It’s not about how big. It’s what you can do with it that matters.

You hear it often. Size doesn’t matter. How true is that though when it comes to character length?

So many SEO experts are quick to the mark, claiming an exact ‘sweet-spot’ of anywhere between 300 and 2,000 words. What consistently arises as a truth though, is that inherently it’s quality over quantity.

So, it’s not about how big it’s what you do with it that matters. If you can give your readers what they need in 300 words, then do it. If you need more time to massage this beast of a topic into a coherent argument, go for 2,000. Heck, go for your Masters and clock up 12,000 words. It’s one of the beauty’s about writing, the world is your oyster (or pearl if you’re seafood averse).

To throw a spanner in the works, Slate’s study found that on a typical 2,000 word web article most readers will make it to the 50% mark or 1,000th pixel on that page. That means that most people who read any article by ABC News will most likely miss any valuable snippets of information that lie beyond the 50% mark. 

Say you’re writing an article about elements for success and the first 50% of your article is solely on first impressions and good looks. Your readers will most likely miss out on what sits at 60%, facts that drive home success beyond face-value looks and impressions. 

That’s the dilemma of the age we live in – the skimming age. We’re comfortably accustomed to convenience and getting things quickly. We’ve apparently got no time for long-form or discussion.

Despair isn’t necessary though. The goal must always be to deliver quality content. Discard jam-packing your copy with fluffy and unnecessary keywords and get to the point. Use lists if you need. Lean toward video, or better yet give your audience everything with a video AND a transcript/blog.

Content is king. If you need a social media marketing queen, 3 Phase Marketing is here to help.

The age of articles and blogs isn’t dead. Far from it.

Just take a look at when Australian media organisations went dark for one day in retaliation of growing censorship, highlighting how our current conservative government falls short when protecting the freedom of the press.

Better yet, how about the fact that the New York Times noted a 5.2% subscription increase in the second quarter of 2019? We might be skimmers but give us content on something we’re interested in and we eat it up like dessert.

How about the uproar that came from the US seeking to ban TikTok? With 800 million active users and many individuals receiving a substantial income from the app (like $5 million a year), the ban could have detrimental effects especially in this uncertain landscape. But we digress.

Give the people what they want and if you study your audience, you’ll know what they want. Use Google Analytics and Facebook Insights to your advantage and get to know who follows your page. Understand your niche. Like the New York Times, speak on current affairs or invest in investigating a subject. Spend time on something important. It’s all about that lead generation. 

More often than not when you spend time on something, you will either find you produce a short and concise piece of written work that doesn’t exceed 500 words, or you’ll have an in-depth discussion that expands well into 2,000 words. 

Size doesn’t matter. It’s what you do with it that matters.

Don’t be intimidated by content. Start off by choosing quantity over quality, because that will inevitably lead to the opposite – quality over quantity. Why? Because as you pump out your content, you’ll start to gauge what works and what doesn’t. Again, it’s all about lead generation! Understand what your consumers like and tap into it!

If you’re seeking support on SEO, analytics and keywords, our award-winning digital marketing agency is ready to help!