A common blog-related question has always been, how long should my post be? The answer is, it depends. When it comes to SEO rankings and analytics, longer (2,000 words and above) is best. However, many readers disagree. A recent poll indicated that 70% of readers preferred posts of 200-700 words.
Blogs are a powerful content marketing tool. They help you connect with customers and prospects, build credibility, increase traffic to your site, and more. And, great posts perform well regardless of length. Yet, why do so many readers want to read fewer words? If they’re well-written words, it’s a no-brainer.
Readers want the same thing out of short-form that they want out of long-form. They want to gain something. Your content should be long enough that it is helpful, it achieves your marketing goals, and it is unique.
When you can do that, you may want to start, including short blogs in your content marketing strategy. Here are some ways to leverage short-form blogging.
On your website – I recommend posts of at least 350 words. If you can get your point across in bullet points, take that path as long as your reader can glean actionable steps from each point.
On LinkedIn – This is a great way to engage current and potential customers. Publish traditionally formatted blogs of 500-700 words that are informative and targeted.
Repurposed long-form content – One of the easiest ways to give your readers short blog content is by repurposing. When you pull out the main ideas of a longer blog post, you refresh your initial informative article, entice new readers, and reengage your previous audience. By distilling the main points, you help your reader quickly find useful information. You position yourself as an expert, and you make their life easier.
Video – Technically, this would be called vlogging, but it’s short-form, and it’s highly effective. Create short video content to communicate creative ideas, share helpful information, or walk someone through a process that, if written out, might be confusing or lengthy. Video does double duty by bringing you one step closer to customers and prospects. When you put a human face on your business, people respond favorably.
Long-form content won’t go away, but well-written short-form content is popular with readers and can be a useful addition to your content marketing strategy.
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