What is the Average Length of a High-Performing Blog Post?

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With more businesses embracing SEO and content marketing, a crucial question arises: “What’s the ideal length for a high-performing blog post?” While the common answer, “It depends,” is valid, it lacks practical guidance. Let’s explore the complexities of blog post length in 2024.

Why Does Blog Post Length Matter?

A successful blog post relies on several factors: topic relevance, tone, depth, and length. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Optimal length varies based on industry, target audience, and business objectives. However, longer posts often offer advantages.

Google’s Preference for Comprehensive Content

Google aims to provide users with the most relevant and comprehensive results. In-depth posts that thoroughly cover a topic are more likely to rank higher. This isn’t about keyword stuffing; it’s about content depth—becoming the go-to resource on a subject.

Longer posts also tend to rank for a broader range of keywords, increasing visibility.

Lower Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

Content creation requires resources. A single, comprehensive post can be more efficient than multiple shorter ones, reducing marketing spend and lowering CAC. Maintaining one long post is also less resource-intensive than updating several shorter pieces.

Increased User Engagement

Engaging long-form content keeps users on your page longer, increasing opportunities to present calls to action and encourage exploration of other content.

Social Sharing

“Ultimate guide” posts, due to their comprehensiveness, are often highly shareable on social media, expanding reach and brand visibility. The broader the topic coverage, the wider the audience appeal.

How Long Should My Blog Posts Be?

There’s no magic number. While some studies suggest aiming for at least 2,000 words (or even 3,000-10,000 for viral potential), others recommend a minimum of 1,000, with diminishing returns beyond 2,000. Research has shown a correlation between longer content and higher rankings, but the ideal length depends heavily on the topic and target audience.

The key is to align length with search intent. Analyze competitors: Google your target keyword, examine the top-ranking pages, calculate their average word count, and aim for comparable or slightly more content to provide added depth.

Making Long Posts Readable

Long posts can be daunting. Break them up with:

• Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences).
• Line breaks.
• Images, graphs, tables, CTAs.
• Subheadings and lists.
• White space.
• Expert quotes.
• Customer testimonials.
• Bolding and italics.
• Emojis (if appropriate for your brand).
• Varied site styling.

Ideal Lengths for Different Post Types

• Listicles: Length varies significantly by topic. Focus on providing value for each list item.
• Pillar Pages: 4,000+ words, in-depth coverage of a core topic.
• How-to/DIY: Length depends on complexity. Use structured data markup.
• Product Reviews: Length varies based on the product and the depth of the review.

Tools for Determining Word Count

Tools like Surfer SEO and Semrush can assist with word count analysis and competitor research. However, manual analysis of top-ranking pages remains a valuable approach.

What’s the ideal blog post length? It’s the length that best serves your audience and answers their questions comprehensively. Research, tailor your content, and prioritize quality over arbitrary word counts.