How Long Should Blog Posts Be in 2021?

The length of the blog post gets its value only if the content speaks volumes. There is no value in writing lengthy blog posts if they don’t contain information that the reader needs. Similarly, if you can cover the essential details concisely, you don’t have to think about making the content longer.

However, the word count of the blog post isn’t a standalone factor; instead, it works as one element to lead traffic. There will be a recommended length for your blog post based on the topic, industry, and audience that you write for.

For example, the word count required for a pillar post is higher than the word count needed for listicles. The length of the post varies because the requirements differ.

A pillar post includes a cluster of topics to detail every subtopic to benefit the reader. On the other hand, a listicle comprises a list of services or ideas you are interested in. Every service or idea will be explained in a few lines so that you can grasp the gist.

Anyway, you can find out the optimal length of a blog post by downsizing the bigger picture. Shall we do it together?

Optimal Blog Post Length for SEO 2021

According to HubSpot, 2,100-2,400 words is the optimal length of a blog post for SEO. The minimum word count is 300, and you have to write more than the minimum word count to avoid getting the “thin content” label.

People don’t want to spend a lot of time reading blogs, but SEO content should satisfy both readers and Google algorithm. Thus, you should format your content to meet the demands of both Google and readers.

You can work it out by keeping up with SEO practices, such as backlinking, focusing on the right keywords, targeting featured snippets, and adding rich media content.

On top of all, you shouldn’t overlook the optimal word count because it decides the time spent on the website. It would also be best if you didn’t stick to a random word count rather research about your industry, topic, keyword, and readers to find the right length.

In short, though most bloggers and writers believe long-form content provides more value, they also mention that the length is baseless if it doesn’t add value.

Optimal Blog Post Length for Lead Generation

This is hard to digest, but the posts you receive a lot of traffic might not increase or generate leads.

Usually, a post that has driven more traffic caters to a wider audience, so your blog has attracted many readers. It could be because of the topic that you’ve written. But it might not align with your business, which in return doesn’t bring quality leads.

According to experts, when writing lead-generating posts, it’s vital to consider the post’s length. It is researched and tested that long-form content drives more leads than short-form content. As for HubSpot data, a post for lead generation should be around 2,500 words.

But it shouldn’t include unnecessary information or fluff to reach the average word count. Instead, you can keep the content short and informative for around 1000+ words.

When you write longer content, it proves that you are well-versed with the subject you’re discussing. If it’s exceptionally written for a target audience or a keyword, it helps your site rank higher. You are doing it right even though you have targeted a particular audience because they are likely to turn into leads.

Optimal Blog Post Length for Various Post Types

You already know that there are different post types that you must consider—writing a blog with a random word count that comes to your mind is not how you do it.

You must make an effort to do your research before you begin writing a post. Let’s discuss the three main types of posts and their post length.

Pillar pages

You will not cover every subtopic in a pillar page if you stick to the word count of a lead generating post, which is around 2,500 words. As pillar pages are supposed to cover a cluster of topics, you must write about 4000-5000 words.

Then again, the length shouldn’t unnecessarily increase if it doesn’t make any sense. Pillar pages are like detailed guides of a certain subject. This means you will be able to find every topic related to this subject in one place. Thus, the length of the pillar page should be long enough to serve its purpose.

Remember, the effort and ideas put into a pillar page are massive given the word count and the concept. The writer makes sure to touch every nook and corner of the subject discussed on the pillar page. Even though these pages take days to complete, the effort will reciprocate through leads and traffic.

Listicles

As for experts and marketers, listicles are written within 2,300-2,600 words. When writing listicles, it’s important to include more examples and concise explanations because the reader wants to skim through to find the information without spending too much time on the blog.

It is suggested that long-form blogs are better for listicles as they perform better. For example, when you are looking for marketing ideas, you wouldn’t probably stick to an article with five ideas. Instead, you would read the one with more ideas, say 25.

Listicles must have many suggestions along with resources, examples, explanations, and images to satisfy the readers. Thus, the writer must do extensive research to make an informative blog for your readers.

How-To’s Post

It’s apparent that How-to blogs should be detailed, so it should be around 1,700-2,100 words. But you don’t have to prioritize the average word count if you are discussing a subject that requires in-depth explanation.

For example, how to remove an image in WordPress might require 300 words, whereas a blog on how to begin a digital marketing agency might require more than 1,500 words to give a clear picture to the reader.

You don’t have to make the content too long if it doesn’t add value. Also, it shouldn’t be too small that it doesn’t even meet the reader’s requirement. Therefore, get into the reader’s shoes and write the content to help them.

Conclusion

There isn’t any exact length for a blog post, so you have to consider the variables that help you decide the optimal length.

You shouldn’t overlook length just because it is not a standalone factor. If you understand that is one of the imperative factors for a successful blog, you will get it right.

As we have discussed comprehensively, you might now have a baseline to get started. Anyway, for more resources related to digital marketing, SEO, and link building, head over to Inbound Hype’s blog section.