How long should your website copy be? (Make your words count!)
Your web designer wants you to cut back on the chit chat for readability.
You also want your pages to rank highly on Google.
How else will you sell your stuff?
Here’s the thing: the optimal length for the copy on your business website doesn’t just hinge on SEO and design.
After all, you’re looking to connect with human beings and show them why you’re their service provider match-made-in-heaven.
Let’s talk about the key factors you need to focus on for effective website copy that connects and converts.
Is a shorter web page better for optimal SEO?
When it comes to SEO, a web page should be at least 300 words long.
This is because Google tends to classify anything below 300 words as a low quality or insufficient answer to the question searched.
How many times have you opened a web page in your search results to find a scant, surface-level answer that didn’t take time to reach the complexity of your question?
Often? Me too.
Google understands that an adequate, well-researched, or well-explained answer to any question takes more than 300 words.
And it’s not just about quantity but quality too.
Just like in this post.
If I told you to simply write over 300 words, without covering the non-SEO-related components of a compelling web page, I would be doing you a disservice.
Your type may be black and white, but your topic never is.
But while Google’s top results tend to be pages around the 2000-word mark, this is not a green light to write woolly words!
Focus on clarity and character over word counts
With any writing, the most important aspect is purpose.
Do you know what you are aiming to achieve with this page? What do you want your reader to learn, think about, feel, act on? Where do you want them to go next?
Depending on your business and the specific page you’re writing, this will vary. And so too will your word count.
While your home page will tell people what you do for whom and why it matters to you both…
your about page will set the scene for the energy you bring to your work, the mission you’re asking your client to join, and the outcomes you could achieve together.
Let’s face it: whatever your purpose, 300 words is not enough.
So, does that mean a longer sales page will have a better conversion rate?
Not always.
How long is too long for a sales page?
Knowing your purpose is a great start as it allows you to think about expectation.
What are you expecting from your audience on this page?
When it comes to a sales/landing page, the more time, energy, financial commitment you’re asking people to make, the longer your page will be.
The role of copy is partly to educate (how many of your visitors already understand the benefits of your work and have applied them to their situation?)
And it’s also partly to sell (how many of your visitors hit the page card in hand and ready to buy?)
What is the level of expectation on your part and commitment on theirs?
Are you asking them to invest hours of their time and thousands of dollars in a mastermind?
Then, you’ll need to:
show you understand their challenges and frustrations
address any hesitations and answer their questions
introduce your unique skills, talents, energy and experience
paint an evocative visual story of their experience once they’ve invested in your services
provide some social proof
At least. This requires more than a few key words.
Are you asking them for their email address in exchange for a free video resource?
That’s not a big ask, so less copy needed.
There you have it: 300 words is a minimum for SEO with between 1300 and 2000 being the sweet spot to achieve your purpose and keep your reader’s interest.
Let’s not stop there.
More important elements to consider than word count.
1. Make every word count.
“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” - Thomas Jefferson
Spend as much, if not more, time editing as you do writing. Keeping people engaged means cutting to the chase and doing it in style.
So make sure your ideas are not repetitive, your sentences are not redundant, your words are not generic.
Where you can, write a little and mean a lot.
2. Clarity beats creativity in copywriting
“The finest words in the world are only vain sounds if you can’t understand them.” - Anatole France
Avoid making your copy “sound good” with poetic titles, rhyming, and fancy phrasing.
People need to understand your meaning first and foremost. This may mean using more words, examples, specifics.
Force your brain to get real and relatable.
3. Write intriguing above-the-fold copy
“Hard writing makes easy reading.” - Proverb.
Nobody will read your web page if their first impression is fluffy. Take the time to understand your messaging and purpose for each page you write to lessen the cognitive load for your audience.
Above-the-fold content is what people see at the top of the page before they scroll down.
It’s arguably the most important part of the page as it tells your reader whether this page is relevant, worthwhile, and different what they’ve seen before.
When someone lands on your home page, for example, they will be interested in knowing
· What you do excatly
· Whether they could benefit from it specifically
· How they could benefits and why that matters
4. Organise your page
“Any fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-and a lot of courage-to move in the opposite direction.” - Albert Einstein
Spice up your pages by varying the lengths of both sentences and paragraphs.
Use headings and subheadings to direct your readers’ attention and encourage them to keep going ( as well as to bring in your keywords for SEO)
Your page will also be easier to read with
· Sections
· White space
· Bullet points
· Images
· Features
· CTA links and buttons
No matter how long your web pages are, using these tricks (together with the right copy, of course) will help readers stick around and take action.
5. Write from the heart
“People think I can teach them style. What stuff it all is! Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of style.” - Matthew Arnold
There is a difference between knowing what to say and having something to say.
Dare to be different. Find the courage to add your character to your pages. Share your vision of the world, your quirks, your values. And of course, write in a way that sounds and feels like you.
If you can bring across your communication style and the passion you have for your work in your words, your reader will be more likely not only to stick around to read it but to connect to you in the process. Your energy matters.
Find the words to welcome your audience warmly into your world
Now that you know how long your web pages should be (and other factors that matter waaay more!), you may be wondering about lightening your creative load.
I’m a copywriting coach and messaging mentor who profoundly cares about getting more female voices into the online business world.
I don’t believe in outsourcing your words or the energy of your brand presence. It should all be you and feel great to you. I can help you write copy to attract more like-minded clients to your work, create more meaningful connections with them, and share what makes your business uniquely awesome to invest in.
Let’s work together to fill your website with copy that connects and converts. Let’s make your time and effort count.
Book a call to chat here.
