I got a question from a client recently about how long her blog posts should be. My answer, I fear, didn't satisfy her. I said “you want it long enough so that you provide enough information and value needed so that your reader wants to consume more. But you don't want it so long that people start clicking away.”
Our conversation moved on from there to another topic… but it got me thinking about the right length for most blog posts.
The Goldilocks Blog Post Method
I'm sure you know the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but just in case you need a refresher… One day a little girl, Goldilocks, comes across the house of the three Bears. She knocks, no one answers, so she lets herself in. From porridge to chair to bed, she keeps trying different things out until she finds the experience that is “just right” for her. The Bears come home, frighten her, she runs away, and everyone lives happily ever after. Or something like that.
What Does Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Have To Do with Perfect Blog Post Length?
Your post length should be “just right.” It should not be one word longer than is necessary. But, and here's where it can get confusing, it shouldn't be one word shorter than it needs to be either. This means that before you hit the publish button, you should edit, edit, edit … and then edit some more. Take out any and all fluff. Remove some adjectives and almost all adverbs. Every word, sentence, and paragraph should have a reason for being there.
Get to the point, while also providing some real value. When you think your blog post is ready to publish, read it out loud. Is it just another of the typical kinds of posts you read on the web every day? If so, go back and make it memorable. Add your voice to the topic at hand… and give real answers to a real problems. Read your competitor's posts. Make yours better, more valuable, in-depth, and actionable.
Once you've done that, see if you can't add more quality, not fluff, and beef your post up to at least 1,500 words. That is the length at which web content shows more engagement and interaction, social sharing and a higher click through rate than shorter content. Remember, don't add content just for the sake of meeting a particular quantity target.
On the other hand, if you can create a high quality, problem-solving, “better than the rest” post that is at least 1,500 words, with no fluff, you are well on your way to having a quality piece of content that will serve you and your audience well, one that is “just right.”
That Might Have Been A Good Stopping Point… BUT
In reading over what I've written above, I think I've provided some great pointers. Given my readers a framework for creating better blog posts, and, possibly could have left it at that. But it was missing something actionable. Something that would be more helpful for those who couldn't easily take those general concepts and apply them to their own blogging.
So let's keep moving forward with some actionable content…
Reworking Your Blog Posts For Maximum Benefit
Sometimes, coming up with new content ideas is difficult. You know Google and the other search engines reward consistently delivered, fresh content. This can be a tough situation when you get a brain freeze and you're not cranking out ideas for new content. Fortunately, you are probably sitting on a gold mine of new traffic right now … your old blog posts.
What… use old content again?
The fact is that, unless you are a current events commentator, most of your blog posts and online content will share similar ideas and be pretty evergreen. And most readers won't be comparing notes between one post and the next. Because, in reality, your blog posts are there to serve as just another fishing line that will reel in new readers and introduce them to you and your world.
So, go ahead and repurpose your current posts to make them fresh, giving you new traffic bait without a lot of time and trouble. One huge benefit here is speed. It takes nowhere near the time to rework your old blog posts that it does to create new ones. The following 5 practices are methods that successful bloggers use to create more traffic, without creating totally new content.
1 Link to other posts and pages on your blog
Google's spiders love internal links. This is when you link from one page or post of content on your site to another. This simple trick can keep readers on your site longer, alerts your readers to relevant content and also increases the average amount of time each visitor spends on your blog. All of those things are great for SEO, meaning more free organic traffic.
2 Rework your titles
You may look over an old blog post and think it is pretty fabulous. It might not need any changing. You may have keywords and related words and phrases, your sub-headers move the reader down the page, and you have a strong call to action. Why not just change the title? This is only recommended on posts that you think may be under-performing. There is no need to change something if it isn't broken.
3 Once a month, share your most popular blog posts on social media
It doesn't matter how old they are. Your most popular blog posts are popular for a reason. Each month, get them back out there in the social media trenches where they can go to battle for you.
4 Lengthen short posts
Did you know that posts of 1,500 words or more drive more traffic than shorter posts? This is free, generic traffic you don't have to pay for. Beef up the length of your current shorter posts, making them value-rich as you do so.
5 Improve the readability of your posts
No one likes to read a huge block of text. Break up your content. Add sub-headers. Use underlining, italics, bulleted lists, images and video to make an old, stale blog post fresh and enjoyable.
The Are Blog Posts… and There Are EPIC Blob Posts
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