How long should our posts be
Before you commit to the length of a post or determine an optimum posting length. Pause for a second. You can say a lot of relevant things by focusing on content in short form messages!
Writing long form copy can't be done in a vacuum. If you do, it requires a method to dispense your content sensibly preferably a bit at a time over several days.
If you find yourself in he following trap, you've already lost!
Lets get ourselves put out there meaningfully fellow WAers!
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I think it depends on the subject, and what other forms of communication you use, like images and videos.
Most of my posts are between 500 and 1,000 words. I never just keep putting meaningless words in to get a word count up though.
I haven't gotten brave enough to write a post yet but I have trouble because I have always been taught to keep things short and to the point...(that was hard for me to learn since I am very "long-winded" or "wordy" as some say)...after I got used to keeping it to "just the facts Jack" way of doing things..I am being told everything is content, content, content. To me, it is still more important to complete content "sensibly" as you say and "meaningful". There is so much babbling blabber out there it is annoying! Many can go on and on at length and say nothing.
Split it up is my vote, but do it consistently. I will guess my vote is wrong, but it just makes more sense to me. As a reader of many blogs, websites, I find few that can hold ones (at least my) attention too long. I think it takes a very compelling writer to accomplish that. A lot think they can write, most cannot either way, long or short spurts (I am in that pool)...just MHO
I tend to agree, Cynthia. There aren't many posts that hold my attention for long and I also think that in this day and age, people tend to flit from one post to another extracting the bits they want and/or like. They don't have time to sit and read through screeds and screeds of verbiage especially if it's not going anywhere.
I think it's a question of testing the waters. Write a short post and see how that goes, add a longer one and test that one or just as you say, spread them out evenly anyway - long and short. Readers will sort out what they like and don't like themselves.
Don't know - just my thoughts :)
Yeah, that sounds like a good point...test the waters...if the readers aren't interested in the niche and/or the author does not have honest, quality, captivating content we aren't apt to hold their attention long anyway.
I think it really depends on the niche and the topic. 500 words is way too much if the topic is sharpening a pencil.
1500 words may not be enough if the topic is DIY gall bladder surgery for your canary.
I think there is a lot you can do to keep it engaging if the reader is motivated and you break things up with great images.
Still, there's a good case for taking the complex topics and splitting them into a few more concise parts...
You're right Stephen. It definitely is niche dependent and of course, the article that is written as well.
-Gary
PS I'd love to read the article on DIY gallbladder surgery for my canary :)
I may have trouble finding the right images in Carsons new content platform for that one, Gary.
I've been stretching my niche in half a dozen directions, but canary surgery is probably not on the short list yet. If I run low on post ideas, and crank one out, I promise to let you know...
Steve
That's the right track Cindy. Testing responses and from various audiences defines the effect of any length of content. Sorry about the late response. Set up down here in Delray Beach, FL just south of your neck o the woods!:))
I read that a post should be at least 500 words. I'm unsure what the max should be before you make a decision to break the post into more than one post?
Thank you. I have a ballpark but it is rough. I am always concerned about attention span so if long, split it up. Jay
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When I write a post with a video it's often under 300 words. Last night I published 2,220 words on one page.
The ideal length of a post is like a mini-skirt: short enough to be interesting and long enough to cover the essentials.
Marion, you've nailed it down beautifully, in well under 50 words. Kudos!
It would be handy to have a visual of that.
Mini skirts never really went out of fashion again ..... neither will meaningful and informative posts, however long or short they are.
That mini-skirt analogy was fabulous.
That's eBook material for sure Marion!
Thanks for the suggestion Mike. Now you've got me thinking that it could be a good lead magnet.