How Long Should Your Blog Post Be for SEO to Be Ideal?

The length of an ideal SEO blog post has been a hot topic across internet marketing service providers since SEO initially gained popularity. And while many experts (and some non-experts) are willing to offer advice, the reality is that it’s a complex question with a somewhat complex answer.

Many people will tell you that a longer blog post is better, which is a sound argument because there are more words for web crawlers to review. A longer post usually indicates sound research and a thorough covering of the topic. However, a similar argument can be made for shorter content since you can produce more articles with a few deep points to attract links or build industry authority. Additionally, longer content can lead users to lose focus, resulting in a poor experience.

The reality is that the length of an ideal SEO blog post often depends upon several factors:

• Your goal: When talking SEO, the goal is usually to expand exposure, but that can be accomplished in several ways. It can consist of ranking higher in search engine results, more shares on social media, lead and conversion generation, and other forms of exposure. While many people dive in and start writing content, it’s better to have a solid strategy, which can only begin with defining what you want the blog post to achieve.
• Your audience: Different audiences have different expectations for content. Before you start writing, you will want to define who you want to read the content. If it’s a post aimed at experts in a field, you will likely need a longer post, but if you are introducing a topic to a layperson, you can likely get by with a shorter article that doesn’t require as much detail.
• Remember that SEO isn’t just about length: While the length of an article can definitely impact its SEO performance, it’s not the only aspect that matters. A person’s search intent, or primary objective when using a keyword search, is crucial to enhancing your performance. The main categories of search intent include:
  • Navigational: Describes searches where a user looks for a specific website or place.
  • Informational: Describes searches where users are looking for information.
  • Transactional: Describes searches where a user wants to perform an action (such as buying an item).
  • Commercial: Describes searches where a user wants to learn more before purchasing a product.

While these three factors can help you understand how you want to write content for your specific brand and audience, there are additional guidelines depending on the type of post you are creating. HubSpot’s data indicates that the ideal length for a blog post intending to generate leads is 2,500 words, but this varies by the type of post. Blog posts are often grouped into four categories, each with a different ideal length.

1. Pillar posts: Pillar posts refer to in-depth posts that cover substantially more content than an average post. They pull together information from various sources and are usually used to develop a reputation as a subject matter expert. These posts should be around 4,000 words to optimize web traffic.
2. Listicles: Listicles are easy-to-read blog post that provides examples, tools, resources, or ideas for a topic. The ideal work count for this type of post is between 2,300 and 2,600 words.
3. How-To Blog Posts: These types of blogs describe how to do something, ranging from simple tasks to highly complex ones. However, generally speaking, the ideal target range for these posts should be between 1,700 and 2,100 words.
4. What-Is Posts: These blog posts answer a specific question in sufficient detail. Ideally, these posts should be between 1,300 and 1,700 words.

These general guidelines can give you a rough idea of what is expected, depending on your post type. However, many people fall into the trap of overemphasizing word count. Yes, it’s a crucial part of your SEO strategy, but you should also focus on the quality of the post. It won’t benefit your brand to have a 2,500-word blog post if the content is repetitive and only covers surface-level details about a topic. One of the key goals to creating any successful blog post is to give users the content they want – and in many instances, that won’t fit into recommendations for article length.

Achieving SEO goals and brand visibility can be complicated, but eGlobal Web Solutions is here to answer your questions about Internet marketing services. Our professionals can help you optimize performance and build your brand’s digital footprint.

eGlobal Web Solutions specializes in marketing your business via the digital marketplace. We use search engine optimization, social and review promotion, and Email marketing for all types of businesses, from local to global. We utilize various digital marketing techniques to increase your internet presence, optimize your traffic, and generate new business.