Short Content vs. Long Content

The debate of short content vs long content is exactly like the never ending debate of Android vs iPhone. Just like Android and iOS, short content & long content both offer something different and better than the other. Many popular SEO blogs claim that long content is good from both users’ and search engines’ prescriptive. On the other hand, some digital marketing experts advise you to keep the length of your content short because, “ain’t nobody got time for long content”. So which one should you choose? Which will be more beneficial and serve your purpose while providing information to the readers? The answer is “Depends on You”. Every niche commands different types of content and that’s why you have to determine yourself, what works best for you.

To get a clear picture, let’s understand what long content and short content really mean. However, in the end, it’s best to have both long and short content… but we’ll get to that later.

Short Content:

Just like a billboard has to capture a commuter’s eye in just fraction of seconds, a website’s content has to catch the attention of a user in a very short span of time. This is because, people are spoiled for choices and they need the desired information in as minimal efforts as possible. Many SEO experts suggest having short content because of the short attention span of a searcher. This seems legit because the popularity of visual content, repurposing of long-form content into video, list posts and infographics also indicates the same. There’s no denying that the trend is more inclined towards small content.

Definition of Short Content

Blog posts under 1000 words, social media content & infographics are all considered as short content. Actually, any content which covers the major part of a topic without going in-depth can be considered as “Short Content”.

Advantages of Short Content

The biggest advantage is that, nowadays most people are searching through their mobile, and mobile users usually prefer short content. Also, people like things that are short, sweet and to-the-point. Brands & businesses that convey a strong message to their users clearly and quickly are most likely to outshine others.

Short Content is Best For:

• Users that need brief answers to a particular problem.
• Content that is for a larger audience.
• Testimonials, short stories, humorous content & narratives.
• Almost every social media content (Share-worthy).
• To grasp the core idea just by having a glance.

Long Content

Yes, long content does have SEO benefits!! Because Google and other major search engines have a sweet spot for long content. Because unlike short content, long content provides a user with precise information on a specific topic. And since they appear to be authoritative on a specific subject, people become loyal visitors of their website. So long content is also good from both SEO & user perspective.

Definition of Long Content?

Majority of experts state that content between 1,200 to 2000 words should be considered as long content. As per a recent study, a 7-minute read or approximately 1,700 words is the best way to draw a user’s attention, in terms of long content. But don’t get carried away by these numbers and add useless words just for the sake of touching the long content mark; it’s not going to do the trick.

What is The Advantage?

Since long content provides answers in detail, it establishes credibility by providing value to the audience. Also, higher word count leads to a higher rank in search engine result pages and thus, it scores more traffic. Pages with more content (long content) are most likely to secure the top spot on search results, because the longer the content, more the keywords, links & chances of getting backlinks. And last but not the least, the longer your content, the longer your audience will stay on your website, you’ll get more time to establish trust & enjoy a lower bounce rate.

Long Content is Best For:

• If you deal in a niche where audience looks for detail oriented content.
• Analytical topics
• Desktop or tablet users
• Informational Storytelling
• Providing precise information

Purpose of Content is more important than length

The purpose of content decides the length of it. There are several other factors too, which you should consider:

Frequency: If you are posting on a daily basis then short content or a mix of both short and long content will be good for you. But if you are posting only once or twice a week then proceed with longer content.

Purpose: We always have an objective when it comes to developing content. Be it brand awareness, promotion, boosting social media presence, encouraging share, or providing education. The length of content will depend on the purpose we choose.

Substance: What is the core message you want to convey? Can you say it in 100 words? If yes, then create short content. But if you require 1000+ words, just develop a long-form of content.

Audience:  Understand your targeted audience, focus on their needs, interests and potential concerns. Because ultimately, your paramount goal is to create content that your audience will love to read and share. So understanding your audience and then creating content will help you determine the best length for it.

The Verdict:

You can connect with your audience on a regular basis with short form content, while long form content will educate & inform your audience. And like I said at the beginning, short and long both kinds of content is required for successful content marketing because they both serve different purposes & audience.

Do you have any thoughts on the same? Please feel free to share your views with us on sales@agencyplatform.com or call (888) 736-0541 (Toll-Free)