Comments on: No One Reads Long Copy, She Says http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/ bly.com direct marketing blog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:52:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Edwardo Rolfe http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-681912 Edwardo Rolfe Thu, 26 Jan 2012 07:27:20 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-681912 Tremendously informative cheers, I think your readers could quite possibly want more stories. Tremendously informative cheers, I think your readers could quite possibly want more stories.

]]> By: Cornelia Argabright http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-681901 Cornelia Argabright Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:22:33 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-681901 Your write up is a good model of it. Your write up is a good model of it.

]]> By: David Vinge http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-676150 David Vinge Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:55:49 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-676150 Jacob Nielsen addresses whether a site’s content strategy should use longer or shorter content. The best answer: "As long as it needs to be." See http://www.emarketingdashboard.com/2008/02/long-or-short-copy-on-web-sites_01.html Jacob Nielsen addresses whether a site’s content strategy should use longer or shorter content. The best answer: “As long as it needs to be.”

See http://www.emarketingdashboard.com/2008/02/long-or-short-copy-on-web-sites_01.html

]]> By: E-Commerce Writer http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675957 E-Commerce Writer Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:23:32 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675957 So much online advice about online copywriting is geared toward those writers who write those multi-page sites selling one (usually expensive) product or service. But what about us e-commerce copywriters? We write hundreds of individual product pages for hundreds of separate products. (Mine consist of very brief attention-getting intro followed by benefit bullets.) And we're constantly being told--by bosses who may not have a clue--that copy must be short, short, short, because Internet shoppers don't read; they scan. I write about athletic performance apparel. Some of our products wick moisture, control garment odors, block UV rays, control breast motion, warm and support your muscles, and program your coffee maker. :) It is IMPOSSIBLE to convey all these benefits in 300 characters or less, yet that's what I'm sometimes expected to do. Meanwhile, our customers actually tell us that they appreciate having longer copy with more details about the performance benefits. It's very frustrating. What do you say to us e-commerce writers? We're not talking about a one-page letter versus a four-page one. We're talking about 300 characters versus 600-700 characters. Is there any advice out there for writers like us? Thanks in advance! So much online advice about online copywriting is geared toward those writers who write those multi-page sites selling one (usually expensive) product or service. But what about us e-commerce copywriters? We write hundreds of individual product pages for hundreds of separate products. (Mine consist of very brief attention-getting intro followed by benefit bullets.) And we’re constantly being told–by bosses who may not have a clue–that copy must be short, short, short, because Internet shoppers don’t read; they scan.

I write about athletic performance apparel. Some of our products wick moisture, control garment odors, block UV rays, control breast motion, warm and support your muscles, and program your coffee maker. :) It is IMPOSSIBLE to convey all these benefits in 300 characters or less, yet that’s what I’m sometimes expected to do. Meanwhile, our customers actually tell us that they appreciate having longer copy with more details about the performance benefits. It’s very frustrating.

What do you say to us e-commerce writers? We’re not talking about a one-page letter versus a four-page one. We’re talking about 300 characters versus 600-700 characters. Is there any advice out there for writers like us?

Thanks in advance!

]]> By: Dan http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675891 Dan Sat, 07 Mar 2009 23:35:49 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675891 I follow Hopkin's philosophy from Scientific Advertising almost to a fault. I do my best to tell the entire story. So long copy it is, for me. I read something recently which said that most internet marketers are missing out on a vital piece from direct mail campaigns. The brochure. I don't have much of a swipe file of direct mail pieces myself. But I guess a lot of pieces include a brochure with the long copy sales letter, which gives the short version of the story. So basically, having a short copy piece is supposed to boost conversion. I follow Hopkin’s philosophy from Scientific Advertising almost to a fault. I do my best to tell the entire story. So long copy it is, for me.

I read something recently which said that most internet marketers are missing out on a vital piece from direct mail campaigns. The brochure. I don’t have much of a swipe file of direct mail pieces myself. But I guess a lot of pieces include a brochure with the long copy sales letter, which gives the short version of the story. So basically, having a short copy piece is supposed to boost conversion.

]]> By: Cynthia Maniglia http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675853 Cynthia Maniglia Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:58:42 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675853 P.S. I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this yet: http://www.succezz.com/Articles/SalesLetterforExpedition.html It's the de facto CLASSIC (SUCCESSFUL) long letter. P.S. I’m surprised nobody has mentioned this yet:

http://www.succezz.com/Articles/SalesLetterforExpedition.html

It’s the de facto CLASSIC (SUCCESSFUL) long letter.

]]> By: Cynthia Maniglia http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675851 Cynthia Maniglia Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:55:10 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675851 Make. Every. Word. Count. Long, short, medium length. It doesn't matter. Powerful, persuasive copy comes in all size packages. Make. Every. Word. Count.

Long, short, medium length. It doesn’t matter.

Powerful, persuasive copy comes in all size packages.

]]> By: Ken http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675847 Ken Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:32:10 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675847 If you can include enough information to satisfy those who respond better to long copy, but break it up along the way with subheads etc. so those who prefer shorter copy get all the info. they need, then it should be possible to persuade both. Especially in online sales letters it's easy to write it long but add 'order now' buttons strategically along the way to capture the short copy lover's order as well. I have a brand new copy of the Ten Step Marketing Plan I purchased through an email from Bob himself that did just that. If you can include enough information to satisfy those who respond better to long copy, but break it up along the way with subheads etc. so those who prefer shorter copy get all the info. they need, then it should be possible to persuade both.
Especially in online sales letters it’s easy to write it long but add ‘order now’ buttons strategically along the way to capture the short copy lover’s order as well.
I have a brand new copy of the Ten Step Marketing Plan I purchased through an email from Bob himself that did just that.

]]> By: Govind Mukundan http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675845 Govind Mukundan Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:20:42 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675845 To paraphrase Howard Gossage: "people don't read 'long sales letters' or 'short sales letters'. They read what interests them, and sometimes it's a sales letter." And that's very true, isn't it? Just write what you need to persuade the reader, and do a complete job. The length of the copy is not a terribly useful measure of, well, *anything*... To paraphrase Howard Gossage: “people don’t read ‘long sales letters’ or ‘short sales letters’. They read what interests them, and sometimes it’s a sales letter.”

And that’s very true, isn’t it? Just write what you need to persuade the reader, and do a complete job. The length of the copy is not a terribly useful measure of, well, *anything*…

]]> By: Shel Horowitz http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675782 Shel Horowitz Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:55:18 +0000 http://bly.com/blog/advertising/no-one-reads-long-copy-she-says/#comment-675782 The better the fit among message, market and offer, the less space you'll need. The more familiar the offer, the less space you'll need. If your audience is not familiar with you, or doesn't see a close fit, you'll have to sell hard, and you'll need long copy to do it. If you're already trusted and they know you'll perform at or above expectation, the sale is easier. When you do use long copy, I think it's a good idea to put order inks at various places so you don't waste the time of those already convinced (or worse, let themselves convince themselves back out of the sale. The better the fit among message, market and offer, the less space you’ll need. The more familiar the offer, the less space you’ll need.

If your audience is not familiar with you, or doesn’t see a close fit, you’ll have to sell hard, and you’ll need long copy to do it. If you’re already trusted and they know you’ll perform at or above expectation, the sale is easier.

When you do use long copy, I think it’s a good idea to put order inks at various places so you don’t waste the time of those already convinced (or worse, let themselves convince themselves back out of the sale.

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