Short Summary Question

[jentypist]

Is it allright to include the word count in the short summary? One of my articles is pretty pricy, because it's 1700 words. I figure if people see that, they might not bypass it because of the price. I think the word count should be among the first items they see.

[Word Gypsy]

Hi! I have included the word count on occasion, but I can't say that it had any effect on the sale of the article.
So, my guess is that it is perfectly fine to include it. I've seen others do it as well. Good luck with your sales!

[Ed]

Customers can see the word count. I would imagine this is the one of the first things they look at, anyway. They need content that fits what they're looking for. Personally, I think it's not necessary to include it in the short summary. Short summaries are intended to give customers overviews of the content and not include information that's already available elsewhere on the form. For example, I reject submissions that simply repeat title information.

Sorry, WG. :)
Ed

[jak]

But you don't see the word count until you've clicked on the article. I think that's what the poster was getting at. And if it's a lengthy article, that justifies a higher price, so it might be worth taking a look. It still depends on what the customer is looking for, though.

[jentypist]

That was my concern. Can they not see it at the top where the price is? I guess my concern is them seeing the price before they see the word count, and then dismissing the article. I'm not clear on the message: is it not allowed to regularly include the word count in the short summary?

[Elizabeth Ann West]

There's no rule against word count in the short summary, I even try to tie mine in with the summary on occasions such as:

This 750 word look at sprockets details how sprockets are made, how they differ from widgets, and where are the best places to find sprockets at low prices. This is a great article since the annual sprocket festival is coming up.

The saleswoman in me tries to sum up my article and then also give a reason for a buyer to think they need it. :)

Always Smiling,
Elizabeth Ann West

[jentypist]

Since I've gotten some conflicting answers, Ed, can you verify that my article won't be rejected automatically if there's word count in the short summary? Thanks everyone for your help.

[jentypist]

And if it's not being done already, maybe have a feature where the word count is shown first without the reader having to scroll down?