Spoiler alert: There is still a time and place for long copy in advertising. The key, however, is to know when, where, and how to deliver it.
Long copy is easy to spot. While Facebook refers to its 600- to 900-word ads as long form, traditionally, long copy has 1,000 words or more broken up into multiple paragraphs. It’s considered more engaging, more shareable, and better for search engine optimization (SEO). It creates an opportunity to be more comprehensive on a given topic, allowing answers to questions or concerns your audience may have. Long copy can also create trust and understanding if—emphasis on if—the content is well written, engaging, and relevant. Not surprisingly, if a reader isn’t interested in what you have to say, it doesn’t matter what length your copy is.
Short copy on the other hand is concise and tends to be more memorable. Ideally, the succinct and limited message grabs immediate attention and is understood with little effort from the reader. With today’s attention spans, it’s tempting to simply display scannable bites, rinse, and repeat. And that’s not all wrong. For a company with a well-known brand, short copy is preferred and, frankly, performs better. There is no need to educate viewers about the product or the company. Highly targeted—and retargeted—ads are perfect for short copy as well.
WHEN do you start?
Long copy is a workhorse. It does the heavy lifting before the prospect ever hits your landing page. But you know it’s a qualified lead by the time they click over because only qualified prospects will engage so deeply as to read 1,000+ words. It’s ideal for a space where the reader may have never heard of your company or doesn’t know how your product or service will benefit them. They may object to the cost of a product and need some information to justify buying it. But pay attention to the task at hand. You don’t need 750 words to convince someone to watch a video.
Start WHERE you are
White papers, testimonials, blog posts, full-page ads, and native articles are all examples of long-form content. You may already be in those channels. But it works equally well with platforms like Twitter and Facebook that are normally considered short-form channels. According to a study by Neil Patel of Quicksprout, longer content gets more social shares. He found that content is truly king; in most cases, long copy doesn’t just boost conversions, it also increases rankings. A post greater than 1,500 words receives 68.1% more tweets and 22.6% more Facebook likes than a post with fewer than 1,500 words.
It’s HOW you roll
We know that audiences take the time to read long copy if they find it useful or just because it caught their eye and pulled them in. Take Krispy Kreme’s ad with a headline that screams Doughnuts are bad for you. Seemingly counterproductive to selling more doughnuts, it was the company’s response to criticism at being listed as one of the top unhealthiest snacks. In essence, it turned a disadvantage into an advantage. With its slightly sarcastic tone, it was fun to read. Make no mistake, however, writing long copy is an art. It must be well researched, well written, and well intentioned. A word of caution: Don’t fall in love with your words. Only write what is needed. If it strengthens your position, use it. If it doesn’t, don’t.
Don’t be afraid to stand out
Contrary to popular belief, long copy is not dead. So, use it. Every company is unique, yours included. You may sell the same product or offer the same service as your competitors, but there’s always something unique, something that sets a company apart from the rest. It may be intangible elements, it may be a one-of-a-kind solution to a need, or it may be the people or the mission. With long copy, you have the opportunity to share just how unique you are. But don’t just take our word for it, A/B test some long, well-written copy in your ads, social media posts, and other materials. Let your audience decide.
As one blogger wrote in defense of long form copy:
Your audience is smarter than a goldfish. Act accordingly.