The best length for a blog post is exactly 426 words. Scratch that. Any article you read that tells you that your blog post should always be a certain length is truly oversimplifying the idea. There is not a standard length for blog posts; there are, however, guidelines to follow that can help you determine what the length should be based on your topic and audience.
Initially, the recommendation was for blog posts to be between 400 and 600 words. Recently, however, blog posts have been getting longer, up to even 2,500 words. According to a study done by Orbit Media, the average number of words for blogs written in 2017 was 1,142. HubSpot stated that their best performing blogs were more than 2,000 words long.
So, what makes some blogs perform better than others, when it comes to length? It turns out that the length of the post itself is not as important as the length of the paragraphs and the placement of images and graphics within the blog itself. Below are several tips on what to think about regarding your overall length of your blog as well as regarding the length of different elements within it.
1. The overall blog length should vary depending upon your topic and audience.
The first thing you need to do when deciding upon the length of your blog is to determine the primary audience to whom you are speaking. Are you writing to people who are going to be interested in a more detailed post, or are you conveying more general information to an audience who will likely want to skim the post and move on? If your audience would prefer something more detailed, then you should have a longer post. Otherwise, a shorter post is likely preferable.
In the same way, many topics require a more detailed and longer post. For example, if you are writing a “how to” blog about how to properly edit an image using specific features in Photoshop, a more detailed, and therefore lengthy, post is necessary. However, if your blog is simply discussing a new iPhone feature that is simple and easy to understand, a shorter blog will suffice.
2. The length of the paragraphs within your blog post matters.
It is recommended that you keep your paragraphs short and simple. Search Engine Journal recommends that you try to keep your paragraphs to about 3 sentences when possible.
3. Your sentences should not be overly lengthy.
Just as you should keep your paragraphs short and simple, sentences should be short and sweet as well. A study done by CoSchedule found that the best length for a sentence is about 25 words or fewer.
4. Inserting images and graphics helps to break up longer blog posts.
If you are writing a post that will be longer than 600 words, it is highly recommended to insert photographs and other graphics to break up the information. In the study done by CoSchedule, the findings showed that top ranking posts contained an image about every 200 words. This same study showed that a clickable Table of Contents also helped blog posts to get better rankings.
So, rather than focusing on choosing the perfect number of words for every blog post, focus on tailoring the length to your topic and audience. And, regardless of the overall length, keep your paragraphs and sentences short and sweet. If you are writing a longer post, be sure to insert images and graphics to keep the content interesting.
If you are interested in learning more about perfecting your blog posts or want help learning how to create effective content, contact the experts at VisionPATH Marketing. We are happy to help, and consultations are always free!