- By Shelby Allan
The ideal blog post length varies based on content goals. The sweet spot for word count is between 1,500 and 2,000 words. In healthcare blogs, how-to guides and case studies, this length is recommended. Long-form posts, over 2,000 words, offer comprehensive insights and rank higher on SEO. The length of a blog post shouldn’t be your goal. The goal is well-researched, high-quality content that answers your readers’ questions.
How many words should a blog post be? This question is common for many new and even experienced blog writers. While there is no magic number of words a blog post should be, recommendations depend on what you want to achieve with your content. According to Wix, a blog post’s ideal length is between 1,500 and 2,000 words. This blog post will discuss the ideal length for blog posts, the difference between a short-form and a long-form blog post, and help you decide what form is best for your content.
What Goal are You Looking to Achieve in Writing a Blog Post?
The first question you should ask yourself when compiling a blog post is, “What do I want my readers to understand by the end of the post?” Numerous types of content are available on the web, and you want to ensure you use the most appropriate form to convey your content.
How Many Words Should A Blog Post Be for Long vs Short Form Posts?
Do you want a blog post that is longer? A longer post can offer more information, but a shorter post can be more concise and to the point, which helps people with shorter attention spans. Some social media influencers use short-form blogs. Recognizing your audience and tailoring your writing to their needs is essential. How many words is too long for a blog post? Learn Inbound defines a long-form blog as anything that exceeds 2,000+ words. Short-form blogs stay around the 1,000-word count or less. The majority of the pieces you read online are long-form blog posts. Here are some long-form blog post examples:
- How to guides
- Ultimate guides
- Tutorials
- Resource lists
- Industry definitions
- Case studies
Some of the most common long-form blogs are medical or healthcare in nature. By adding quality healthcare content marketing, businesses have seen considerable growth in their page views. Blogs have also found the medical niche and benefit from it; they use it to convey healthcare information and get the word out about their various social media platforms. WriteRN describes healthcare blog posts in detail here.
Benefits of Long-Form Blog Posts
According to GrowthBar, the benefits of a long-form blog post include the following:
- Ability to insert keywords organically
- Slip in CTAs (Calls to Action) to help generate leads
- Get more social media shares
- Generate discussion on your topic
- Keep your reader on the page longer
The longer a reader is engaged on your page, the more apt they are to click on your other posts and read more of your content, which increases your website traffic. One study posted by SemRush stated that blogs with upwards of 3,000 words saw a 138% increase in site traffic.
How to Write a Long-Form Blog Post?
To get the highest ranking spot on Google, it is crucial that your content is well-researched and includes high-quality keywords to boost your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). To write a long-form blog article without rambling, having a well-thought-out plan is essential. Start with your outline and begin the planning phase. During the planning phase, you decide what type of article you want to write, your subject matter, and the article’s goal. Do you want it to be a post describing the benefits of Hiring a Nurse Writer, or do you want it to be a piece that lists the top 10 vacation spots in the Midwest? The planning phase will be a critical piece of your blog creation journey.
Next, you will want to start researching. Start with your favorite search engine or encyclopedia and gain some basic knowledge on your topic. Your article must be well-researched to support your writing process and provide readers with high-quality information.
After the planning stage, it’s time to start writing and creating your content. When writing your content, make sure to include infographics. Infographics will help break up the space and draw the reader’s eyes down the page. Strategically adding photos or infographics to your page also helps it look more professional. Another great option is adding space on your page for advertisements; this again breaks up that space and can also be another source of income, depending on the link used.
Finally, it is time to edit. During the editing process, ensure you answered your main question about the article. For me, it would be “How Long is the Ideal Length for a Blog Post?” Did I answer that?
Proofreading will be the main point during the editing phase. You want your material to be professional with no spelling or grammar mistakes, especially if the piece is educational. For pieces that are more conversational or laid back, some grammar mistakes are ok and sometimes even encouraged. Again, it all depends on the tone of your article and what you want to achieve.
Final Thoughts
So, how many words should a blog post be? It’s up to you. Just remember to use your words to answer the question you are writing about. No number should limit the amount of information it takes to get your message across to your readers.
References
https://www.wix.com/blog/2021/06/how-long-should-a-blog-post-be/
https://writern.net/healthcare-business-with-healthcare-content-marketing/
https://writern.net/nursing-blogs-why-you-need-them-for-your-company/
https://writern.net/nursing-blogs-why-you-need-them-for-your-company/
https://www.semrush.com/blog/how-long-should-a-blog-post-be/
https://writern.net/nursing-blogs-why-you-need-them-for-your-company/
About the Author
Shelby Allan, RN
My name is Shelby Allan. I am an RN, a mother to 4, and a wife to a busy farmer/cattle rancher. We live on a farm in Central Nebraska. Educating people/patients has always been a passion of mine, so that’s why I created my freelance writing business called “Cultivating Words.” I love to share evidence-based research with moms, wives, and nurses alike.
