Long vs. Short Copy: What Works Better?

One of the biggest challenges content marketers face is the choice between a short copy and long copy. So, which one do you choose?

Do you side with the short copy advocates who are determined that people in the modern age are not fans of reading long articles and descriptions, and graphics are better attention grabbers? Or do you choose the long copy purists who swear by the age-old copy-writing mantra: “the more you tell, the more you sell”?

Well, the truth is that there isn’t any single answer. While it may seem frustrating, you will actually be better off if instead of subscribing to one method, you employ the copywriting style that works best depending on the scenario. Let’s take a look at both copywriting styles and see where they fit best!

Long Copy

Before we get into specifics, a good general rule of thumb to remember when deciding to use long copy is to ask the following question:

How many people know about this brand/product?

If the brand or product is not generally well-known or recognized by a lot of customers, then you need to employ a long copy approach. The reason for this is, that potential customers will be hearing about your brand for the first time, and they will have a lot of questions.

Long copy is ideal here as not only will it allow you to address as many of these potential questions, but it will also allow you to include more specifics and details. Additionally, long copy also gives you a unique opportunity to showcase your mission – to tell your story to your audience. This allows customers to relate to, and begin to trust your brand.

A couple of helpful tips to keep in mind when writing include making sure you add relevant subheadings, as these allow readers to quickly jump to the parts they want to focus on. Also make sure your call-to-action is repeated several times across the piece. However, you need to keep in mind that not all situations will require long copy, even if you’re a fairly new brand. Promotions or sales, for example, will require the use of a short copy style instead. Also, remember, the more recognition your brand gets, the more you can reduce your copy length.

Short Copy

People have less time to read through long articles and reviews. Consumers, today, tend to focus on several key deciding factors before making a purchase.Short copy can be as, if not more, effective at boosting sales and driving traffic. It all simply boils down to how much of these key factors you can talk about in as concise a manner as possible.

While some copywriters will make it work everywhere, short copy ideally works best when coupled with attractive visuals and graphics. There isn’t any stringent rule to this, but when selling products on the lower price-range (soap, fast food, toilet paper, etc.) employing a short copy tactic works best. This is because customers don’t really need to read or think a lot when buying these items. Keeping the following tips in mind will help you write great short copy for your products:

Write only as much as needed: you need to resist the urge to elaborate or enhance what you’re writing. Keep it as simple as possible.

Use design to highlight/stress the big points: instead of words, let the design do the job. Think about it. What would be more prominent, “NOW EVEN BIGGER” emblazoned across the page in 500pt letters or a paragraph about the increased size of the product?

Conclusion

There’s no such thing as one definite copywriting style. You need to decide which style the situation demands. Looking to write copy for your brand or product but still can’t decide which style to use? Reach out and let our experts at Sunan Designs solve your problem today!