No One Reads Long-Form Content, So Don't Waste Your Time

It's hard to know how long your blog posts need to be these days. There's also a slew of other variables to consider, outside of what the search engines want. What do your readers want? What type of information are they looking for?

Google https://search.googleblog.com/2013/0...ticles-on.html introduced a new feature a few years back, which I believe is when the push for long-form content really came alive. According to Google, about 10% of user's daily information needs are seeking out information, which for several reasons, constitutes long-form content. Bloggers quickly went from being satisfied with 500 words, and many stretched for 2,000 words per post. After all, long-form content is typically views as more authoritative, in-depth and comprehensive. When people are searching for information-based knowledge, long-form content will typically provide them the deeper information they were looking for.

However, many experts say that humans have short attention spans and prefer shorter content. Things that can be read in chunks and skimmed. Who has the time to read a 2,000 word blog post, anyway? There are strong debates for either side of this argument, and I'd like to explore the reality behind the assumptions.

So let's start with short-form content.

● Short-Form content is usually anything below 1,000 words. I don't have any proof of this, but I've heard your post needs to be at least 500 words for the search engines to even notice it.
● Social Media sites love short-form content. It's really what they're all about - sharing pint-sized pieces of information that are quick and easy reads.
● Creating short-form content takes significantly less time and effort, so you'll be able to produce a higher quantity of posts if they're shorter. And we all know that quantity is important.
● When you produce content more often, it helps in a few ways. Producing regular new content is very important for the search engines. One could argue it's far better to have one new post each day, than just one each week. And, we know that consistency increased engagement, so the more often you post, the better your engagement should theoretically be.
● Some of the most popular articles are naturally short-form content. How-to's, interviews, product reviews, tips and tricks, trends and industry news - these subjects are infrequently going to come in at 2,500 words. as they are busy and on the go. Many people now consume the bulk of their content on mobile devices, which is another reason shorter is often preferred.
● Most people say they like short-form content, as they are busy and only have a few minutes. They're looking for high-level, engaging content they can enjoy for a few minutes.
● Mini-posts are growing in popularity, which is a great way to both create a wide variety of posts, or reuse and recycle old or longer content. If you're using Wordpress, they have multiple themes which support the mini-post focus, such as Wumblr, Wumblr - Responsive Theme with Post Format Support by Themify Postline, Postline - Facebook Timeline Inspired Theme by Themify and Elemin. Elemin - Elegant Minimal Responsive Theme by Themify


And what about long-form content?

● Long-form content is typically between 1,200 to 2,00 words, but some writers go far beyond those numbers. An interesting study from Snap Agency https://www.snapagency.com/blog/what...icle-2015-seo/ found that the ideal length for long-form content that won’t bore people is 1,700 words. Oddly enough, they also mention that back in 2012, the suggested length for a blog post was 500-700 words.
● As already mentioned, we know that Google really likes long-form content.
● Due to the nature of long-form content, it's more likely to be linked to, which is another factor in the SEO benefits.
● It allows you to establish credibility, and position yourself as an expert in your field.
● It provides high-value content that a good chunk of the population is looking for.
● If your content is engaging, it was cause people to remain on your website for longer, which increases your conversion chances, among other things.
● Long-form content is ideal for educational resources, guides, detailed explanations, white papers, research, etc.
● It can be an ideal source for reusable and recycled content to share in mini-posts or through your social media channels


IN SUMMARY, LONG-FORM CONTENT IS BEST FOR:
● trying to position yourself as an expert
● you want something that will perform well in the search engines and has the potential to become evergreen - in the context of content, this means you want it to remain relevant long past its publication. For more on evergreen marketing, here is a great guide from WordStream. What Is Evergreen Content? Beginner's Guide to Evergreen Content | WordStream
● you want to enhance, explain or explore something
● you want long-term engagement
● when you're creating something like a white paper, a guide, a detailed explanation or anything authoritative.


AND, SHORT-FORM CONTENT IS BEST FOR:
● Trying to get shares and buzz
● Creating summaries, getting personal or creating something shocking
● Providing answers to direct questions; storytelling and any subjects that is light and fun.
● Ideal for mobile users and targeting customers who are ready to buy
● Supports creating frequent posts that are timely, fresh and even unexpected (allows for news stories, current events, etc)
● When you're creating tips and tricks, how-to's, product reviews, interviews, etc.


When it comes down to it, which option is best for you?

Only you can decide this. It depends on your readers, your goals, your business, the amount of time you can invest, and ultimately what the objective of your blog is. You need to start with creating a content marketing strategy, and decide where blogging fits in. You may find that a mix of both is better, or that your particular audience prefers one type over the other. If you're going to experiment, make sure you pay attention to your analytics and see what length of posts are getting the best response.

The critical piece of the puzzle here is that you are providing value to your readers. Regardless of the length, your content, it needs to be what your target reader is using for. It's needs to be authentic, unique, engaging and solve a problem or a need your target audience is dealing with. Many businesses have found success in using both forms of content. The short-form can be created on a regular basis and will encourage sharing, and the long-form can be created as needed to create opportunity to position yourself as an industry leader and expert.