Ever since search engines came into being, the question of how long a perfect blog post designed for search engine optimization should be has been a subject of much concern. However, it is basically dependent on two main factors; the subject matter and the purpose of the searcher. Different topics require different levels of detail. For example, a blog post on “How to Take the Perfect Selfie” will be shorter than one detailing the “History of the Digital Camera.” The latter topic demands more information to provide a comprehensive answer. A person may take more time searching for an article about a digital photograph’s history while another one seeks quick tips on how to improve selfie taking skills.
Even though there is a tendency towards shorter attention spans, long-form content remains effective in getting high search rankings. From research, it is evident that longer articles are likely to be rated in the top positions in search engines, not just because they are long, but since they tend to contain more information that is useful and complete. Alternatively, if it aligns with what the user needs, less lengthy posts will also perform well on search engines.
Considering content, Google prioritizes quality against quantity. More words on a page do not make it better even if one page has one thousand words and the other only five hundred words. We should think about providing value–that is, satisfying the searcher’s query rather than lengthening text unnecessarily. Google prefers that what comes on top of search results serve some purpose, be well organized, and provide information people want in their search results.
A HubSpot Study in 2021 showed that, for SEO purposes, a blog post should have about 2,100 – 2,400 words (HubSpot, 2021). Many writers believe that the ideal length is between 200 to 500 words; however, the research findings indicate much longer length is necessary for successful implementation. Nonetheless, what matters most is not how long it should be as such, but its quality.
According to Martin Splitt, a top Google expert, the number of words is not key to increasing your rankings in search engine results. Indicators for measuring the quality of content on Google include relevance and usefulness to users. Nevertheless, this factor should not overshadow other equally important aspects when creating content. John Mueller, another employee of Google, stated that the number does not count much. Therefore, user needs have to be met through well explained terms without being unnecessarily long.
The major objective of any content in blogs or content marketing is to meet user needs. If an inquiry can be answered adequately through a brief post, there’s no need to make it longer. On the other hand, in case the subject matter under discussion needs more elaboration for it to be fully appreciated, then longer posts will have to suffice. Content quality trumps all other aspects, including being relevant.”
It is important to know who your audience is and what they need from you; Ask yourself: Who will be interested in reading my blog post? Think about its purpose: should this serve as an introduction or sales copy? This way, your message will resonate with people at different decision points and guide them accordingly.
Written words are not the only place where quality content resides. They can also be in the form of videos, images, or audios too. For example, if you want to give all the details concerning a particular subject, then it would be best done using a video tutorial; on the other hand, when interviewing someone about their experiences, it’s likely that podcasting will attract more listeners. Multimodal formats enhance retention rates, while accompanying structured text enhances coherence.
According to the top digital marketing companies in India, the perfect size of an article for a website is determined by its subject as well as the intention of those searching for it. It is known that longer articles are usually better in ranking because they deal with in-depth stuff. Any smart content writer should aim to meet the reader’s requirements without bothering much about the number of words in the content. To achieve this, make sure that all your posts are of high quality, relevant, and user-friendly, thus making them SEO friendly.