In our last blog post, we explored the ideal length of a web page. What about a blog post? Is there an optimal word count you should shoot for when writing a new post?
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to content length. The best advice we can offer will be unique to your company and goals.
Of course, by looking at the general purpose of a blog and what a good post can do for your business, we can offer some tips that apply to most everyone, regardless of industry or company size.
Blog Post Basics
The purpose of a blog can be different depending on the company, the type of audience, and also the subject of the blog — all of which can help determine the ideal length of a blog post.
But what is that sweet spot? Does a particular length do better over another?
Perhaps you check out the blog of your local doctor and see a blog post about muscle pain listed as a ‘2 minute read.’ This 300-500 word article could be appealing as a great resource if you are experiencing muscle pain symptoms and eager for relief. When time is of the essence, short and sweet is the way to go.
However, if you are a student collecting research to write a final paper on ‘the effects of muscle pain on the body over time,’ that quick 2 minute read may only be good for a quote from an expert in the industry.
For a substantial blog post to be effective, the author should shoot for a minimum of 1,500-2,000 words. Of course, this can change due to the audience or topic based on the example above.
For the most part, longer blog posts rank higher when it comes to SERPs.
What are SERPs?
SERP is an acronym for “search engine results page.”
When searching a site like Google, the list of websites that come up for the viewer is the SERP. How this works is through keywords. When a user is searching, they will use keywords or specific phrases to gain a more direct search.
A longer blog post, chock-full of quality content, has a better chance of containing some of these keywords compared to a “2 minute read” post.
SERPs also have a huge connection with SEO, or, search engine optimization, which ideally provides a search result that is direct and helpful for the user.
Why Bother Blogging, Anyway?
A blog is where you can dive deep into a topic relating to your company. Use it to your advantage to promote what you do or present information that is related to what you do.
Where content pages on your website should be brief and hit the important highlights, a blog can be more thorough.
That said, do not stress too much about the word count. Instead, evaluate whether you have made your point clearly and effectively. If you have said what is relevant and you have made it your own and it only reaches 1,000 words, publish it. Good content related to relevant topics will support good SERPs.
Blogging can be time-consuming, depending on your business, which is why our team is at the ready to write your blog content whenever you say the word. Contact us today to get a blogging plan in place for your business!