Copywriting Decoded: When to Go Short and When to Go Long

Let’s talk about words – and how many of them you really need.

Here’s the truth: The average adult in the UK reads at a 9–11-year-old level.

It’s why the Government Digital Service (GDS) writes all content on GOV.UK to suit that age group. It’s also why simple, clear, and easy-to-scan content tends to work.

Add in the fact that attention spans on social media are around 8 seconds, and you’ve got the ultimate copywriting challenge: say what you need to say – quickly and clearly.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

Short-form copy is (you guessed it) short.

Think:

• Instagram captions

• Facebook posts

• Ads on the Tube

• Website blurbs

• Promo emails

It’s built to grab attention. To get the click. To get someone to do something.

Long-form copy is longer. It gives your reader more to chew on

Think:

• Blog posts (like this one)

• Email newsletters

• E-books

• White papers or reports

Its purpose? To connect, engage, entertain. To deepen the relationship with your reader.

So, what do you choose? Short? Long? Something in-between?

The answer’s in your audience. It’s in your goals. And most of all, it’s in your voice – and how it meets your reader where they’re at.

Because great copy doesn’t just sound like you. It sounds like them, too.

My advice? Don’t overcomplicate.

Don’t try to impress with big words or abstract ideas.

Be consistent. Be conversational. Be clear.

Learn the art of stretching and shrinking your message without losing your meaning.

Need help deciding what your message needs – or shaping it to sound just right?

I’d love to help.

Get in touch today and take a look at my copywriting services for how I can help you get it just right.

Fiona 🖋️

P.S. The reading age of this blog: 10 years old (and that’s a good thing!)