Do This Not That Marketing

Yesterday I wrote a very short blog post—about a hundred words. It was what I wanted to say, all that I felt I needed to say. I could have added filler, but why? It might have made some SEO algorithm happy, but would it have made you happy? Would it have made me happy? Probably not.

There are a lot of people who claim to have the answer about how long a blog post should be. I’m not convinced there is one right number. There are good reasons for having long, short and in-between blog posts, so my best answer to this question is to have a combination of all types of posts.

I use the Yoast SEO plugin (which is great) and it tells me that my blog posts should be around 300 words or so. I can do that. But sometimes my posts are 1500 words or so, sometimes 100. My goal is to write informative and, as often as possible, engaging blog posts. Because I’m here to serve you.

So here’s what I recommend:

1. Short Blog Posts

Keeping blog posts short is great for readers who have short attention spans and to update your readers on something exciting. Bite-sized content is great to read while waiting in line, at the doctor’s office, or when your reader has a short break. You get to the point quickly, so they can move on to your call to action.  

Types of short posts:

* Curated – You collect the content you think is relevant that your audience should look at, and write a short blurb or intro to the content.

* Product/Service Announcements – These don’t always need a long post. You may just say that the service is available or that the product has good reviews, and link to where they can buy it (which is often a longer sales page).

Many people are very successful with this type of blogging. A real proponent of short blog posts that get right to the point is Seth Godin and no one can deny his success.

To read Seth Godin’s blog, click here.

2. Medium-Length Blog Post

This is the type of blog posts many gurus swear by. You’ve likely heard it before and the thing is, it does work. Writing blog posts between 300 to 700 words long is considered fairly standard for the industry. Some blogging platforms actually suggest keeping blog posts to no more than 600 words because you’re being too long-winded and perhaps off topic if you go longer. That may be true in some cases. Confining your writing to a certain word count can help you stay focused.

Types of medium blog posts:

* How To – This type of blog explains how to do something that is very singular. Sometimes it uses images to get the point across.

* Informational – Sharing information with your readers is often done in the medium-length blog post. It’s a good length to transmit information without going overboard.

Most blog posts fall into this category. Nothing is wrong with that. These posts are the perfect length to tell a story, share information, and include a call to action – while including enough keywords without overwhelming the readers. HubSpot.com is a huge proponent of the medium-length blog post. Many people only use medium-length blog posts to great success.

3. Long Blog Posts

Another type of blog posts that some experts swear by is the “long-form” blog post. This is a blog post that is more than 800 words long. These types of blog posts are often seen as more authoritative and the fact is, they are excellent for SEO. Google respects authority pages more than niche blogs with thousands of short pages of content. Therefore, creating some longer posts, even up to 3500 words, can be great for your audience and search engines.

Types of long posts:

* Case Studies – These by definition need to be long because you’re telling a story about something that is more in-depth. Case studies that are too short will not tell the whole story. People love knowing as much as they can about other people’s lives and stories.

* Annual Reports – If you have a large enough business that you can (or would like to) create an annual report, posting it for reading on your blog is an excellent way to put content that will interest your readers. They definitely want to know how you’re doing.

Neil Patel, founder of KISSmetrics, is a lover of long form blog posts and it works for him and many other bloggers. However, it’s important to stay on topic, not deviate or change subjects, and be able to actually write well enough to keep the interest of the reader.

All of these types of blog posts are important to have on your blog. If you have a mixture of the different lengths of blog posts, and more importantly ensure that each blog post has a reason for being on your website and is targeted and relevant, you’ll see good results from all three types of blog posts: short, medium and long.

How long is your favorite kind of blog post (if you have a favorite)? Would you rather I wrote shorter or longer blog posts? Please comment and let me know. Like I said, I’m here to serve you.