As a general rule, blog posts should be around 1,500 to 2,000 words, but the right total length can depend on many factors. Whether you are just starting out or trying to grow your business blog, you should know that word count can have a real effect on reader engagement.
Let's look in more detail at the different types of blog post and the word count to aim for with each.
Short form or long form: is longer really better?
Unfortunately, the answer is: it depends.
Frustrating as that answer may be, it is true. When you write a blog post, the content and word count should depend on:
- Topic: your blog post can only be as long as the information you can find on a topic. If your topic is more niche, there may be little information to write a complete article. For example, someone writing about why pineapple is the best pizza topping may not find as much material as someone writing a list of the best pizza toppings.
- Audience: as with the topic, think about the audience you are writing for. If you run a food blog trying to persuade people to switch to a gluten-free diet, you will need to give more information on why a gluten-free diet is better than the freedom to eat bread. In this particular example, you might decide to write specifically for people who know little about gluten-free eating. Whether or not to go deep on a topic therefore depends on how well you know your audience.
- Goal: start your blog with a clear goal in mind. What you are trying to achieve helps you decide how far to go: from touching on a topic briefly to being seen as the expert who goes into every detail.
- Competitors: as in sport, where your blog posts rank matters. Find out what your competitors are doing to rank highly in the SERP and build your articles with similar tactics, including the length of articles on a similar topic.
Length by type of blog post
The type of article you are writing can also set the word count from the start. This can vary (and it does), but here are some of the most common blog posts and their typical word counts:
- Update posts: if you want to tell readers about changes in your company or put your staff in the spotlight, you are writing a news or update post. This type of post doesn't usually need much detail, so it will run to about 400 to 700 words.
- Informational content: informational articles are the typical posts you find on a blog, including listicles and SEO-optimised content. These are among the longer pieces, at around 1,000 to 1,500 words.
- Pillar pages: pillar pages are the core of your blog and often link to other pages and articles. Because they hold a large amount of information, pillar pages are often the longest type of post to write, around 3,000 words a page.
- How-to guides: how-to guides can be among the most entertaining content, depending on the topic. Whether you are writing an article on how to improve your Spanish in 30 days or a step-by-step guide to B2B outbound, aim to cover the topic in around 1,500 to 2,500 words.
5 steps to help you find the right words
Now that you know how many words to write, are you ready to put it into practice? Writing an article can look easy, but finding enough words to fill a page without sounding bland can be hard work. Have a look at these steps (the same ones we followed to write this article) to get off to a good start:
1. Do your research
You can't write an article without knowing the topic. It may sound obvious, but it is tempting to start writing what you already know and hope the words will come. It is better to do all the research you need first. This will give you a good idea of the main points to cover and the best keywords to use, which makes the writing easier.
2. Write an outline
Now it is time to plan the structure. You can build an outline while you research, but be careful not to copy the structure of another article. Pick out the points that stand out to you and give the headings your own spin. It can also help to plan in advance how many words to give each section.
3. Set the content structure
Varying the structure of your content can make writing (and reading) more enjoyable. The topic can even shape how the content is structured and laid out on the page. For example, if the question you are answering needs a simple answer, bullet points can make the content easier for readers to follow.
4. Pay attention to formatting
As with the content, varying the shape of your sentences makes reading more interesting. A long run of short, disconnected sentences can be off-putting, and too many long sentences are tiring. Reaching your target word count with some variety also makes the job more enjoyable for the writer.
5. Focus on value
Hitting your word count is a milestone, but make sure every sentence you write adds something. In other words, don't write for the sake of writing. A post that is 75% filler will be abandoned by a reader looking for information on that topic. Even if you have all the right SEO keywords, the words around them matter too.
The advantages of writing longer blog posts
Whether you want to rank higher in the SERPs or increase the time readers spend on your content, posts with a higher word count can help.
1. Increase time on page
Longer posts can increase the time readers spend on a page. The time between clicking a result and returning to the search page is called "dwell time", and many SEOs treat it as one of the signals linked to rankings in Google's SERP, although Google has never confirmed it as a ranking factor.
Longer posts will keep readers on your page if they contain quality content. And that is the point: you still need to provide interesting, informative content that satisfies the user's search intent. Otherwise, it doesn't matter how long your post is.
2. Improve SERP rankings
Writing longer blog posts won't by itself help your content rank in the SERPs, but it gives you more room to create well-researched, complete, quality copy that draws readers in, keeps them on your page and brings them back for more.
Longer posts also make it easier to include more key phrases naturally: you don't have to worry about stuffing the text with keywords (which readers notice, because it makes your content feel forced and clunky) in just 300 words.
3. Promote your brand
Producing complete content is a good way to present your brand as a reliable source of information and a leader in its field. It takes time, research, expertise and effort to create long, quality copy that satisfies search intent.
Should a blog post always be long?
Optimise your content for your niche and your market. Consider these points to decide whether you should write longer posts or whether shorter posts can still get good results:
- Search intent: how can your content satisfy the user's search intent? Can you answer their question fully in 500 words, or do you need 2,000 to give them all the information they need?
- Sector: what is your market? Some sectors need more detailed descriptions of products and services than others.
- Content type: the kind of content you produce also affects the ideal word count. A press release or a news piece can be 400 to 600 words, while how-to guides and pillar pages can run to 2,500 or 3,000 words to be effective.
- Buyer persona: think about the different types of buyer persona. A methodical buyer will want to take the time to explore a topic and feel fully informed, while a spontaneous buyer may want to get straight to the point and prefer a shorter text.
- Buying stage: the length of your blog post may vary with the buying journey. A short post can satisfy the user's intent when the buyer is at the top of the funnel, while longer, more informative posts can be more useful to buyers at the decision stage.
Tips for writing longer, sharper blog posts
Add these elements to your web copy to produce strong content every time:
- Do some keyword research and then optimise your copy with a mix of high-volume and long-tail keywords, spread evenly through the text.
- Know your target audience so you can meet their intent. Who are you writing for? Does a formal or a more conversational tone suit them better?
- Proofread and edit your posts. Good grammar is the basis of well-written content. It shows professionalism and adds authority to what you write.
- Stand out with a strong brand voice. Your competitors are probably writing similar content, so you need a way to make your take on a topic distinctive, more authoritative and more useful than any other site's.
- Work with specialists to build the best possible page. Well-written content only works if readers have a good experience when they visit your page. Create an attractive, clean, simple layout that keeps readers on the page and doesn't distract them.
Get expert help creating high-quality blog content
We know that finding valuable content and reaching a sufficient word count for your blog can be hard work. At Visilay we offer full SEO services that include creating and optimising content.
Together we can improve your blog's rankings. Get in touch for a tailored SEO proposal for your business.
