A case for long copy

I don’t stick hard and fast to short copy or long copy as a rule for website writing.  Each style has its proponents, and there are studies to support each as superior in converting readers to customers. (You can gain more insight into my view on website copy length in my post “How long should my website copy be”.)

What I’ve learned, though, is that there are some common instances which tend to warrant long copy.

Three of these cases are:

1. Expensive products: It takes prospects longer to commit to buying high priced products than inexpensive products.  Prospects need both more detailed information and more persuasion to be convinced to make the purchase decision.
2. Information based products: Prospects are looking for proof of the quality of information based products, and the way to illustrate it is by example.  Lots of examples – which generally means lots of copy.
3. E-commerce product pages in general: A recent study shows that 76% of online shoppers find insufficient content to complete their research or purchase online “always, most often or some of the time”.  Seventy-two percent of those shoppers then abandon the site and go to a competitor or research further online, typically finding what they want elsewhere.

The most important factor in determining the length for your website copy must be: Does it answer your prospects’ questions and provide the necessary information for them to be confident in making a purchase decision. 

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How long should my website copy be?

This is the eternal question in website writing circles.  There are strong proponents of each style; there are numerous studies which ‘prove’ the superiority of each in converting online prospects into customers. 

My own response, shaped from reading and writing both, is that website copy should be as long as it needs to be to answer your readers’ questions and remove their barriers to sale.  It should not be one word longer.

What makes short website copy work?

Short copy has unique benefits which make it attractive to web readers with their distinct reading habits:

• It’s easy for your readers to quickly scan and to easily absorb the important information.
• It generally presents the essential points of interest above the fold so your readers do not have to scroll to discover the message.
• It commonly provides hyperlinks to more information so those readers who are interested can delve deeper into the topics they want to know about.

What makes long website copy work?

Long copy also has advantages:

• It answers most of your readers’ questions straight-up; readers don’t have to dig around in the site to find more information.
• It keeps your readers’ focus; you don’t risk losing potential customers by interrupting the sales process through making them jump to other pages to find more information.
• It quells anxieties your readers may have about buying from you, as they feel they are “getting the goods” – information is not being withheld from them.

Should website copy be short or long?

Website copy, long or short, will only be effective if it answers prospects’ questions and provides sufficient information for a purchase decision to be made. 

Short copy risks providing insufficient information; if prospects can’t get all the information they want and need from your site, they will go elsewhere.  Long copy risks being boring or being dismissed as marketing hype. 

Make your website copy work at any length

Make your website copy top quality.  Focus on the benefits to your prospects.  Follow standard web-writing principles such as breaking up copy with headings and bullets.  Be clear.  Provide excitement and strong, compelling calls-to-action.

When it comes to length, make sure you address the questions your prospects will be asking.  Don’t be stingy with copy – give your prospects sufficient information to make them feel like you’ve put your cards on the table and told them what they need to know.  Take out the marketing hype, but provide every bit of information necessary to give your prospects the confidence to make a purchase decision. 

Your copy will be as long as it needs to be

You don’t need to stick hard and fast to short copy or long copy as a rule.  You’ll find if you follow the tips above that your copy will be the length it needs to be to convert prospects into buyers.  In the end, it’s the results that matter – not the wordcount.

www.strongideas.com.au

contact@strongideas.com.au