So when should you use short or long copy? Some people believe that no one really reads nowadays, with our minuscule attention spans, and this is enough reason to avoid writing long copy. On the other hand, some people believe that a long copy is responsible for successful sales. This means that, the more they write and form a picture in their prospects’ minds, the more sales they register. Well, which of the two formats is better?
Short form vs long form?
In a way, both are right since in some instances short copy is much, much better while, in others, long copy is much better. Short copy is better to entice someone into getting more information, or to do a quick action. Long copy is definitely needed to convince someone to make a higher investment or bigger purchase.
Testing, testing, testing
The best way is to test the response rate of each version to see which copy has the highest engagement. The best part is that you can follow certain rules of thumb, which gives you guidelines on when it is best to write a short copy or long copy.
Leave in the necessities
First, you do not have to write more that it is necessary. Do you really have to make a point to convince customers to buy your products? If this fact holds true, you need to add it to your copy. Will a different section make one of your copies more persuasive to your customers? If this fact also holds true, do not forget to add it to your page as well.
Cut out the fluff
There are times that the points that you have, do not strengthen your argument, but rather serve to make your copy longer unnecessarily. In fact, those are the points that should not appear in your copy, so be ruthless about leaving them out. If not, your copy would be too long, hashing over unnecessary details instead of helping customers to buy your products. Inform your customer, not bore them.
Be concise!
When writing copy, always be concise and to the point to make a persuasive presentation, but not make it so long that your reader gets distracted and switch off.
Keep optimizing your copy, and be open to different formats
Ensure that you test the response rate to see which converts the best. At times, a postcard will be the most effective, whereas, at other times, a sales letter is a way to go. Sometimes, a concise e-mail is best, and sometimes, a long sales page is much better. Although, it is a daunting task to know without having to measure the response rate, always ensure that you capture the imagination of your prospects.