How Long Should A Blog Post Be?

08.23.10

Short and sweet, or long like a chapter in a book?

Take a look at your blog, and see which posts are getting the most traffic. I’m thinking that they look more this this than like a newspaper column.

What do you think?

  • http://www.letsbegreentogether.com Cathy

    Absolutely short and sweet….I find myself clicking away if the post goes on and on. It has to be something REALLY interesting for me to stick around for the duration.

  • http://www.findingfairytales.com andrea

    i totally agree…i can’t stand the run on posts.

    after noticing how disinterested i got while trying to read a loooooong story, now i try to shorten my own posts down to an acceptable attention span.

    not that i have a short attention span.

    wait…what?

  • http://iamdez.com Dez

    The majority of my posts are longer, but I may be hitting a different need. Since I tend to do more information/tutorial type posts I generally go long (my last one was > 1,000 words). Also, I tend to get more traffic on my longer posts.

    For more personal type posts, however, I do tend to go on the short side, but I don’t get a lot of traffic from search for those.

  • http://www.KristiBug.com Kristi Davis

    It really depends. I get the most traffic to two looooong posts about kids stuff (Eczema/diaper rash and preschool backpacks) from Google. Otherwise, I’m your typical Mommy blogger :)

  • http://wwwjackbenimble.blogspot.com/ Jack

    I remember reading somewhere that anything over 600 words gets ignored, but I am not sold on that. Content and community make a significant difference. You can write a 1,000 words about blogging and you can almost guarantee that the entire thing will be read.

    So many bloggers are dying to become “superstars” they will devour anything that looks like it will help them. Anytime I write any sort of blogging advice column my traffic spikes as well as the stickiness.

  • Amber

    My most popular posts are the longest, the ones offering encouragement, my own personal experience and success, and hard to find resources to parents who have children with feeding tubes/feeding problems. My blog addresses a really specific niche and many have come and read the entire blog in one long sitting or over the course of a day or two.

  • http://www.onetoughcookienyc.com Gail

    I find that my longer tutorial posts get the most traffic. They, too, are the ones with many photos interspersed to illustrate the directions. Conclusion: even adults only want picture books.

    • http://www.BLOGitse.com BLOGitse

      I agree with you!
      Pictures are great way to visualize the message…

  • http://www.BLOGitse.com BLOGitse

    Short is more.
    Most of the active bloggers don’t have time to read a novel IF they want to visit many blogs…
    Blogging used to be more interactive a year or two ago. Nowadays people read posts on Reader and they comment less. Or that’s how I feel anyway…

  • http://lifeandtimesofstella.com Amber

    I’m back–because I knew you’d be waiting on further thoughts from me…

    I am going to do some short posts and see what happens! Thanks for bringing up this simple but important blogging topic!

    First short post test features your “Would You Buy This?” video:
    http://lifeandtimesofstella.com/2010/08/25/if-you-have-a-daughter-youll-understand/

  • http://wwwjackbenimble.blogspot.com/ Jack

    It all depends on your community and what they expect.