Deciding what is important on a home Page
Depending on the website, the home page should contain a few key elements. One of the most discussed is the copy. Not the design, the functionalities or the content, but the copy because this is also something where you want to invest time, attention and even money.
There is no discussion that all these go hand-in-hand and the key to a successful website is their perfect balance. However, sometimes we don’t pay enough attention to words. We are browsing through texts, messages, images and we no longer realize how all that information stuck to our minds or how we got to take action.
The big question out there has always been whether on a home page the copy should be short or long and the answer will never be uniquely valid. It depends on several factors because the copy is the one selling your website, making a good impression and counting in the decision-making.
When is long copy useful?
It is good to write more copy when you need to explain in detail the answers to users’ concerns. This is mainly useful when the copy wants to influence a potential customer to take an important decision but he has a handful of doubts. In this situation the answer to more objections might clarify the dilemma and reassure that there is no reason to worry. Whether the concerns are related to the price of a certain product, the security of the service or to the utilities, a longer copy could shed light over their objections.
The general tendency is to think that people don’t read online, because they are only scanning the content of a website without paying closer attention to all the words. However, if we think from a personal point of view, we always read what interests us most so the trick is to identify the interests of the target to be able to address the correct message in the right size.
When short copy comes in handy
It is clear that a longer copy has its perks when more information and clarification are required, but when the intent is to convince someone to take action, is a different story. There is no need to let yourself carried away because just a few words could convince people to subscribe to a service, to register or to be part of your audience.
Using few appropriate words in the right context might benefit a home page more than a longer text especially if visitors don’t need to be convinced about a product or to purchase something.
No matter the one you chose, we shouldn’t underestimate the audience, because they do read if something appeals to them and they will take action once something catches their attention. The focus should be on getting to know the target and your market before deciding on the length of the copy.