help scanning, but stay factual and avoid decoration that hides the key information.

The Bottom Line

Short descriptions win because they respect your customer’s time. Say what it is, give one deciding detail, state the price and ask for one reply. Do that for every item in your WhatsApp catalog, and you have a storefront that sells in the few seconds your customer is actually paying attention.