30 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
30 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

1 long sales page is better than several pages. Is it true or a myth?

by ikuret75
25 replies
When I first learned about IM (mostly for info products), I was told not to split a sales page into several pages. Put all the information into 1 long page. Not to have any outbound link in the page. (except TOS or privacy policy or things like that).

I learned it as an "proven fact", meaning that a lot of people already tested it to be true.

Actually, my sales page for my product is 1 page and really really long, and it is selling well. So I never doubted it.

However.

I recently knew about the "Fat Loss 4 Idiots" product.
And I heard it was selling REALLY well (over a million dollars??).

If you go to the site, it is divided into 4-5 pages and one page is relatively short, and you are to click "next" to go to the next page.

This is something exactly what I was told NOT to do by many marketters (directly or indirectly).

What do you think about this?

Is "A long sales letter is better" a myth?
Is this site I mentioned exceptional?
Or do you think this site would sell more if they had one long letter?

Want to hear your opinions.

Thanks
#long #myth #page #pages #sales #true
  • Profile picture of the author williamrs
    I think that both methods can perform well if used properly. Most products use only 1 long sales page, but there are a few successful Clickbank products using several short pages, such as Fat Loss 4 Idiots and Fat Burning Furnace. So I don't think that's possible to say which one is better.
    Signature
    Steal My Profit Strategy



    >> Download Now <<
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070321].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Louise Green
    I think it really depends on your niche.. different groups are influenced to buy in different ways.

    In IM, I think the long sales page works very well.. you're controlling the sales process, giving them as few options as possible and while some people find them annoying, there is no doubt that they work.
    Signature
    IMPORTANT MESSAGE: I'm currently on vacation & will answer all messages when I return - Happy Holidays!!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070326].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Everything is a myth, and can be readily disproven when under the right conditions.

    Never assume that someone else's tests can tell you what you ought to do with your product.
    Signature
    "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070331].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Louise Green
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post


      Never assume that someone else's tests can tell you what you ought to do with your product.
      You've hit the nail on the head right here.
      Signature
      IMPORTANT MESSAGE: I'm currently on vacation & will answer all messages when I return - Happy Holidays!!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070351].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author ikuret75
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      Everything is a myth, and can be readily disproven when under the right conditions.

      Never assume that someone else's tests can tell you what you ought to do with your product.
      While I agree with you 100% I actually was "forced" to test having shorter sales pages when adowords slaped my site. Then my conversion dropped a lot. I just splited my letter into 3-4 sections, but the users stopped to click "next" somewhere. (I don't deny the possibility that I splited my letter at the wrong places though)

      So from my experience too, a long page worked better.
      (Im not working on IM niche)

      I know every theory can be proven against it on certain conditions, but I wanted to know for this site there are some reasons behind it you could think of why they are choosing this way rather than a long one. (e.g. weight loss niche has something to do with it etc)
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070394].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Aira Bongco
    You will be better off doing your own split testing.

    Here's how:

    1. Create 2 salespages - 1 long page and 1 multiple pages
    2. Promote - you can use any promotion method that is compatible with your niche. But do not promote one more than the other.
    3. Track - see how well each page converts by the proportion of amount of traffic received with actual sales.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070387].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author ikuret75
      Originally Posted by airabongco View Post

      You will be better off doing your own split testing.

      Here's how:

      1. Create 2 salespages - 1 long page and 1 multiple pages
      2. Promote - you can use any promotion method that is compatible with your niche. But do not promote one more than the other.
      3. Track - see how well each page converts by the proportion of amount of traffic received with actual sales.
      Yes I have done that (or had to do that) and a long one worked way better.

      What I'm asking here is more like a general rule or your opinions.

      In general, is a long page better? (why?)
      If so, why some sites are selling very well with short pages?
      "Why" did the site choose short pages than a long page when most info product sites have long sales letters?

      I wanted your opinions about these and by thinking those "why"s we can (or I can) learn (that's my humble opinion) and it is the reason why I asked the question.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070415].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
        Okay, so here's my analysis of short/long pages.

        The average long page is "chunked." It has different purposes at different places. You have a big hypey intro. You have a story. You have a bulleted list. You have some testimonials. You have some screenshots. You have your bonuses. And so on, and so forth. It's really sort of a Frankenstein's monster of copywriting efforts. And because it can be as long as you want, you can make all the pieces as long as you want.

        The average series of short pages is a single coherent element. It starts at the beginning of a story, and goes to the end. Every time the viewer clicks "next," it's because he wants to see what happens... next. And the entire time, you're leading him to the buy decision which will come at the end. But because you must keep the reader's attention, each section of the story has to fit in a small enough area that he never has to scroll.

        Now, if you try to take a series that performs well, and you combine all the pieces into a long-form sales page... it won't work, because you only have a single coherent element on the page. And if you try to split up your long page into a series... it won't work, either, because you've got disjoint and arbitrary elements that don't lead properly into one another.

        Basically, they're two entirely different approaches to writing copy - like a feature film as opposed to a television miniseries. You can't try to make one the same way you make the other, but either can work.
        Signature
        "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070810].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author ikuret75
          Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

          Okay, so here's my analysis of short/long pages.

          The average long page is "chunked." It has different purposes at different places. You have a big hypey intro. You have a story. You have a bulleted list. You have some testimonials. You have some screenshots. You have your bonuses. And so on, and so forth. It's really sort of a Frankenstein's monster of copywriting efforts. And because it can be as long as you want, you can make all the pieces as long as you want.

          The average series of short pages is a single coherent element. It starts at the beginning of a story, and goes to the end. Every time the viewer clicks "next," it's because he wants to see what happens... next. And the entire time, you're leading him to the buy decision which will come at the end. But because you must keep the reader's attention, each section of the story has to fit in a small enough area that he never has to scroll.

          Now, if you try to take a series that performs well, and you combine all the pieces into a long-form sales page... it won't work, because you only have a single coherent element on the page. And if you try to split up your long page into a series... it won't work, either, because you've got disjoint and arbitrary elements that don't lead properly into one another.

          Basically, they're two entirely different approaches to writing copy - like a feature film as opposed to a television miniseries. You can't try to make one the same way you make the other, but either can work.
          Thank you very much.
          I learned a lot here.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2071697].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Tonio Smith
    Long Copy dose in fact convert good for a lot. But the thing is "you need to test for yourself" always test for yourself nothing is proven till you prove it to yourself.....

    It was a long time for me to come to this understanding.....

    ClinTonio
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070627].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    are we talking about Fat Loss 4 Idiots / Weight Loss and Diet Center ? I wanted to see what you were referring too.

    If so, I like what they are doing. Breaking down information into 4 categories and pages.
    Signature

    I'm all about that bass.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070836].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    The "trick" to making a series of short pages work is to end each page with a leading thought that forces them to click through to find the answer. For example:

    - End with a question that they will want to learn the answer to.
    - End just before the climax of a story so they have to click to see how it turns out.
    - End with a promise to reveal a secret.

    And so forth. This format doesn't fit everything, and it's harder to pull off unless you're good at creating leading comments.

    The question is, does it really work? You decide...
    Signature

    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070857].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jasonmorgan
    I have learned something today, thanks.
    Signature

    I'm all about that bass.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2070902].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Mr. Subtle
      I've always thought a sales letter like this would have been worth a test:

      test

      (The page is from a few years ago.)

      .
      Signature

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2071704].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Harlan
        Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle View Post

        I've always thought a sales letter like this would have been worth a test:

        test

        (The page is from a few years ago.)

        .
        I'm actually thinking a different multi-page model would be more effective today.

        Your direct mail roots are showing.
        Signature

        Harlan D. Kilstein Ed.D.
        Free NLP Communications Course at http://www.nlpcopywriting.com
        http://overnight-copy.com
        Get Fit In Four Minuteshttp://just4minutes.com
        Learn how to build a Super Site Without SEO http://supersiteformula.com

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2071707].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Jag82
          Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle View Post

          I've always thought a sales letter like this would have been worth a test:

          test

          (The page is from a few years ago.)

          .

          Originally Posted by Harlan View Post

          I'm actually thinking a different multi-page model would be more effective today.

          Your direct mail roots are showing.

          Hmmm...this topic is very timely.

          I'll be writing one for a sub niche within
          the self improvement field (offline seminar).

          I'm really curious which method will pull better.

          Will definitely be sure to test both out.

          - Jag
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2072613].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Johnny12345
        Originally Posted by Mr. Subtle View Post

        I've always thought a sales letter like this would have been worth a test:

        test

        (The page is from a few years ago.)

        .
        I don't like the simulated page-flipping in the example, but Andre's website is probably the BEST example of a multi-page, online sales letter that I've ever seen.

        Regards,

        John
        Signature
        => Need A Persuasive Sales Letter? Click Here...
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2073479].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Ross Bowring
          Originally Posted by Johnny12345 View Post

          I don't like the simulated page-flipping in the example, but Andre's website is probably the BEST example of a multi-page, online sales letter that I've ever seen.

          Regards,

          John
          Andre's one heck of a writer. Been following his work for the longest time and I'm always impressed.

          --- Ross
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2078780].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author GuerrillaIM
    For some products I am prepared to read a long sales letter. If it is a service or a process then I am happy to read from start to end or scan read. Or if the subject is completely new to me and I don't really know what I am looking for.

    If I am buying a piece of software then I tend to hit the back button if I see a sales letter. I want to see the features, price, guarantees, support options. If the site doesn't have these easily broken up into different pages it doesn't match my thought process for buying software and I look for an alternative that does. If I cannot find a better alternative I may return to the sales letter.

    I think you can never say one or the other works better across the board. It depends who is buying your product and what they are looking for.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2071724].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author davemiz
    yup.... andre's site (marketing bully) is gangsta.

    i'm thinking from testing and from spying on sites, the multi-page ones work best with cold (paid) traffic...

    most of the sites mentioned, get their traffic via affiliates and paid sources... so its gotta convert for them.
    Signature

    “Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.”
    ― Dalai Lama XIV

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2073464].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    It's already been covered but I'll break it down into the actual meat. If you advance your pitch properly and put the righ cliffhangers at the end of each page your prospects will have no other choice but to click forward.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2073709].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    I think it was Mark Joyner that started teaching this back in his Aesop days. The biggest drawback is that the prospect may not keep clicking the links. Once you have them reading your sales message, do you really want to give them a choice of whether to click or leave?

    Leaving is, of course, always a choice, but you'd better be a pretty compelling copywriter to offer them places to pause and decide if they want to keep reading.
    Signature

    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2074465].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    I did something interesting yesterday.

    I put up a product with a sales page that had no copy on it.

    It's a headline, a picture, a subhead, and a "Buy Now" button.

    Everything except the button is just a copy of the ebook's title page.

    Then I pointed some people at it, and they asked questions.

    I answered them.

    So far about 20 of them have bought the product.

    Now, here's the fun part... they're telling me what to write in the copy.

    Every time someone asks me a question or mounts an objection, I get a real data point from a real person about something they really want to know.

    And because I haven't asked, it's an honest representation of what they want to know.

    You know that thing about products - find out what people want, and then give it to them?

    Why not do that with the sales copy, too?
    Signature
    "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2077146].message }}

Trending Topics