Summary

The ideal length for an article varies depending on specific goals, with research suggesting a range between 1,500 to 3,000 words for optimal engagement and SEO performance.

Abstract

The article discusses the importance of content length in achieving various content marketing objectives. It cites research indicating that SEO optimization is best served by articles between 2,100 to 2,400 words, while lead generation peaks at around 2,500 words. Social media shares tend to favor longer content, with articles ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 words receiving more attention. The average blog post length is 1,269 words, but content on the first page of Google search results averages 1,890 words. Medium suggests an ideal reading time of seven minutes, corresponding to approximately 1,800 words. Quality is emphasized over quantity, with the recommendation that content should fulfill the promises made in the headline. The SEMRush SEO Writing Assistant is recommended as a tool to determine the optimal length for content based on top-ranked articles for a given topic. The average time spent writing a blog post has increased to nearly four hours, reflecting the demand for high-quality, engaging content that provides value to readers.

Opinions

Quality content that delivers on its headline's promise is more important than the number of words.
The ideal length for an article is influenced by the goals of the content, whether it's SEO, lead generation, or social media engagement.
Longer articles, typically above 3,000 words, are suitable for in-depth topics and can improve search rankings, lead generation, and social media shares.
The SEMRush SEO Writing Assistant is a valuable tool for determining the optimal length for a blog post based on competitive analysis.
The trend in content is moving towards longer, more comprehensive articles that provide substantial value to the reader.
Writing time has significantly increased, indicating a shift towards crafting more detailed and high-quality content.
Content should be engaging and worth bookmarking, emphasizing the importance of user experience in content creation.

What’s the Ideal Length for an Article?

Find out what research says about the perfect length

How long should your blog post be? How many words is the sweet spot when it comes to the length of your article? How long should it take you to write an article?

When you plan your content, one of the things you need to think about is how long it should be to maximize its impact. Many people are confused about the length because there’s a lot of data out there on what is ideal.

500 words?
1,500 words?
2,500 words?

The ideal size of a piece of content depends on several factors. Let’s see what research says about the ideal length of content.

Don’t Write Too Much or Too Little

It’s essential to know the goals for your content. Do you want to optimize for search engines? Generate more leads? Get more social media shares?

What does the data say?

Search engine optimization (SEO): the ideal blog post length is between 2,100–2,400 words (HubSpot)
Lead generation: a blog post that is 2,500 words (HubSpot)
Social media shares: content between 3,000 to 10,000 words attracts more shares than content between 0 and 3,000 words (Neil Patel)

Now, you can see that the length varies depending on your goals. If you are looking for averages in general, the average blog post is 1,269 words, according to OrbitMedia. If you want to see what Google thinks, Backlinko analyzed 11.8 million Google search results and found that website pages that made it to page one on Google’s search results were 1,890 words long (includes all words, not just the content).

Given this data, you can see that the answer depends. If you are looking for a good rule of thumb, write content between 1,500 and 3,000 words.

Medium says the average reading speed of an adult is about 265 words per minute. If you take that rule of thumb, you should write content that is between 5 to 12 minutes. Medium’s research says the ideal story length is seven minutes.

Source: Medium Data Lab “The Optimal Post is 7 Minutes”

The bottom line is that quality is more important than quantity. The question shouldn’t be how long, but does your content deliver what it promises in the headline? People want answers to their questions.

It’s important not to write too much or too little.

Content under 500 words can still rank at the top of search engine pages. The key is to determine the goals for your content and what type of content you are producing.

For example, here’s a good rule of thumb for the length of content and what type of format.

Write between 300 to 500 words if you are writing an introduction to a video or infographic.
Write between 500 and 1,500 words if you want an average blog post or article.
Write between 1,500 to 3,000 words if you want to rank higher in search results, generate more leads, and increase your chances of being shared on social media.
Write above 3,000 words to take a deep dive into a topic such as an eBook or an ultimate guide.

A Helpful Writing Tool

The right length for a piece of content depends on the topic. There is a fantastic tool that can tell you the best length for a blog post on your topic. It’s the SEMRush SEO Writing Assistant for Google Docs and WordPress (note: you’ll need a subscription to SEMRush to use it).

According to SEMRush, the tool “check if your texts follow our best SEO recommendations” and provides keyword suggestions for the topic you are writing about and how long your content should be. It’s based on their analysis of top-ranked content on that specific topic.

If you type in “what’s the best length for a blog post?” for example, it will say it is 1,121 words. The tool also provides tips on improving the readability of your article. The bottom line is that you need content to be backed up with research and provide your audience with new insights on the topic.

How Long Should It Take You Write A Blog Post?

Once you figure out how long your content should be, you probably will want to know how long it should take you to write it. According to OrbitMedia’s research of more than 1,000 bloggers, the average blog post takes someone three hours and 55 minutes to write. OrbitMedia research says writers are spending 63% more time on their blog posts than six years ago.

The demand for high-quality content is increasing. With Google emphasizing user experience, quality content needs to convince your readers to read it all the way through. Your content must be valuable, helpful, and worth bookmarking.

“I like density, not volume.” — Maureen Howard, an author

This will require more time to write a higher-quality article to draw your readers and keep their attention. To answer how long it will take you, you probably can write 1,000 words in an hour. As you become a better writer and time block your writing sessions, you could probably write under an hour. You also need to save time to polish your writing.

Bringing It All Together

The research shows that content is trending toward being longer. The ideal length of your content depends on the topic. Using tools like SEMRush SEO Writing Assistant can help you hone in the perfect length. By understanding the general rule of thumb of 1,500 to 3,000 words, you’ll increase your chances that your content will perform well. It’s not about the length but how much value you pack inside your content.

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