The Tyranny of Attention Span

Our attention spans are shrinking faster than a polar ice cap on a hot summer’s day. In today’s digital world, we’re bombarded with content, and it’s important to capture your audience attention. It’s all about audience engagement when it comes to Electronic Digital Communication (EDM).

Your newsletter is competing against a barrage of emails, social media notifications, and the allure of endless internet rabbit holes. With short copy, you instantly grab the reader’s attention and deliver your message before they lose interest.

Respecting Your Reader’s Time

Nobody likes to feel like their time is being wasted. Long-winded newsletters run the risk of feeling like a chore to read.

Short, punchy copy shows respect for your subscribers. It demonstrates that you value their time and can deliver your message effectively.

Skim-Reading is King

Most people won’t savour your newsletter word-by-word as if they’re enjoying a fine novel. They’ll skim. Short copy empowers skimmers by allowing them to quickly grasp the main points.

Bold headlines, subheadings, and bullet points further enhance readability. It’s about efficiency, not a word quota.

Focused Messaging

Short copy forces you to be laser-focused on what you want to convey.

You must ruthlessly cut away any fluff or tangents. This ensures that your message is clear, concise, and directly relevant to your audience. Every word counts, leading to a higher impact.

Increased Click-Through Rates (CTRs)

The ultimate goal of a newsletter is often to entice the reader to take action – visiting a website, making a purchase, etc.

Short, actionable copy encourages that click. It doesn’t overwhelm people with information; it makes them curious to learn more through the desired call to action.

Mobile-First Optimization

More and more people read newsletters on their smartphones – devices not built for lengthy dissertations. Short copy is inherently mobile-friendly, making it easier to read and digest on the go.

When Does Long Copy Make Sense?

There are exceptions to every rule. Sometimes, long-form newsletters are warranted:

  • Highly Engaged Audience: If your subscribers eagerly anticipate your content, you have some leeway, but don’t make it too lengthy.
  • Complex Topics: When your subject matter demands in-depth explanation and can’t be simplified.
  • Storytelling: If you’re using narrative storytelling to establish a brand voice, long copy may be appropriate.

Key Takeaway

Short newsletter copy isn’t about dumbing down your content. It’s about respecting your audience, distilling your message to its core elements, and increasing its readability and impact. In a world of information overload, brevity is your friend.

An open rate of 30% is the industry standard, so if your email campaigns are reaching above this figure you are doing well.

URL Media and Marketing can create your next email campaign, for a very affordable rate. We already offer this service to a few of our clients, and we produce engaging monthly newsletters with an average open rate of 70%. Call us today to find out how we can help you target your audience.

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