Introduction - and question about long copy

I have been in marketing and web development for over a decade, and though I regularly participate in a number of online forums, this is my first visit to ebookfriends.com

I have a virtual product.  (PDF / audio / video).

Seems to me that the best way to build a site for this would be to create a small "mini-site" with long copy. However my experience is in bigger and more robust sites (ecommerce, brochure-type multi page sites, directories etc.)

There is much debate about whether long copy or short copy - perhaps because people who don't like it, don't end up using it. But internet marketers who swear by it's success would obviously never stray. So maybe a lot of the negative opinions aren't based on experience.

So back to my question ... does it not make sense to have a long-copy web site when there is only ONE product to sell? And if so, should I be worried about the people that "come to the site ... slide down to see how much ... laugh ... and leave".

I would think if they are genuinely interested they would actually READ the page (or listen to the MP3 if it's offered.)

OR is it pretty much always viewed as snake-oil?

Yes...and no. Depends on who is reading and how the long copy is constructed. Is it scanable? (Different than skimable.) If so, a reader can quickly scroll the page after being hooked with a great lead in title.

Short copy (IMHO) is for loose change items--like candy at the check-out line. It strikes at the emotional impulse and negates facts. Long copy on the other hand has an emotional trigger that is supported by facts.

It is not an all or nothing thing. As the Internet evolves our skills as users also evolve. For example take how your own skill has evolved doing searches on Google or whatever seach engine you use. Over time our skill of ascertaining whether a web page fulfills our needs also improves.

Would it be appropriate for me to ask specific feedback on my  site then?

I don't want to appear "cookie-cutter" but still want to get the right amount of information, with scannable copy.

*Flashy* site. Layout, graphics and writing are good.

If you are using Ad Words to pull customers to your site the only thing I question is the music. (I was on the phone when your site opened and the music was a bit disconcerning. I can only imagine what it would be like if someone in an office came across your site or someone with a nearby napping child (a lot of work-at-home moms these days.)

If you are depending on organic search engine results...well...you probably already know there isn't much traffic to any of the pages except the blog page. Another issue is that once someone has visited your site they have to go through the intro page on every visit. Many of the sites that still use an intro page (they have lost their popularity because of poor search engine  results) at least drop a cookie so the visitor doesn't have to endure a second go-around with the intro.

The feeling I get is that you've done a lot of video and/or print/graphic work. The Internet has shifted the focus from capturing a consumers attention (lights...sound...action) to immediately letting a site's visitor know how the site will solve their problem.

P.S. If you want to improve your site's search engine results spend some time reading about SEO.

Regarding the question about how long your copy should be, don't look at it this way - instead think in terms of a typical sales letter structure.

You need enough copy to accomplish the following"

1. Attract your reader and pull them into the first paragraphs of your sales letter

2. Re-create the pain they are experiencing - creating a sense that you really "GET" where they are emotionally.

3. Establish credibility through case study, credentials, testimonials, accomplishments, or any other way you can

4. Briefly - tell them about your solution and why it's unique which leads directly into....

5. Benefits! And lots of them

6. Guarantee

7. Your Offer

8. Final compelling benefit in teh form of a P.S.

This is largely the structure of all successful sales letters - of course there are techniques to improve design and layout as well.

Concern yourself with having all these elements, without any filler and you will have the right length of sales letter.  

My answer will be test it both! Long and short.

If long is good (in term of profit) then use it. If short is good, then use it.

---

---

Quote: from Storyman on 3:18 pm on Feb. 7, 2007[br]Hi GinGin,

*Flashy* site. Layout, graphics and writing are good.

If you are using Ad Words to pull customers to your site the only thing I question is the music. (I was on the phone when your site opened and the music was a bit disconcerning. I can only imagine what it would be like if someone in an office came across your site or someone with a nearby napping child (a lot of work-at-home moms these days.)

If you are depending on organic search engine results...well...you probably already know there isn't much traffic to any of the pages except the blog page. Another issue is that once someone has visited your site they have to go through the intro page on every visit. Many of the sites that still use an intro page (they have lost their popularity because of poor search engine  results) at least drop a cookie so the visitor doesn't have to endure a second go-around with the intro.

The feeling I get is that you've done a lot of video and/or print/graphic work. The Internet has shifted the focus from capturing a consumers attention (lights...sound...action) to immediately letting a site's visitor know how the site will solve their problem.

P.S. If you want to improve your site's search engine results spend some time reading about SEO.

(Edited by Storyman at 12:19 pm on Feb. 7, 2007)

---

Okay ... you're talking about our main site  Which actually is in re-development right now.  There's a limit to the indexing because part of the site was written in flash.

The new site of course doesn't have a flash intro page (that was developed in 2002 or so, and it is very dated!)

Here's the kind of site I mean:

Why is all of the text centered? IMHO it makes it amateurish.