How long should a post be?

[ChickenFreak]

Originally Posted by xjosh2k6x

One friend of mine told me that a post must not be less than 250 words...is that true?

Did he give a reason?

I don't see any etiquette or editorial reason why short posts are bad - assuming, of course, that the subject is appropriate for a short post. I am irritated when I see a short post that claims to tell you something useful on a complex topic, when it actually doesn't. But short posts on a simple topic or on a small subtopic of a complex topic, are fine.

I do remember someone saying that there's a post length below which Google may not index a post, or give that post a lower priority, or something like that, but Google is only one factor.

Your current readers are a more important factor, and if you can keep them happier and more engaged by adding more frequent short posts in between the less frequent long posts, then I'd say do that.

[hopeful1]

I try to limit it to 500 words, but I got a bit carried away on my most recent post. I didn't check the word count, but it's probably at 700.

That brings up an interesting question, though. Does anyone use a format of multiple short pages (like newpaper sites, such as NY Times often do)?

[ChickenFreak]

Originally Posted by hopeful1

I try to limit it to 500 words, but I got a bit carried away on my most recent post. I didn't check the word count, but it's probably at 700.

That brings up an interesting question, though. Does anyone use a format of multiple short pages (like newpaper sites, such as NY Times often do)?

Those annoy me, I generally avoid sites that do that. - I assume, perhaps unfairly, that the goal is to get maximum ad impressions, and that annoys me, on top of the annoyance that I already feel at having to keep clicking to get the whole story.

[Audality]

I've always thought if your content is good then your post will have plenty flesh on it anyway. Theres never a hard and fast rule regarding post length in my opinon.

[basketofeggs]

This is so ironic. I remember trying to write an essay for high school way back when and couldn't think of enough words... now I must try and limit them LOL

Secret Basket of Eggs

-bryan

[ErictheBeehiveHairdresser]

I think that a post should be as long as it needs to in order to convey the message of the author.

Whether a post is 400, 1,000, or 5,000 words, a post that is all one paragraph is too much. I think that posts shouldn't be longer than four or five lines without a break in the spacing so that a reader can continue to read without feeling such a strain.

[iPodDanny]

Some real sound advise already here, and agree that it is not about the number of words but the actual content of the post/article.

Personally i have found it effective to vary the length. When i write in-depth posts they tend to often go beyond 500-1000 words, while on other topics i just want to quickly share my view, in which case a couple hundred words does the trick.

[CourtneyRaeOh]

Really depends on what kind of writer you are. If you are concise, I would say 500 words, if you add some fluff I would say 1000 words, I don't think I would ever go over that though, nobody wants to read it.

[Melody]

Originally Posted by CourtneyRaeOh

Really depends on what kind of writer you are. If you are concise, I would say 500 words, if you add some fluff I would say 1000 words, I don't think I would ever go over that though, nobody wants to read it.

I disagree. I genuinely think that if every one of your blog posts is very lengthy you'll wear the reader out, but I don't think there is any fixed limits. It's what you can pull off, and still keep your readers' attention. I notice that I've had blog posts ranging from 300 words to 2200 words, all with success. Though yes, as a norm, my blog posts are less than 1000 words, but I don't think you can say that nobody wants to read the long posts. Depends on the topic, and how you can write it.

[gge1989]

That is a very interesting post, I looking more information and I tell you later.