Too long or not too long? That is always the question in the world of blogging. Sometimes a topic is just so engrossing, it can’t be contained in a mere 400 or 500 word post. Then a natural dilemma arises. Should the topic be tackled in one long blog post like a mini-novel or dissected over a series of posts like a movie franchise pumping out sequels.
The truth is, there are benefits for you as a small business owner to incorporating both forms of content into your blog. Any blog writers for hire are experienced in writing however much you want on any given topic. How you choose to break down content comes down to deciding which form works best for the topic at hand.
When Is Bigger Better?
Long form content is useful for a blog post when a topic can be covered in-depth in a single article. The one advantage writing longer posts offers is that a single blog post is more likely to be shared through social media channels than a series of posts. If you want to maximize exposure to your work in this manner, sharing a single post is much easier than a series of posts.
With longer blog posts, there is no need to make your readers wait for each installment. They can get the information they need all at once. This works best if, for example, you are posting a troubleshooting guide to a product you’re selling. Making your audience’s life more convenient will quickly win them over to making return visits to your blog or website.
When Should You Create Sequels?
Some topics are better suited to spanning more than one blog post. Sometimes you need to cover multiple points that end up branching far away from the main topic to help your audience better understand the whole picture. This is where a series of posts can free you up to go into detail, where a single post might constrain your ability to flesh out ideas.
A series of blog posts also offers other advantages over long form content. It makes it easier to spread content on your editorial calendar over a week or a month. Having a series of posts can also increase traffic to the blog as readers return to read the latest installment in the series. That can mean great things for your page views, which can help you draw in advertisers and monetize your blog more effectively.
Make Content Useful
Content length matters little if the content holds no value for your audience. The no. 1 rule in blogging is to make each post useful. Your topic of choice must offer information that shows your readers why it should matter to them. If it has no value and is not applicable to their lives, then there’s no reason for them to care about what you write—no matter how you package your words and ideas.
John C is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
