Long sales pages vs. Short

IMHO short pages work better, for me if i see a page that scrolls too much i usually just close the page.

It all depends. Sometimes long copy will out pull short copy sometimes not.

Just wondering how "long" is long and how "short" is short?

Incorporating video can also increase conversions and there are a lot of companies doing just that ( in combination with short copy).

Example 1--> Here
Example 2--> Here
Example 3--> Here

I can't be certain but I'm reasonably sure long copy was tested against short.

Here's a site that uses short copy with very little video. If you look through the site you'll see that their courses have a pretty high price point.

Example 4--> Here

Finally, if you want more info on items that affect conversions look through the case studies here--> Marketing Experiments

Hope this helps and remember that other peoples results are not your results. There are industry best practices but it still comes down to doing your own testing.

Kevin

Scott,

Just because the production costs for those video are huge doesn't mean yours needs to be.

I'm not debating the merits of long copy vs short. I'm saying that you need to test and base your business off of your results instead of assuming that one will out pull the other because that's what everyone hears and repeats.



Yea, most of the products on clickbank have longish copy but clickbank is not the only market.

Many marketers have success with short copy. That might go against the "rules" but sometimes rules are made to be broken.

Take a look at the CPA offers. Take a look at some of the sites outside of IM/MMO. There are plenty of sites selling high priced products that use short copy.

As a marketer I don't deal in absolutes.

If A tests better than B --> A wins

If B tests better than A--> B wins

Again I'm not against long copy. In your tests it might always out perform short but that doesn't hold true for everyone and every situation.

If the OP believes that shorter copy will pull better it really doesn't matter what you, I, or anyone else thinks. Once he tests he'll have his answer.

Kevin

I've often wondered about this myself. I know that as a copywriter, my clients generally want more rather than less.

As someone who reads a lot of copy and occasionally buys something, I have to say that purchasing can be a very idiosyncratic thing for me.

So many factors come into play - what mood I'm in, how desperate I am for something, how much value I perceive a product or service has and how much money I have (which may often have the strongest influence!).

I tend to buy stuff from people whose names have already registered in my memory bank, whether as a result of having been endorsed by another 'known' person or whose article or blog I've read and considered good value. In other words, I rarely buy from someone completely 'unknown' to me.

So much of the copy I read (and am asked to write) are so predictable. We're all following the same formula and format. I haven't read a copy in the last 12 months which has struck me as really original/different, apart from one that I did for one of my own services .

The more I think about it, the more I realize that when I have purchased something, it's been because I had already been looking for something like it, in which case I've read the salescopy to check that everything was in order rather than to be inspired or motivated by it.

If anything, the more loud, booming calls to action there are, the less likely I would have been to purchase from that provider.

I am on a number of mailing lists (something I am going to cull quite ruthlessly) of a number of Internet gurus. Almost all the copy I get from them have a time-sensitive component "This will only be up for the next 72 hours" or "I cannot promise you that this will be available for much longer because seats/copies are already being snapped up like they were going out of fashion" blah blah blah.

Those are the ones that really turn me off. I much prefer to be motivated by the love or desire for a product/service than by the fear of missing out on it! Sheeze!

And while almost all copy will have the predictable 'rags to riches' or 'dull to enlightened' story, there are the occasional copies I get that use more unusual anecdotes and that arrive at the punchline in a little less predictable way.

In such cases, I don't care how long the copy is and can even feel sorry when it ends! Those ones I do enjoy and I actually look forward to purchasing from their providers when they have a product I want at the price I'm willing to pay.

I don't know how typical I am as a customer but, as far as I can tell, this seems to be how it works for me.

And in case it isn't obvious, no, I don't know which ones are better - long or short sales pages

I've been away for a while...WOW. I know this is an age ol question, but it's intiguing that a majority of the responses have had better results with short pages with a video. Yes, it absolutely has to be "non-boring" either short or long.

This is just my opinion and experience. I use alot of video, get right to the point and use stories and quick but powerful stories or anolgies that paints a crystal clear image that anyone listening or reading can understand.

Also I've found that just being yourself and being authentic on a video earns the trust of people rather quickly...especially if you share your failures or hard times and the lessons that you learned. It's called EXPERIENCE...and then provide a solution that you can whole heartedly promote and enthusiatically or passionately share in confidence will help your customer.

People can sniff out B.S. real quick in any copy, but on video it's rastically intensified...

Whatever works best...go for it.

Just my opinion here...but I look at my own first reaction when I visit a page on something that I'm interested in but see that there is an enormous sales page right away.

That's why I kind of use a hybrid...I use my best info, bullet points, etc... on a small to medium size initial page...that will give them just enough to visit my main site that is loaded with all the details.

Just works for me and I've done several tests and this strategy always comes out on top.

I think things have changed because LONG INITIAL sales copy has been used so heavily over the last 5 plus years, it can have an initial or even subliminal negative effect because of over use. I just think people are relieved a bit to initially arrive at a site that is to the point and especially not hyped up with overused rediculous claims, but down to earth and reasonable and authentic claims. It's better to over deliver later on!

I also see so many sales letters that are immediately trying to sell in the beginning of a letter. The customer will be salavating to buy a product if you simply just share all of it's benefits...they will sell themselves. You simply just invite them the opportunity to buy at the end...that's when you can pull out all the stops and sell AWAY!

Again...Just my experience!

Scott

I think Product has a BIG factor in it,

I prefer short, as a creator and buyer.

1. I'm not the greatest at copy writing
2. I don't like reading lots on sales letters,

For me, if it's some kinda of software or templates or whatever the case, if it's a short video that outlines exactly what your getting, the user is either going to buy it cause it's useful to them, or they are not.

I hate long sales pages. I would buy only after reading the testimonial other people..that's it. probably the other love long sales pages..tough to say!
But i love short pages. i have no need to pass huge time to buy a product.

Thanks