The debate over whether long emails or short emails perform better has been ongoing in email marketing for years. With the rise of platforms like TikTok, UberEats, and lightning-fast deliveries from Amazon Prime, it’s easy to assume that people don’t have the attention span for long emails anymore.

But here’s the thing—it’s not that simple.

As with most things in digital marketing, it depends.

The reality is, both long and short emails have their place. In fact, limiting yourself to just one style could be doing your business a disservice. Let’s break it down:

Advantages of Short Emails

Short emails have a few distinct advantages that make them an appealing option, especially in today’s fast-paced world:

  • Quick and easy to digest: Short emails get straight to the point, which is great for readers who are short on time.
  • Better for mobile users: Let’s face it, most of us are reading emails on our phones these days. Shorter emails are easier to read and engage with on smaller screens.
  • Higher click-through rates: By being concise, short emails can encourage more immediate action, whether it’s clicking on a link or making a purchase.

Advantages of Long Emails

On the other hand, long emails also have their own set of benefits:

  • More room for storytelling: If you need to build a relationship or tell a compelling story, long emails give you the space to do that effectively.
  • More value and information: When you’re dealing with a complex product or service, longer emails allow you to provide all the necessary details without leaving anything out.
  • Better for complex products: Long emails are often preferred when your goal is to educate and nurture your audience rather than just pushing for a quick sale.

So, Which Is Better for Your Campaign?

The answer is—it depends on your audience and your goals.

There are a few factors to consider when deciding whether to go with a short or long email for your next campaign:

1. Audience Preferences

Your audience’s preferences are a crucial factor in determining the optimal length of your emails. Do they prefer quick updates, or do they appreciate in-depth information? One way to find out is to dive into your data. Check your open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates for both short and long emails to see which resonates more with your audience.

2. Complexity of Your Product or Service

If your product or service is relatively straightforward, a short email might do the trick. But if your offering is more complex, a longer email might be necessary to provide enough information for your audience to make a decision.

3. Goal of Your Email

Is your goal to drive a quick sale, or are you focused on nurturing your audience? For a quick sale, a short, punchy email might work best. For nurturing, a longer email that builds trust and provides value might be the way to go.

4. Device Usage

Consider how your audience is accessing your emails. If most of them are reading on mobile devices, shorter emails may be easier to engage with. However, if they’re primarily desktop users, longer emails might be just fine.

Our Experience with Both

At Flowstate, we’ve sent tens of thousands of emails in all shapes and sizes. We’ve seen the power of both short and long emails in action, and here’s what we’ve learned:

  • We’ve seen skincare brands skyrocket their click-through rates with snappy, to-the-point emails.
  • On the other hand, we’ve crafted long-form email series for tech startups that increased their average order value by 28%.

The Secret? It’s Not About Length—It’s About Value.

Whether your email is 50 words or 500 words, what really matters is the value you’re providing. Keep your emails engaging and valuable without cutting out any of the good stuff. Also, pay attention to formatting—spaced-out, well-structured emails are easier to read regardless of length.

And remember, the only way to know what works best for your audience is to test, test, test. A/B test your email lengths and let the data guide your strategy.

Optimising your email length is just one piece of the puzzle. To truly unlock the full potential of email marketing, you need a comprehensive, data-driven approach. That’s where our State of Flow system comes in.

State of Flow is our signature 5-step process designed to transform your email marketing into a powerful revenue engine. It covers everything from strategic planning to implementation, including finding the perfect email length for your unique audience.

Want to See How State of Flow Can Boost Your ROI?

We are offering a complimentary State of Flow Strategy Session to the first 5 people who respond to this post. During this session, we’ll:

  • Assess your current email marketing performance
  • Identify your biggest opportunities for growth
  • Outline how State of Flow can be tailored to your business
  • Provide a roadmap for implementing high-impact email strategies

Curious about the real-life results of State of Flow? Check out our case study on how we helped Grand Cru achieve a 1,664% ROI using this system. Read it here.