We have all been there. You’re reading a blog post and you come across a sentence that’s so long, it takes up the entire paragraph or even two paragraphs. Or worse, how about when you get to the end of the article and find out that only one or two sentences are actually relevant?
It can be frustrating! So how many words is a good blog post? In this article, we will go over some best practices on how to determine the appropriate number of words for your blog content!
What makes up a good blog post?
A good blog post has a compelling introduction that solves a reader’s problems and includes keywords. It also has headings to break down the topic into manageable sections, with subheadings when necessary. The content is structured in paragraph form for easy reading of each point.
It is also helpful if you include an action item at the end of every section, such as what they can do next or what resources are available for them. Keywords should be sprinkled throughout your text so it will show up higher in search results on Google and other search engines but not too many.
Good blog posts have links that point both internally and externally so that your reader can learn more about the topic. You have to make sure that these links aren’t too affiliate heavy because if they’re all pointing to one company’s products it will look spammy.
It’s important not only to link back up with articles on your own blog but also external sources. Wikipedia or even Facebook pages related to what you are talking about are helpful to you so readers don’t feel trapped in just an online silo.
What is the purpose of a blog post?
A blog post, which is part of a content marketing strategy, generally has two main purposes. Blog posts offer commentary on a topic and what they may feel strongly about or have something meaningful to say, which can often come from personal experience.
The second purpose is to provide helpful advice for those who are looking for answers but don’t know where else to go.
Many people find blogs easier than reading academic journals or textbooks that might not apply directly to their everyday life. This in turn gives the writer of the article some power over what information will be most useful for readers.
What style and tone of voice the blogger should use when presenting their material should also be considered.
The reader should be engaged in what is being said and feel that they have a voice amongst others who might read the post.
What should you consider in a blog post?
The most important thing to consider when writing for your blog is how much content it should have. In order to figure out how many words are ideal for your content, remember that it really depends on what you want your readers to take away from reading it and how much attention they will give each paragraph or sentence.
For example, if you want your reader to get information and take action as well then it’s helpful to include more instruction with each point made in your paragraph. However, if your goal is to fill up space without providing anything substantive, stick with shorter posts.
How many words is a good blog post?
A well-written and interesting 500-word article will get better results than an unfocused, poorly researched 1000 word article.
Just because it’s easier and quicker to write more words on your topic instead of researching for high-quality information that could otherwise take days or weeks to discover doesn’t make you an expert.
You have to be knowledgeable about the topic of the blog because there are people out there that will believe what you are writing.
An article that is too short might not have what a person was looking for and they will feel unsatisfied with what they read.
This could mean that you didn’t go into enough detail or answer what they wanted, which in turn means someone might stop reading halfway through because of boredom or if there’s a lack of engagement on their part (such as being able to relate).
On the other hand, an article may be too long such that people won’t bother finishing what has been written out of frustration. This can also happen if the reader is trying to find something specific within your article that doesn’t seem relevant anymore by the end making them lose patience when trying to find what you’re talking about from one section all the way back to the beginning.
The age and level of education of the reader matter as well. However, not every person with higher levels of education enjoys reading long-form content due to their focus being elsewhere such as people working full-time.
This means that those who have less free time than others might want shorter posts that take less time to complete rather than spending hours trying to get through something like a 3000+ word piece on a given topic.
So the correct number of words in a post depends on finding the perfect balance of not being too long or short. You wouldn’t want a reader to get bored or quit halfway!
Conclusion
The point of writing blog posts often comes down to what you want as an outcome. The goal can depend on what type of audience you are trying to attract, whether it is their personal thoughts or those seeking advice from strangers online.
So the length of what makes up a good blog post will also vary depending on what someone wants from it because not everyone has the same purpose for blogging.
The perfect post length is hard to pinpoint, but as long as you stay within the blog’s theme and make sure your content stands out from all other posts on the site, then there really isn’t a set word count.
In general, though, it is best not to stray too far into either direction of being either too short or too long. Your readers will appreciate knowing that they don’t have to invest an hour in reading your article.
Super points here. Focusing on the outcome for the post gives you the proper word count. Rocking post.
Ryan
Thanks, Ryan, appreciate the comment man 🙂