Don't Let'em See Such a Small Vertical Scrollbar Button

In order to sell online, you'd want your potential customer to
read your page until the link to the order form is reached.

First, you need a good compelling headline and you don't want
any distractions like links to other pages, especially above
the fold. But there's one detail many copywriters overlook:

Many computer users have observed that the size of the vertical
scrollbar button is inversely proportional to the length of the page..

You've read many times about how long copy outperforms short copy.
but how long is too long? "Am I gonna have time to read all this?"

People who can afford to buy what you are selling, are generally
busy people. Time is nagging them. They really don’t like spending
lots of time reading lots of pure sales rhetoric. When the button
on the vertical scroll bar looks like a tiny horizontal rectangle,
your readers might do one of three things…

<> scan down the page to get a glimpse and idea whether this is worth reading.
This is the reason why you use subheads, illustrations, and other devices used
to keep readers interested. They serve to re-stimulate interest in the main
subject matter of the page. They also give an outline of what your page is
all about.

<> scroll down to the bottom to see the price or postscripts.
If this is something high priced, the reader might balk for lack of
justification of price, having not read the main contents of the page.
<> bookmark the page to look at it later. Chances are good he’ll forget about it.

The reader would likely do this if there are “huge chunks or gray” meaning
long paragraphs without subheads. You need to break up your copy with subheads!

Besides, people tend to read slower on a computer screen.
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"Reading text on the Web is a lot more strenuous. You may not think so,
but it takes about 25% more energy when you read something off your
computer screen than if you have it on a piece of paper."
Jack Graziano - President, PageSmith, Inc.
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Why some pages come out too long and what you can do about it.
Writing style: Some writers, particularly if they're college educated,
tend to be verbose. They use five words where three will do. They also
use a lot of big Latin derived words.

Try using more basic English words, and avoid using too many adjectives.

Besides copy, I also write articles and ebooks. When I'm done writing,
I always go back a pass or two to "trim the fat" and find myself simplifying
lots of sentences, getting rid of lots of words in doing so.

Too many details: Many copywriters start with a smashing headline and
engaging lead paragraphs, but then they ramble on telling their personal
stories, the history of the company, the science behind the product,
elaborating on numerous university research studies,etc.

Keep the customer in focus and make sure everything closely relates to the
customer's problem and the solution you are offering. Remember the adage,
"What's in it for me?" Don't wander off course.

A good copywriter should know the audience and have a clear idea what
a typical individual in that market understands. Sure you might want
to explain things which some readers might not understand.

Put these in click-up windows - small browser windows that appear like
a popup when you click on a link.

Explaining everything in detail directly on your page will make your copy
too long and likely too boring.

Items like testimonials and quotes from reliable sources should be placed
in outlined tables known as "Johnson Boxes" so they appear distinct
from your main body text. The reader can easily gloss over these and
continue reading your main text.

I've seen pages with as many as twenty testimonials, one after another
in line with the main copy. Select a few and place them strategically
so they will be relevant to what's in your body copy at a particular spot.
If you have lots of testimonials, make a side bar (margin) to the right
or left of your main text. A good many readers will be impressed seeing
lots of testimonials off to the side whilst reading your copy.

Conclusion: After you finish writing your page, close your editor and open
your page in your browser. Maximize your browser window. If the vertical
scrollbar button is less than a square (instead of a vertical rectangle)
your page could use some serious reworking.

There is a click-up windwo development kit you can download for free from
Articles for Marketers and Copywriter

You will see the full version of this article, with links to good,
effective-length page examples as well as examples of pages that are too long.