Long versus short copy: the truth

As copywriters, we are constantly told less is more. It seems that most people believe no one reads long marketing copy – because they don’t have the time, patience or attention span. But the truth is very different: long copy outperforms short copy time and again.

The long versus short copy debate is one of the longest running in the marketing world. But the one thing nearly everyone agrees on is that long copy outperforms short copy if you have something relevant to say.

So why do people still insist on short copy?
One common preconception is that people don’t have time to read long copy. As a result, graphic designers create templates that leave little room for text – and not just on advertisements, but on direct mails, brochures and web pages. But in many cases, this is putting the cart before the horse.

Don’t put yourself in a (small) box
Marketing Experiment tested web copy and found that long copy outperformed short copy by around 50% in terms of click through rates – especially for higher priced products. Why?

People tend to feel safer about making decisions if they have more information rather than less. So the more relevant information you can give them in your copy, the more likely they are to choose your product or service.

But your prospects won’t choose your product just because you use longer copy than your competitors. So don’t write long copy just to fill up space. Instead, base your choice of text length on the amount of information you think people need in order to choose your product or service. This way, you will always write the right amount of copy.

Let us write your copy
As David Ogilvy said in Ogilvy on Advertising: “In split-run tests, long copy invariably outsells short copy. But I must warn you that if you want long copy to be read, you had better write it well.”

So, if you want your next direct mail, advert or brochure to have an impact with readers, get in touch with us.