The Art of Copy Length: When Less Is More
Saleem Rana, MS
?? Direct Response Copywriter | Story-based Marketing | I'll Help You Tell a Better Brand Story! | Stop Selling, Start Telling | SEO Content, Sales Copy & Ghostwriting | ?? DM Me to Get Started
Let me tell you something that might shock you: I've seen big-ticket sales killed by copy that was just too damn long.
One of the biggest mistakes I see copywriters make is saying too much. They ramble on, explaining every feature, addressing every possible objection, and drowning their prospects in a sea of words until the poor reader gasps for air and clicks away.
But here's the truth: Copy is never too long if the reader takes the action you request. The real problem isn't length—it's engagement. When your copy fails to keep your reader sliding down that slippery slope toward your offer, that's when you've written too much.
The Costly Mistake of Overwriting
This mistake happens in two ways:
1. First Draft Syndrome: Many writers pour everything they know onto the page, creating a bloated first draft that never gets properly trimmed down.
2. Fear of Missing Something: The anxiety that if you don't address every possible feature or objection, you'll lose the sale.
Both lead to the same place—copy that exhausts rather than excites.
The Solution: Ruthless Editing
The magic happens not in what you write, but in what you cut. Here's my proven process for creating lean, mean, selling copy:
1. Write that messy first draft: Get everything out of your system. Don't worry about length or quality—just write.
2. Walk away: Put your copy aside for at least a day. This "incubation period" is critical for gaining perspective.
3. Return with a machete: When you come back, ask yourself with every sentence: "Is there a simpler way to say this?" Very often, you can cut your copy down by 50 to 80 percent and still say the same thing.
4. Eliminate "that" words: Look for unnecessary words like "that," which can often be removed without changing meaning.
5. Combine sentences: Short sentences are good, but sometimes combining related thoughts creates better flow.
6. Remove unnecessary preliminaries: Phrases like "Finally, it is important to note that..." can be completely eliminated.
7. Get a fresh pair of eyes: Have someone else review your work—they'll catch things you've become blind to.
The Fog Index Test
Want to know if your copy is too complex? Use the Fog Index:
1. Take a 100-word sample from your copy.
2. Count the number of sentences.
3. Divide the total words by sentences to get the average sentence length.
4. Count words with three or more syllables.
5. Divide long words by total words to get the percentage.
6. Add the average sentence length to the percentage of long words.
7. Multiply by 0.4 to get the grade level.
The lower the grade level, the more readable your copy. For most products, aim for a 5th to 8th-grade reading level.
When to Be Brief, When to Be Long
Remember that old saying about women's skirts? "Copy should be long enough to cover the essentials but short enough to make it interesting."
Use shorter copy when:
Use longer copy when:
In the end, it's not about word count—it's about writing with confidence. Every sentence should pull your reader deeper into your message, building desire until they can't help but respond. As you edit, remember: You're not writing to impress. You're writing to sell. And sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is simply get out of your own way.
The Rhythm Method of Persuasive Writing
Great copy has a rhythm to it—a cadence that pulls readers through your message like a current in a river. This rhythm comes from varying sentence length deliberately.
Start with a short, punchy sentence. Follow with a medium-length explanation. Then deliver a longer, more detailed sentence that expands on your idea. Return to a short sentence for impact. This pattern creates a natural breathing rhythm that keeps readers engaged without them even realizing why. It's the same technique that great speakers use to hold attention during lengthy presentations.
The 7-Second Headline Test
Your headline has exactly seven seconds to grab attention before most readers move on. The most powerful headlines pass what I call the "So What?" test. After reading your headline, if your prospect can say "So what?" and move on, you've failed.
Instead, write headlines that create an information gap—revealing just enough to trigger curiosity but not enough to satisfy it. Headlines like "The Unusual Secret Behind Warren Buffett's Fortune" work because they promise specific, valuable information but require reading further to obtain it.
The Danger of Clever Copy
One of the deadliest traps for copywriters is trying to be clever or creative at the expense of clarity. I've seen brilliant creative concepts that won awards but sold nothing. Remember: Your prospect doesn't care how clever you are. They care about what you can do for them. Clear beats clever every time when it comes to conversion rates.
The One Reader Technique
When editing your copy, imagine you're writing to just one person—your ideal customer sitting across from you at a coffee shop. How would you explain your offer to them? What objections would they raise? What questions would they ask?
This mental shift transforms your writing from broadcasting to a faceless crowd to having an intimate conversation with someone who needs your help. The result is copy that feels personal, relevant, and compelling.
Final Thoughts
If your reader has to work to understand your message, you've already lost them. Every sentence should be immediately comprehensible on first reading. This means:
Legendary copywriters have long since discovered through decades of testing: the clearest message almost always wins, not the cleverest or most eloquent.
When you master the art of saying exactly what needs to be said—no more, no less—your copy transforms from an obstacle into a pathway that leads directly to the sale.
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