Why are you writing a blog in the first place?

Are you hoping to drive traffic to your website? Are you trying to establish yourself as an expert in the field?  Maybe you want to generate discussion on social media. No matter why you are writing, one critical question is “How Long Does My Blog Have to Be?” Not too long ago, just about any SEO expert would have given you the same answer: around 500 words. Today, the answer may be more nuanced. You could probably cover some topics in less than 300 words, while others may need 3,000 words.

The short answer to this question is, it depends. Your blog posts should have enough content to cover your topic but be readable enough to keep your audience coming back for more.

Longer Posts or More Posts?

The word count for your blog affects your publishing schedule. If you write shorter posts, publish more frequently.  In any case, don’t overdo it. This will only lead to you getting burnt out and your readers getting overwhelmed.

Three Best Practice Guidelines

Are you ready to get started?  Here are three main considerations:

1. What Works for Your Topic?
   If your blog focuses on in-depth analysis and journalistic style writing, you’ll probably be writing longer posts.  If you prefer topics like “Strange Things I Saw on the Way to Work,” you’ll probably be better off with short posts.

2. What Works for Your Audience?
   Who are your readers?  Why are they reading your blog? No matter what the topic is, every good blogger writes for their audience. Write what works for them, and you are more likely to succeed. If you already have many readers, you may consider a reader survey. If you’re not there yet, check out your analytics to see which posts are more popular and get the most comments or shares.

3. What Works for You?
   What kind of writer are you?  Is your style more concise or wordier? If you’ve been struggling to write long posts, maybe you should try your hand at shorter content. If you feel you’re leaving too much left unsaid, why not see how a longer post works?

The best thing about blogging is that you have the freedom to do what you want to do. If you want to write 10,000-word blog posts, you can. If you’d rather post a picture of a kitten with a clever caption, you can. The content you create is completely up to you. Look around and see what other people are doing. Look at your numbers and see what your audience is responding to. In the end, go with what works.

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However, even though the call-to-action is one of the most basic concepts of marketing, many people don’t like to use them.  They usually have one of two standard excuses:

1. Call-to-action phrases are annoying.
2. Everyone knows what to do if they like your products.

Neither of these excuses holds up to scrutiny.  Putting a link to learn more about your product in a blog post isn’t annoying; it convenient.  It isn’t wise to assume that people know what to do if they like your products.  The last thing you want is for your article to prompt them to visit a competitor.  Your results will usually be better when you communicate clearly.

Building a Better Call-to-Action

Are you still unsure about defining your call to action?  Here are five tips that can help:

1. Make it Clear: Your readers should know what to expect when they click your call-to-action.  For example, the phrase “Click Here to Subscribe to Our Newsletter” is much better than just “Click Here.”  You are starting a relationship with your customer when they respond to your call-to-action.  Being clear is the best way to start this relationship on the right foot.
2. Make it Easy: Your call-to-action should not be complicated.  You might think a phrase like “go to our website, call us or visit us in person to learn more!”  gives your reader options, but it sounds a little desperate.  Keep it simple, and people are more likely to respond.
3. Make it Verifiable: Did anyone respond to your call-to-action?  If you’re not monitoring your traffic, you won’t know.  Measuring the impact of your call-to-action statements also lets you test a variety of options to see what works best.
4. Make it Universal: Your call-to-action belongs everywhere.  Every blog post, every printed mailer and every sales conversation should include a call to action.  You are in business to sell products and services; that’s not a secret.  If you want people to respond, give them the opportunity.
5. Define it in Advance: The most important tip of all is to define the #1 thing you want someone to do. Whether it’s to make a purchase, book an appointment, or something else, make sure you don’t get caught up in creating a call-to-action that isn’t in alignment with your number one goal.

The goal of all your marketing efforts is to promote your products or services.  Though it may seem old-fashioned and simplistic, the call-to-action should still be a crucial part of your website conversion efforts and overall marketing toolkit.  Define your call to action today!

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