While writing content for a blog, website or even a letter, I tend to go on and on. But, to get someone to actually read the content, it can not be too long. It is just the way things are these days. We are so used to scanning material and getting the idea behind the article, that we tend to no longer read in a deep way. It has been said that posts should be short, expressive and less than 1000 words. They also say that if you write more, you will lose the reader’s attention!

They also say that the shorter the content in a post, the more it gets shared.

Short content certainly exercises your editing skills. On the negative side, short content can dumb down the idea behind the post so far that a point is not successfully made. It can also get right to the point. Sometimes, the longer the content, the less social engagement it gets. If the content is short and the pictures or photos are great, the more engagement the post gets along with a high number of shares. It is possible to successfully engage your followers online with short content. If your strategy for increased interaction online is with short content posts, you need to make sure you do everything that makes short content a success.

Very successful blogs, social media posts and website pages that offer short content all have similarities. They have a big following or fan base. They all have huge audiences. They all have a content quality that results in lots of shares. And this content is such that you cannot find it anywhere else.They also have an expressive way of stating things, interesting observations and ideas that are outside the box. They seem to write as a character and their information is inspiring.

Super successful blogs, posts and website use images that are striking and compelling. They use art in the same way, to bring you in and attract your eye. Incredible pictures and short content seem to go hand in hand.

These same blogs, posts and websites also post often and consistently. They can be counted on and expected. In a way, they become a viewer’s addiction. Many will post at least once a day on all of their social media sites and others will post several times a day. And they don’t miss a schedule at all…ever. Posting every day has the advantage of maximizing followers to see new content every time they go online.

Another characteristic these blogs, posts and website have in common is that they are focused on a single idea. Each time they put their content out into the internet world, they are focused on one idea that readers will want to share. There is no rambling on many subjects. The short content keeps the idea the key focus of communication.

Now, on the other hand, perhaps your content should be long. With a long blog, social media post or website page, you can really work your search engine optimization. It will have a better chance of appearing near the top of the search engine results. Long content keeps the reader on your post or page much longer. It can help explain more detail than a short post. Of course, long content is harder and more time consuming to write. Long content normally requires research and resources. But, for the right audience, a long post can be the right means of communication.

Sometimes, in the beginning of a new business, it can be difficult to get contacts and support because no one knows anything about the business. So, starting a longer blog and posting it on social media along with their website, they can not only develop SEO, but they can educate the public about their business and what it does and for whom. They can write about growing a new business, the psychology that goes into it and the technology and design. Perhaps it is not initially related to their core product but if they find an audience with potential customers, they have succeeded.

These longer posts should be shared on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Longer content has the ability to get more social media shares than short content because the content is more extensive. Although most content does not get shared, studies that analyzed content sharing showed that long content of more than 1,000 words consistently got higher shares and higher links than shorter content. And one of the reasons for this higher rate is because long content can convey a more emotional side which appeals to readers. Content that triggers certain emotions is more likely to be shared than content that doesn’t arouse emotion. Postings or blogs that communicate a sense of awe, anxiety or anger are shared more often than others no matter the length of the content.

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Long or short, the subject matter is of course important to what a reader will read, but on average, a post or blog that takes approximately 7 minutes to read, which is about 1,600 words, is best for engaging readers. The most successful blogs and posts that are shared and do a great job with SEO are about 1600 to 2400 words. Their success, though, is based upon the fact that they are well researched, have incredible and interesting content, are laid out for easy readability, they are not boring or dull and they are found to be posted on a very regular basis. Your content needs to stand out from the crowd with information that people are looking for. It needs to trigger an emotional response. There needs to be short paragraphs, illustrations, photos, and other interesting graphics to keep the reader motivated. And your post needs to be meaningful.

The decision to post a long blog or a short one needs to be based upon experience. You will never know what your audience is looking for until you give them a choice. Post ten interesting short blogs on your site. Then, post ten interesting long articles. Take note on which ones do better. Which ones got the most traffic? Which ones got the most shares? Which ones got comments (if they are allowed) and did you see anything in your business change such as sales? All in all your readers will determine if you need to post a long post or a short one!