[Sigia-l] long copy vs short copy

[Stew Dean]

At 01:06 08/11/2004, Eric Scheid wrote:

>An interesting experiment: does long copy produce more sales than short
>copy?
>
>     http://www.marketingexperiments.com/archives/long_vs_short.cfm
>
>It's an interesting read, and the answer isn't entirely plain - there are
>caveats. Also, the testing turned up an interesting observation:
>
> > KEY POINT: Our assumption ­ that shortening the order process overall [by
> > removing an interstitial 'product info' page] would increase conversion ­
> > proved to be nearsighted. Sending visitors from the [sales] copy page 
> directly
> > to the [shopping] cart was too abrupt. Many of them abandoned the order
> > process before finishing their orders.
>
>This is all interesting because the general assumption in usability is to
>"cut the text in half, then cut it again", and simplifying the number of
>steps improves usability and thus sales. Those are not hard and fast rules
>of course, but they are the general guidelines.
>
>e.

Cheers Eric,

Good article - the ten key guidelines here really do a good job of summing 
things up and they reiterate important aspects of copy, such as quality is 
very important. Having worked briefly in publishing I gained a deep respect 
for copy and why even the best writers need to be sub edited. I also learnt 
even nomenclature is a job best shared at times. I just feel it's a shame 
that the copy on most 'whale' web sites (big company sites') isn't treated 
with the same respect as you find in the world of publishing. Print 
articles and PDFs often have a degree of quality above that of the 
companies web pages.

There is one thing I have come across which the article may have overlooked 
and that is sometimes you want them to change channels - to pick up the 
phone. I found to do this you need to reduce the amount of decision making 
text, effectively not giving them the whole story but enough to become 
engaged, sort of like a cliff hanger. Apparently porn sites do this quite 
effectively - or so I've been told :)

Thanks again.

Stewart Dean