When creating blogs for your website, you quickly realize that various elements can affect the performance of your content. From landing on the right keyword density to meeting user intent, finding the ideal formula for creating the perfect blog post is key!
One of the more surprising factors that influence how your blog posts perform on the search engine results page (SERP) is the length of your blog post — which leads to the question, “What is the ideal length of a blog post?”
Depending on what you are writing, the ideal length for blog posts varies from 1500 to 2500 words, with content on the longer end generally performing better — and there are clear reasons why this word count works.
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The benefits of writing longer blog posts
Whether you want to rank higher on the SERPS or increase the amount of time users spend exploring your content, blogs with higher word counts can do the trick.
Increase dwell time
Longer posts can increase the amount of time users spend on a page, which is an influential factor for ranking in the Google SERP. The amount of time users spend on a webpage is called “dwell time”, and it’s a metric that Google tracks to help them decide where to rank your content.
Longer blog posts definitely keep users on your page if it is quality content. And that is the catch — you must still provide interesting, informative content with good grammar that meets user intent. Otherwise, it does not matter how long your blog post is!
Raise SERP rankings
Writing longer blog posts alone won’t help your content rank in the SERPs, but what it does give you is more space to craft well-researched, comprehensive, quality copy that captivates readers, keeps them on your page and keeps them coming back for more.
Of course, longer posts also help you fit in more keyword phrases naturally — you do not need to worry about stuffing in all your keywords (which users notice since it makes your content seem stilted and robotic) in only 300 words.
Boost your brand
Producing comprehensive content is the perfect avenue for showcasing your brand as a reliable source of information and as an industry leader. It takes time, research, expertise, and commitment to create premium long-form copy that satisfies user intent.
Should a blog post always be longer?
Optimize content according to your niche and your market. Consider these points to know if you should write longer blog posts or if you can create shorter blog posts and still do well:
- Search intent: How can your content fulfill the user search intent? Can you answer their question comprehensively with 500 words, or do you need to write 2000 words to provide all the information they need?
- Industry: What is your market? Some industries need to go into more depth about products and services than others.
- Content type: The content you produce also affects the ideal word count. A press release or news article can be as little as 400 to 600 words, while how-to guides and pillar pages can be up to 2500 and 3000 words to work effectively.
- Buyer persona: Consider types of buyer personas. A methodical buyer will want to take the time to explore a topic deeper so that they feel thoroughly informed, while a spontaneous buyer may want to get more to the point and appreciate a shorter copy.
- Buying stage: The length of your blog post could change depending on where you meet users in their buying journey. A short post can fulfill user intent when a buyer is at the top of the funnel, whereas longer, more informative posts can be more helpful to buyers in the decision-making phase.
Tips for creating longer blogs that shine
Add these elements to your web copy to produce outstanding content every time:
- Do your keyword research and then optimize your copy with various high-volume and long-tail keywords, spaced evenly across your longform copy.
- Know your target audience so that you can meet user intent. Are you writing for a competitive buyer or a humanistic buyer? Does a formal tone or a more conversational tone meet user intent?
- Proofread and edit your posts! Good grammar is the foundation of well-written content. It shows professionalism and adds authority to your content.
- Set yourself apart with a strong brand voice. The chances are that your competitors are writing similar content, so finding ways to make your take on topics unique and more authoritative and valuable than any other site is vital!
- Work with our team to create the best page possible. Having beautifully written content can only be effective if readers have a good user experience when they visit your webpage. Have a good, clean, streamlined layout that keeps users on your page.
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