I noticed that a lot of sites on the net have a really long ad copy that can easily put the average person to sleep, while other sites try to keep it short and down to the main reasons why you should buy their information/product. What do you think works better?
In my personal experience (I've written a few eBooks) - shorter works better. I personally can't be bothered to read pages and pages of text, so don't see why my customers would. Short and to the point works wonder. I am trying longer ad copy with a more professional looking sales template for my latest project - we'll see how that goes.
It depends on the target and what you're selling. If it's something your market wants and needs lots of info for, the copy is never long enough. If it's something they are familiar with, it can't be short enough. You have to make that call on a case-by-case basis. It's really how you present it. Give your readers the quick digest version with some bullet points. Highlight key topics with subheads so info can be located.
Neither and both. What works depends on many variables, including target audience, product, etc. Also there's a huge difference between long bloviated copy and long concise copy. The former is long for long's sake. The latter is a lot of required information written with pinpoint accuracy and precision. Finally, remember that only a fool writes copy for the masses. While you or I might find a particular item too long, the target audience might find it just right.
Hi - In my book, it comes down to the old adage: "Form follows function." Looks like that is what our colleagues are saying here. You can easily test your theory online using two different landing pages, one with long copy, and one with short. Then do a google adsense campaign for both landing pages, and study your metrics. Remember that professional direct mail copy techniques in the form of long sales letters has proven itself many times online. It's one thing to give a short list of reasons for why someone should buy a product or service. It's quite another to convince those people to make the purchase now. Yours - Scott
The long sales letter must be working or you wouldn't be seeing so many of them. I personally don't care for sales copy at all as a consumer - I prefer to do my own research and assume everyone selling something is shading the truth somehow. But as a writer, I can't underestimate a solid marketing campaign and well-written pitch. They have been proven time and time again. Rebecca
This is a very subjective question. Depends on the person you are targeting. Some need to be hyped up and that takes a lot of space while others want to get to the main point as soon as possible. Hence, you really need first see who you are targeting and then do it. If I was a buyer I would perfer short but with examples.
Usually long copy is more effective. This is because you can address all the issues that your potential customer might have and close the sale more effectively. You can also list more benefits, so that your potential buyer can understand better how your product or service can help them.
I think it's better to summarize everything so that EVERYONE will want to read it. Unless of course you're writing a book.
So, if you were selling a $10,000 financial system, you think it would be best to write a short summarization? Both work. As I said above, "What works depends on many variables, including target audience, product, etc." And, your target isn't "everyone." It never is.
As a consumer looking for any impulse product such as say under $100 I just want to know what I need to about the product to make my decision. I want the specs of the product or a short summary. I rarely read more than 500 words into a sales letter before making up my mind yes or no. As the adage says Keep It Simple Stupid, if I can't make my decision within the time it takes me to read 500 words its not worth continuing on. I only read reviews cited by verified and reputable third parties or independent consumer groups. For larger expenses I want a thorough technical review of the product, I will read the sellers benefit points, and documentation is also helpful. Much more than what is necessary is just overkill and turns me off. I often get email from people wanting me to copy sales pitches that are several thousand words to outline a 20 page report on sale for $10.
A new website visitor is only going to spend a few minutes on your website before he/she decides they like what they see/read and continue browsing or they are going to check out your competitors websites. Whatever copy you have written has to be readable and interesting enough for them to want to stay on your site. For me shorter is better regardless of what I am looking for. You write for your target audience. As it has already been stated, is not everybody.
It's funny, though, people default to making it more generic to appeal to more people when in fact that does just the opposite.
And this is why longer converts to more sales. Like it has been pointed out long does not mean bloated. Good sales copy will establish need or greed very quickly, the rest of the copy is to reinforce the positive aspects. You have to demonstrate how the product will benefit them, to handle potential questions and negatives before the reader has even fully formed them in their mind. Build credibilty, create urgency. You can be short and concise and provide all the facts in a few lines or bullet points, but the whole point is to explain things in greater detail to make the end user (the reader) comfortable. Ultimatley it is all about context. You have to take your product and adapt it to your market by placing it in the correct context. You build up the credibilty of the context you have created by making the reader feel you are taking the the time and effort to benefit them. Of course we the seller wish to make money, who doesn't? - but hey we can spread the savings / wealth / knowledge around right? People react to the use of language in different ways and they also retain information more easily if the copy is phrased in a manner they are used to. Thus key points should be explained more than once in different contexts to reach a wider audience. If a user is having to scroll up to check something before they have reached the close then there is an issue. When training members of staff (in a previous life when I was an evil salesman of the darker kind) the biggest problem I had was staff members would not stick to the carefully crafted scripts. Rather than explain how the script really worked I would simply use an old script for a different product they had never used and pitch them with it - only mentioning the saliant points once. I would frequently ask if they had any questions and if everything I was saying made sense. At the end of this exercise most people remembered very little about the actual benefits. Sure there were vague ideas and partial recall, but the aim is always making sure the consumer understands the product enough to want to buy into it. The whole point of the above exercise was to prove that repetition helps people understand concepts and retain information. Thus repetition sells. Repetition breeds long copy. Long copy sells. If you establish enough greed/need above the page cut then you can take your time building credibility and rapport and make a solid sale rather than going for a quick sale and losing it. Finally I have used offline sales examples here for easier reading and to keep the post under the word count of the Magna Carta. The same principles apply regardless of the media used to generate a sale.