Well we do get asked this a lot and if I’m totally honest, the answer is’ they each have their place’ But what exactly is it that determines the length of a webpage when it comes to conversion. And what determines the length of the page to being found organically in the first place.
The purpose of this blog is to give you the information and arguments for both, so that you can make an informed decision about the website page you are designing and building. Follow these simple thought process to make your ultimate decision and this will be a really strong and valid basis to start from.
Think fold of the page
Now, this is a term referred to by designers and UX experts as to what content, CTA’s etc. is seen without any scrolling at all. It essentially means the top of your screen. Now the really important stuff needs to be in this kill-zone. This is your first point of focus for the user as the page loads so consider carefully what content goes on this area.
Think Conversion
It’s pretty clear that short pages convert better. This of it like an enclosed checkout on an eCommerce website. The less you see, the less choice you have giving you more of a chance to engage the user the ultimate ‘BUY ME’ button.
Think User
So, back to the point of the user. And to touch on my last point about CRO. You should never underestimate the users roll in this process. It’s them that count, it’s them that ultimately make the buying decision. It’s them that are basing all their decision on your work as a UX designer.
Put yourself in their shoes, what would they like to see and how much would they like to read. Often, more text, to make it visually pleasing requires more pictures. Is this necessary? Like I said. Put yourself in the mind of the user.
Think load times
To refer back to the previous point about more text means more images, remember this creates a longer page with the likelihood that it will take longer to load. Load time will, of course, affect conversion too.
Think Search Engine Optimisation
Many factors that result in the ranking position of a particular web page in terms search, its often said that the more words you can write on a particular product or service, the better. That is true, however, you do have to consider the user.
If the user is buying a £9.99 product, do you need 3000 words to describe it. Probably not..
If you’re selling a £9,000 car then maybe you do need more by way of technical specification, quality, optional extras etc.
Now the more you competently write, the more you look like the expert in a subject and the more believe it looks, not only to the user but to google in the first place to get you ranked.
Always think Conversion rate Optimisation So in short, know your stuff, do your competitor research and choose content length wisely. And if you’re just not sure, then there is always Conversion Rate Optimisation to fall back on. Just something to think about. If fact, something that you should be doing anyway.
If you’re interested in optimising your current site or creating a new one then contact the experts. At Fifteen, we have spent years designing, creating, and smashing complete digital marketing solutions.