Comments on: It’s not your length that matters, it’s how much they like it! http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/ All things copywriting - and quite a bit about SEO Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:04:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Perry http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-44539 Perry Mon, 01 Nov 2010 21:55:45 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-44539 If I had to choose between what readers, potential customers say or "copywriters" who say long is better, I'd choose the readers any day of the week. Sorry, fans of long sales pages, but I sell to them, not you. If I had to choose between what readers, potential customers say or “copywriters” who say long is better, I’d choose the readers any day of the week.

Sorry, fans of long sales pages, but I sell to them, not you.

]]> By: How to avoid ‘hype’ in your sales copy: Pretend you’re face-to-face http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-30034 How to avoid ‘hype’ in your sales copy: Pretend you’re face-to-face Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:17:20 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-30034 [...] You’ve no doubt heard a lot about long copy out-performing short copy. In my humble opinion, the long v short argument is redundant. It’s not about length, it’s about appropriateness. Don’t set out to make your copy as long as you can; make it as long as you have to. Include everything your reader needs, in as few words as possible. The only rule is this: effective copy out-performs ineffective copy. (Read more of my thoughts on the long v short debate.) [...] [...] You’ve no doubt heard a lot about long copy out-performing short copy. In my humble opinion, the long v short argument is redundant. It’s not about length, it’s about appropriateness. Don’t set out to make your copy as long as you can; make it as long as you have to. Include everything your reader needs, in as few words as possible. The only rule is this: effective copy out-performs ineffective copy. (Read more of my thoughts on the long v short debate.) [...]

]]> By: Long copy v short copy - Evidence please? http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-26695 Long copy v short copy - Evidence please? Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:42:22 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-26695 [...] I’ve written on the subject of long versus short copy before. At length (if you’ll pardon the terrible pun - it’s my blog, whatdyagonnadoaboutit?!). So I won’t go on about it here. Suffice to say that I think it’s horses for courses, and that long copy works well for some audiences and not for others. The important thing is to engage the reader, solve their problems, and guide them towards your desired course of action. (See my post on the inverted pyramid v story-telling approach to copywriting.) [...] [...] I’ve written on the subject of long versus short copy before. At length (if you’ll pardon the terrible pun – it’s my blog, whatdyagonnadoaboutit?!). So I won’t go on about it here. Suffice to say that I think it’s horses for courses, and that long copy works well for some audiences and not for others. The important thing is to engage the reader, solve their problems, and guide them towards your desired course of action. (See my post on the inverted pyramid v story-telling approach to copywriting.) [...]

]]> By: Mel Menzies http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-25092 Mel Menzies Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:40:20 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-25092 This is one of my main faults. As the author of a number of books, my natural forte is to write at length. To take a subject, break it down into chapter topics, sections, paragraphs, sentences - and make sure that, together, they explore all angles. See - I'm doing it here! It requires real effort for me to write short articles. But I'm trying. Thanks for the article. Found your website through Problogger. Mel Menzies, author of A Painful Post Mortem This is one of my main faults. As the author of a number of books, my natural forte is to write at length. To take a subject, break it down into chapter topics, sections, paragraphs, sentences – and make sure that, together, they explore all angles. See – I’m doing it here!

It requires real effort for me to write short articles. But I’m trying. Thanks for the article. Found your website through Problogger.
Mel Menzies, author of A Painful Post Mortem

]]> By: Melissa Donovan http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-25021 Melissa Donovan Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:13:03 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-25021 I'm an extremely skeptical reader and long sales-ridden copy turns me off but hey - they say it works! I agree that length should be driven by content, not the other way around and writing in a succinct matter (especially when writing copy) is absolutely essential. I’m an extremely skeptical reader and long sales-ridden copy turns me off but hey – they say it works! I agree that length should be driven by content, not the other way around and writing in a succinct matter (especially when writing copy) is absolutely essential.

]]> By: Chris Allison http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-24974 Chris Allison Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:14:42 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-24974 Awesome, I'll look into it. Thanks, Glenn! Awesome, I’ll look into it. Thanks, Glenn!

]]> By: Glenn Murray http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-24973 Glenn Murray Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:23:33 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-24973 Not really. I don't really like many of them. There's a little value to be had from all of them, but nothing stands out as a brilliant read. Having said that, there's a very good book called 'Sin and Syntax' by Constance Hale. It's more about the mechanics of writing well than copywriting per se. But that means it offers a lot more meat than most copywriting books. You could also try 'Content Critical' by Gerry McGovern. I only read about half of it, but I think that was just 'cos I was already familiar with it all. 'Sin and Syntax' would be my recommendation. It discusses techniques that make your writing engaging, and it's written in an engaging style itself. Not at all dry. Not really. I don’t really like many of them. There’s a little value to be had from all of them, but nothing stands out as a brilliant read.

Having said that, there’s a very good book called ‘Sin and Syntax’ by Constance Hale. It’s more about the mechanics of writing well than copywriting per se. But that means it offers a lot more meat than most copywriting books. You could also try ‘Content Critical’ by Gerry McGovern. I only read about half of it, but I think that was just ‘cos I was already familiar with it all.

‘Sin and Syntax’ would be my recommendation. It discusses techniques that make your writing engaging, and it’s written in an engaging style itself. Not at all dry.

]]> By: Chris Allison http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-24972 Chris Allison Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:17:31 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-24972 Hmmm interesting. Do you have any recommended (maybe shorter) copywriting reads? Hmmm interesting. Do you have any recommended (maybe shorter) copywriting reads?

]]> By: Glenn Murray http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-24970 Glenn Murray Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:46:45 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-24970 Sugarman's book has some gems in it, but IMHO, you have to dig a bit. There's a lot of crowing about how much it's going to teach you, and how much it's already taught you. And there's the smell of the loooonnng sales page in there too (quite a bit of talk about his own success). Frankly, I found it very condescending, but I got about 10 really valuable points from it, which made the read worthwhile. Sugarman’s book has some gems in it, but IMHO, you have to dig a bit. There’s a lot of crowing about how much it’s going to teach you, and how much it’s already taught you. And there’s the smell of the loooonnng sales page in there too (quite a bit of talk about his own success).

Frankly, I found it very condescending, but I got about 10 really valuable points from it, which made the read worthwhile.

]]> By: Chris Allison http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/copywriting/copy-length-matters/comment-page-1/#comment-24963 Chris Allison Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:11:52 +0000 http://www.divinewrite.com/blog/?p=131#comment-24963 I need to read sugarman's book...I keep seeing it referenced. I need to read sugarman’s book…I keep seeing it referenced.

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