How Long Should a Blog Post Be? Here’s our Answer
Imagine for a second that the Internet is a sea of over a billion websites.
500 million of them are blogs. And there are dozens of reputable blog hosting platforms that account for a large segment of the blogging industry.
As a result of these platforms, blogs have become more accessible to visitors, creators, businesses and organizations.
But simply writing and publishing a blog post does not guarantee you will reach the right audience.
In the context of content marketing, it is important for brands to understand the mechanisms behind every text and how Google sets the standards for high-ranking content.
The length of a blog post, for example, can decide the success or failure of the piece.
So if you’re now wondering how long should a blog post be, don’t worry. We are about to cover all of the following topics:
Is There an Ideal Blog Post Length?
Some content marketing experts suggest that 1500-2000 words are the ideal length of a blog post.
However, many companies and brands stick to shorter blog length guidelines (500-750 words) so as to honor a specific element of their marketing strategy.
Ultimately, the ideal blog post length depends on the characteristics of the persona, the purpose of the strategy, the type of content, and other elements.
It’s all about what is best for your business — in other words, what will better respond to your potential buyer’s questions when they first arrive at your content.
If the answer can be written in 500 words, great. Do that.
But if you need a robust guide to cover all of the different aspects of a topic (a guide that will be more complete than what your competitors have on their sites), then you should invest in a lengthy text.
The Ideal Blog Post Length Depends on These Factors
There are many factors that can influence the quality and the reach of a blog post. We’ve listed some of the most common influences on the length of a blog post:
1. Niche or industry that you are targeting
Some markets may require more explanatory texts, but others don’t.
2. Buyer persona
What type of content do they want to read? What they may be seeking at the level they are at professionally? Do they prefer shorter or longer texts?
3. Stage in the buyer’s journey
Some content is better than others for each stage of the buyer’s journey.
Shorter blog posts, for example, make more sense in the awareness stage, at the top of the funnel. On the other hand, longer blog posts can really work in the decision phase.
4. Search intent
The search intent of users involves a systematic approach to building content and a complete awareness of how consumers think and what invokes action on their part.
Maybe their intention with a search is to read a 3000-word text; maybe they have a question that can be answered in a couple of paragraphs.
5. Keywords
Keywords can dictate the length of a blog post.
If you’re writing a text with the keyword “digital marketing”, it’s pretty much impossible to rank high with a short piece of content.
But if your keyword is something specific like “what is a URL sug”, then a 1000-word post is fine.
The Benefits of 500 Words Blog Posts
There is a high volume of 500-word blog posts across the internet because this is an effective marketing tool for emerging businesses and brands, and for brands that seek to offer answers to very specific questions.
This blog post length produces answers to more direct and simple questions, too (like “Is bold text good for SEO?”).
While 500-word blog posts have a lower search volume, they also face less competition, which can be valuable for brands.
Some companies use a 500-word blog post to highlight their brand’s history, mission, goals, and products and services.
Others may highlight very specific keywords or create a more localized SEO strategy.
A blog post of that length doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, but it should serve as reinforcement for a brand and a creative way to communicate with its audience.
The Benefits of 1000 Words Blog Posts
It’s important to be thorough, and this can’t always be accomplished in a 500-word blog.
The 1000-word blog post serves to answer questions that are simple, yet require a bit more detail (for example, “Big Data for freelancers: know the apps that can help you”).
With a more in-depth and detailed writing, a blog length of 1000 words allows you to cite sources and delve into topics more comprehensively, supporting your content even more.
This kind of blog post allows for greater authority. Writers can dig deeper into research and thought leadership materials that support their purpose.
Often, keywords within a 1000-word blog post wouldn’t have worked with just 500 words.
Marketers and brands can utilize this length to offer technical content that’s been adapted to specific personas, too.
The Benefits of 2000 Words Blog Posts
When your brand requires complete, in-depth and detailed content, a 2000-word blog post is the ideal length.
For example, “What is SEO?” is a topic with a high search volume and highly sought-after keywords.
In this case, 2000-word blog posts may contain a guide or large lists.
This blog post length examines all factors that influence a readers’ decision to visit and then continue to read the content.
Consumers are faced with an influx of information that claims to be reliable, but chances are very specific readers will build trust in content that is produced at this length provided it offers value in the form of research, data and analysis.
The reader doesn’t want to have to work too hard, especially given the length of the blog post, so it’s important that a text of this length is first and foremost of the highest quality.
Wrap Up: So, How Long Should a Blog Post Be?
While the concept of blogs can seem simple, it is crucial to dedicate time and resources to understanding how successful blogs maintain their rankings.
If you’ve previously had success with a specific blog post length, consider this for future publications.
But, don’t be intimidated by experimenting especially as you build your domain authority and content library.
Besides the length of the blog posts, remember that producing original content and on a regular basis will help to create consistency within your teams.
If you are looking for inspiration and how to effectively reach your target audience, check out this content on how one of our blog posts generated R$2 million in revenue.
