Long Copy Sucks And Other Heresies
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Business -> subcategory Marketing.
Long Copy Sucks and Other Surprising Truths
Title:
Long Copy Sucks and Other Surprising TruthsWord Count:
803Summary:
I recently conducted an extensive study of both profitable and unprofitable websites. The results were clear: profitable sites had an average sales letter length of 1.8 pages, while the unprofitable ones averaged 2 pages. Simply put, shorter ad copy tends to be more profitable.Article Body:
After completing a detailed study of various websites, I discovered a striking pattern: profitable sites had an average sales letter length of just 1.8 pages, whereas unprofitable sites had letters averaging 2 pages. Contrary to popular belief, shorter ad copy proved to be more effective.This finding challenges the conventional wisdom touted by many famous copywriters who swear by long copy. However, the study was thorough, and the evidence was clear: shorter copy correlated with profitability.
Reflecting on a similar study I conducted in June 2002, which focused on click-through rates, I found that shorter anchor text resulted in higher click-through rates on average.
Faced with this new data, I pondered whether to revise my approach. After spending countless hours crafting lengthy 10-13 page sales letters and optimizing every paragraph with Glyphius, could I really condense them based on these findings?
Admittedly, I was skeptical. I needed more evidence before making such a significant change. I suspected many would feel the same way, needing reassurance that the study's results were valid.
Then it hit me?"I could use a different dataset to validate the findings without extensive additional research. Clickbank provided the perfect opportunity. Their marketplace ranks sites by profitability, offering a loose but useful dataset.
I started with the Money & Employment category on Clickbank, known for its profitability. I checked the first 10 sites, noted their page count using "Print Preview," and graphed the data. As expected, the original findings were confirmed: as profitability decreased, the length of sales copy increased.
I repeated the process in the Marketing & Ads category, often frequented by those of us selling to each other. The results mirrored the first set, reinforcing the conclusion.
Convinced by the evidence, I revised my own sales letter for Glyphius.com, reducing it from 13 pages to under 3. The new version clearly explained the offer, included the price upfront, and eliminated redundancy. It’s the type of page I would want to order from.
Reflecting on why long copy became a staple among copywriting "gurus," it seems somewhat nonsensical. My most successful ad copy has always been short. For instance, after 9/11, I sold 340 gas masks in 24 hours with a simple ad: "Gas Mask: $235" with a purchase link. No lengthy sales letter needed.
When I sold my Jaguar last year, a brief newspaper ad sufficed: "2005 Jaguar, 10,000 miles, excellent condition, $53,000" with contact details.
The same goes for real estate and high-ticket seminar seats. Why do we feel the need to write a book-length sales letter for a $20 ebook? Who started that trend, and have they reconsidered?
From now on, I’ll focus on delivering concise, effective sales letters. I’ll highlight the product, offer a guarantee, include a customer testimonial, and provide an order link. If the average profitable sales letter is just 1.8 pages and shorter than the unprofitable ones, that's all the convincing I need.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Long Copy Sucks And Other Heresies.
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