We all know that people are reading less and skimming more, and often relying on social media as a news source, all of which means you should write shorter articles — say 200 – 300 words — right?
Maybe. Maybe not.
What about people who really do want to go deeper and see you as an expert on their topic? Or need a little more convincing to follow through on your call to action? You can find plenty of research that says that longer content improves conversions (people doing the thing you want them to do on your web page) and that “thin content” hurts your search engine optimization. That argues for longer content, something closer to 800 – 1200 words.
Here’s what I recommend:
1. Use as many words as you need, but only as many as you need!
2. Hire good writers who understand the difference.
If you are trying to explain something complicated, and your readers truly want and need to understand that complexity, write long. Otherwise, write short.
P.S. This post (not including this P.S.!) is 172 words. Too short or too long or just right?
Short and long pencils by Big Stock
