Short vs Long-form content: What you need to know for your Blog Post in 2017?

This seems to be never ending debate among the new and the established bloggers that how long an article should be. Some say to keep the content short and leverage people’s decreasing attention span time. While others say that you publish your content that thoroughly covers any given subject to the point where it qualifies as the book?

Here are various benefits and drawbacks about short vs. long form content

Pros:

• Shorter articles can compliment people’s busy lives. With an average attention span of only 5 -8 seconds, you might want to keep some information short and sweet.

• Mobile users are often on the go, so providing shorter articles may be beneficial for them. Especially if visuals are incorporated into the content as they can really help tell a story.

• A short piece of content will help you get to the point more effectively and it encourages you to skip the obvious details.

Cons:

Short content often outlines the bigger subject but does not leave you quite satisfied. However, this largely depends on the subject matter, as sometimes ‘less is more.’

Recommended Uses:

• This is good for general advice, such as a post on How to Defeat Depression. For certain straight-forward instructions, keeping the things clear and concise beats the short vs. long-form content war.

• Short-form content is great for news pieces, as nobody would like to read a 2,000-word post about a common incident.

• Furthermore, it is ideal for articles with casual storytelling and narratives, though this could apply to long-form pieces as well.

• Shorter content works particularly well for entertainment sites, especially those with listicles such as 10 YouTube Channels, Bing Watch.

Long-form Content Overview

Longer content consists of 1,200 words or more. Many bloggers like to keep it under 2,000 words, roughly around 1,700 in length.

Pros:

• Longer content enables you to fully explore the topic with everything a reader could possibly want to know.

• It gives your brand greater authority, whether the added value is just perceived or actual. Many people automatically perceive a long piece of article as ‘useful’ compared to a short one based on a similar topic.

• Longer content naturally allows for more relevant keywords and authoritative links, which are said to help with SEO. As a result, a long article may increase website traffic.

A greater sense of authority often leads to more backlinks, shares, and mentions.

Cons:

It is often exhausting for bloggers, and sometimes overly long and boring for readers. If audiences are not really interested in your niche, the short vs. long-form content debate will largely dependent on your ability to draw their attention.

Recommended Uses:

• Ideal for case studies, allowing you to discuss various testing procedures in detail.

• Great for data-driven articles that really get to the depth of the matter. Ideal if you wish to answer a question definitively.

• If you want your content to be a one-stop shop, long-form is your way to go.

Short vs. Long-form Content: Verdict

According to San Diego SEO experts, you should consider both short and long-form articles into your overall content strategy. The short pieces are especially helpful when you do not have anything truly substantial to back up with case studies and statistics, but still want to explore a particular subject nonetheless.

For Example:

Many professional bloggers publish one long article every week, with the occasional roundup posts that consist of condensed content or link syndication.

Your content should ultimately adapt a good mix of authority and relevancy, which is something that both long and short pieces can do.

Eventually, consider your main audience and the type of message you wish to deliver on a case by case basis. You should not permanently adapt one article type over the other.

For more guidance and tips and tactics regarding blog post for your business, contact the best SEO companies Orlando.