The debate rages on about whether short or long copy works better, but I’ve chosen my side. I’m a fan of longer pages because I think they work better and here’s why:
Making the Case for Long Pages
- You are engaged in a one sided conversation with your reader. Your job is to answer all the objections they might have about your product/service. Usually, this is hard to do in only a couple of paragraphs.
- Long pages are better for search engine optimization. They give ample opportunity for keyword placement. Keeping all your strong keywords/phrases on the same page makes it more powerful than diluting them among many pages.
- Long pages allow the reader to scan your copy because of the many subheads you can use. Short copy will require the reader to read more of the copy.
- Long pages allow the information to be organized in an effective way, instead of ending and starting at an arbitrary cut-off point (like page length).
- Your reader is more likely to keep scrolling if they can glimpse the next catchy headline as opposed to the veiled mystery of a “Continue Reading” link.
- People expect more from a website – they want all of the information and don’t want to resort to a phone call.
- Unless you’re building a website in Flash (which is a bad idea anyway, see this recent post) long pages can be fast loading.
- Short pages are so 90s along with flashing text, splash pages, and frames. Frames, by the way, are frequently used to mask a long page within a short page – making the user view all the content through a tiny porthole, and ruining your chances for ever being found by the search engines. If you have long copy, unleash it from it’s tiny confines! Your reader will thank you.
I’m not saying website copy should meander all over for the sake of making the page long.
Your page length needs to be determined by three things:
- Number of possible objections your reader has that need addressing.
- How complex your product or service is.
- Best organization of information (sometimes taking the user to another page makes more sense because of the depth of the topic that needs covering and how applicable the subject is to your current copy).
Built to Convert
There are many factors that will determine whether or not your website converts browsers to buyers. Having the right amount of information is just as important as having a compelling, easy-to-use web design. We can help you get a website that has both. If you’re ready to get a website that makes you more successful, contact us. We’ll get your success on the right track.
About the author: Jeune Ortiz is VP of Marketing and Creative Director at future-ink. With more than 20 years of experience in graphic design and marketing, Jeune brings extensive knowledge and creativity to each website and internet marketing solution to grow your business.
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