Short vs. Long Content Posts: Which is Right For You?

Short versus long blog posts: which is better? Some sources such as Backlinko say that the average piece of content that ranks on Google is 1,900 words in length. They and others agree that writing longer copy allows a topic to be covered more completely, helps your blog stand out from the crowd and emphasis the importance of the topic being covered.

Long copy proponents say that the average user only reads 20% of each page because they are looking for a specific piece of information. In long form copy the addition of pics, stats and additional headlines make the content skimmable for the reader and actually gets them to read more.

Of course, the opposite side of the table points out that you should keep your posts short, because after 375 to 750 words you risk losing your reader's attention. The average post on WordPress is just 280 words in length. Although many of these will never rank high on Google, wildly popular marketing blogger Seth Godin is famous for short, daily posts that get shared. Some of his posts are less than 60 words.

From my point of view short is better. Generally, as a reader I don't have time to skim long content posts and as a blogger I don't have time to write long posts. If readers want more info on a particular topic, all they have to do is Google it. My work is done when I bring it to their attention.

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