The End of the Long-Copy vs. Short-Copy Debate
Which converts better and drives more sales: long-form copy or short-form copy?
It's been debated since the first recorded newspaper advertisement was published in 1704 in the Boston News-Letter:
"At Oyster-bay on Long-Island in the Province of N.York, There is a very good Fulling-Mill, to be Let or Sold, as also a Plantation, having on it a large new Brick house, and another good house by it for a Kitchin & work house, with a Barn, Stable, etc. a young Orchard, and 20 Acres clear Land. The Mill is to be Let with or without the Plantation: Enquire of Mr. William Bradford Printer in N.York, and know further." (My thanks to Derrick Daye for publishing this ad in his blog, Branding Strategy Insider.)
Clearly, the above was a short-form ad. And yet…
"The more you tell, the more you sell," claim the adherents of long copy.
"No one has time to read below the fold," counter short-copy partisans.
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Barry A. Densa is a freelance marketing and sales copywriter at Writing With Personality. For more, visit his blog Marketing Wit & Wisdom.
Comments
Of course it all depends. John Caples pointed out that one of the best ads ever written was: "Corns gone in 5 days or money back!" What more need be said? And then, his devoted student wrote a half page of text that started with, "At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock." Both ads were wildly successful.
After being a creative director for 31 years now, I can tell you this (and it’s an advertising adage that has been around a very long time): “A headline should be as short or as long as it needs to be in order to get the message across.” There is no right or wrong. It is simply a skill.
Another great advertising adage is this: “If you advertise, I can’t guarantee anything will happen —but if you don’t advertise, I can guarantee nothing will happen.” All food for thought. Have a great day everyone.