Nothing inspires as many strong feelings in a copywriter as copy length. Both sides of the table argue for or against snackable missives and plated-sized prose.
But “Which is better?” isn’t the question to ask. Instead, ask whether every word served a purpose in making the copy effective.
Become a word connoisseur
Now more than ever, we’re up against tiny attention spans. Pair that with a sea of content on the web, and you’re challenged to make sure every word counts.
If your words aren’t contributing structure, keeping pace, or engaging the reader, cut them out. Doesn’t matter how long your copy is in the end, because no words were wasted.
Here’s how to trim the fat. Ask yourself:
- Is your hook immediate?
- Does your copy engage any of the five senses?
- Is pacing strong from start to finish?
- Have you identified the reader's problem?
- Have you solved it?
W.W.R.D?
- Put word count on pause
- Review copy word by word and judge how each contributes
- Slash the filler
About Kristen Dahlin
Kristen fell into content marketing between Disneyland gigs and Hawaiian weddings. With a few years of SEO-fueled freelance under her belt, she wandered into tech. That winding path eventually landed her as a founding team member of BRIL.LA.