Other than “how frequently should you blog,” another key question I get asked quite often is “what’s the ideal length for a blog post?” It’s a great question, so let’s get into it.
How Long Should a Blog Post Be, Ideally?
I don’t have a straightforward answer for you, but let’s consider a few factors.
What available time and attention does your reader have?
My own rule of thumb when it comes to blog length is to think about your reader first and foremost. Are they likely to engross themselves in a 2,000+ word article and hang on every word? Or do they have busy lives and need smaller, digestible nuggets of advice?
In many B2B spaces, and here in the 2020s, I’d say most people fall into that latter camp.
What information do you need to impart?
Some content is fairly straightforward and won’t need a great deal of word count. Other content needs more room for detail and elaboration. Other kinds of content may call for a spot of playfulness, and the odd tangent here and there.
The amount of information you need to communicate – and how you intend do it – will all affect your word count.
If you have a short but sweet blog post that is little more than 500 words (which is largely considered to be the absolute minimum) then leave it at that. Or if you’re creating an ultimate guide that answers all possible questions and leaves no stone unturned about a topic, feel free to take up a couple of thousand words.
“But so and so says it needs to be X number of words…”
Sadly there is no absolute golden rule out there. Anyone who gives you a set number is simply giving you their opinion. I recall a time online when the experts were quoting word counts all the way up to 3,000 words!
Even as an avid online reader, my eyes would start to glaze over before I get to that point! Thankfully the going advice around word count has shrunk a little since then.
The best way to put this is probably feel free to take up as much space as you need to say what needs to be said.
Gimme That Magic Number!
Consider the above practicalities first and foremost, but I know you likely want a nice, neat number to take away.
Modern content experts state that blog posts should be anywhere between 1,000 and 2,500 words. Personally, I think there’s a sweet-spot around 1,500-2,000 words.
Why? Because I think that gives you enough space to share something useful, something of real value, without expecting too much of your readers’ already busy lives and stretched attention spans.
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[Note: This video was originally filmed in a shorter format back in 2018. This version has since been expanded, edited, and refilmed.]
