How Long Should a Blog Post Be? 

Are you an avid blogger that worries how long your blog posts should be? Hubspot data says that the ideal blog length is a 2,100-2,400 word count. But before you start writing a 2,300-word count blog post, keep in mind that not all blog posts need to be super long. In fact, most of the blog posts on the SEO Design website stay at 1,500 words, so there’s still a big opportunity to get views and rankings even with a lower blog word count. 

In this article, we will explain why the word count of your blog post matters, how long specific blog posts should be, how to write an effective lengthy blog post, and which platforms are the best for your content. We know that writing a blog post can be tricky since even seasoned bloggers have trouble. Let’s begin! 

Why Does the Word Count of Your Post Even Matter?

The simple truth is that you have a higher chance of ranking in Google’s search engine results if you write long and high-quality blog posts, especially ones that have 1,000 words or more.

When your text is longer, Google has more clues to figure out what the article is about. This is largely because the longer your text is, the more often your focus keyword appears. But make sure that you don’t spam your article with the focus keywords. In a longer post, you can add headings, links, and even images that mention the keyword. 

But Isn’t Shorter Better?

A lot of bloggers like to say that “shorter is better,” and that blog posts shouldn’t be more than 600 words long. They explain that online readers have short attention spans and don’t want to read long articles. This is actually a myth! Most of the best-read blog posts are over 1,500 words long. 

What are the Ideal Blog Lengths for Different Blog Post Types?

There are a huge variety of different types of formats of blog posts. It’s important to know how the length of an article affects the performance of the article.

How Long Should a Blog Post Pillar Page Be?

A pillar page is essentially a guide to any given subject on the Internet as a blog post. These posts serve as a “pillar” to a cluster of blog posts, all of which relate to the topic that is explained in the pillar. Typically, pillar pages should have a 4,000-word count, since these blog posts cover a lot more content than the average blog post.

The reason why it has such a big blog word count is because there is a lot of work that goes into pillar pages and the content that they cover. Pillar pages should take several days to write, cite multiple sources, and link out to all related blog posts on the subject. 

How Long Should a Blog Post for Listicles Be?

Listicles, or list blog posts, are blog posts that list off and explain a few examples, tools, resources, or ideas for a given topic. When it comes to the blog length of these posts, the rule of thumb for this is that the more examples, the better. Most people write listicles from 2,300-2,600 words. 

How Long Should a Blog Post for “How-To’s” Be?

How-to posts describe well how to do something, so the ideal length of the blog post depends on how difficult it is to do what you are explaining how to do. How-to blog posts should generally be between 1,700 and 2,100 words. 

How Long Should a Blog Post for “What Is” Questions Be?

“What is” posts, or blog posts that answer a question, are definitely the poster child for making blog posts “as long as they need to be.” When readers search for what, who, or when something is, they want a quick answer or explanation. Usually, these blog posts are between 1,300 and 1,700 words. 

Looking to Achieve Something Specific with Your Blog Posts?

If you are looking to achieve certain results from your blog posts, these are some tips to help you do that. For example, If you want more comments on your blog, try writing short, discussion-based posts no longer than 275 words long. 

If you want more social media shares, remember that it is heavily influenced by a few different things. This includes the topic you’re writing about, the quality of your post, and the size of the audience. If you want more shares on social media, make sure your blog posts are between 600 and 1,250 words. 

If you want to get more readers every day, you are probably looking to improve your ranking on Google. Search engine optimization (SEO) is tricky, and while getting it right is important, focusing on it too much can be a huge waste of time. If you want more traffic from Google, write longer, heavily research posts that are at least a 2,450-word count. 

How to Write an Effective Lengthy Blog Post:

Now that you know the basics of how long the blog length of typical posts should be, here is how to write an effective blog post that will get you views! Extensive articles that are written for people and not search engines tend to have some advantages over short posts. It is so easy to just add a bunch of random information that doesn’t make sense. Here are some basics to make sure your articles are readable: 

• Start every paragraph with a topic sentence 
• Use the rest of the paragraph to elaborate on the topic sentence 
• Be sure to keep your sentences and paragraphs short and snappy 
• If you find any unnecessary words and sentences – delete them 
• Control the amount of passive voice used in the article

Important Tips to Improve the Success of Your Post

Use Headings

Make sure that you use headings in your posts. Headings within a text serve at least two purposes. First: they show a top-down hierarchy. You can let your readers know what the paragraph would be about by using clear headings. That also makes your text pleasant to read, as a heading tells you what the next piece of text is about. It is so important to write a great heading in order to increase your traffic. 

Use a Basic Template

Create a basic template with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Now that you have your template, fill in the template with the blog post. Always have in your template three to seven headings in your body. Consider taking the main idea and turning them into headings. Then, consider writing a conclusion. Finally, go back to the body and fill in each heading with content, making them however long you want. 

Add Eye-Catching Images

There are a lot of free stock images out there. Without images, your blog post won’t do as well. Many people are visually keen and often, images serve as an introduction to the story. You can even consider including infographics in your post. It will not only make your post readable but will also reduce the reading time in your blog post. 

Write Original Content

It is not easy being original with so much content already out there. Knowing what to blog about is difficult to answer. But, it might help if you reflect on what makes you unique. Think about how what you offer is different and better than the offers of your competitors. Then do some keyword research to find out what the most popular keywords that your audience searches for and what competitors are up to.

Blogs are the place to have an informal and conversational style. Your content needs to be substantial so that when a reader finishes reading, they feel like they have learned something and gained knowledge. 

What are the Best Blogging Platforms for Your Content?

There are a lot of different blogging platforms out there, and you need to choose the best blogging platform for you. A lot of blog experts say that using platforms such as Blogger, WordPress.com, or Wix is an amateur move. One of the best things you can do to feature your content to host your blog on a professional platform. Here are the platforms that you should consider for your content: 

• WordPress: We recommend starting with WordPress because it is an amazing blogging tool to use. It is built for strong SEO and has a huge and vibrant community of developers who create free and paid plugins. 
• Squarespace: Squarespace allows you to create websites really easily. It is more expensive than WordPress but you can have much more control over the design and function of the site. It is a little easier to get figured out. 

Once you have your blog all set up, consider hiring freelance writers who know how to create content that will be the right blog word count and bring online traffic up. SEO Design Chicago can help you get connected with a large network of blog writers who can help you write about the topics that matter most to you! Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help your company’s blog!

FAQs about How Long a Blog Post Should Be

What is the ideal length for a blog post?

According to Hubspot data, the ideal blog length is 2,100-2,400 words. However, not all blog posts need to be this long—most SEO Design blog posts are around 1,500 words and still rank well. The key is that posts with 1,000+ words have a higher chance of ranking in Google’s search results because longer content gives Google more clues about your article’s topic through keywords, headings, links, and images.

Is it true that shorter blog posts are better?

No, that’s a myth. While many bloggers claim posts shouldn’t exceed 600 words because readers have short attention spans, the reality is that most best-read blog posts are over 1,500 words long. Longer, high-quality content consistently performs better in search rankings and reader engagement. The idea that “shorter is better” doesn’t align with actual performance data from successful blogs.

How long should different types of blog posts be?

Different post types have different ideal lengths: pillar pages (comprehensive guides) should be around 4,000 words since they cover extensive content and link to related posts; listicles should be 2,300-2,600 words with as many examples as possible; how-to posts should be 1,700-2,100 words depending on complexity; and “what is” question posts should be 1,300-1,700 words to provide quick answers without unnecessary fluff.

How long should my blog post be if I want more social media shares?

If your goal is more social media shares, aim for 600-1,250 words. However, remember that shares are heavily influenced by multiple factors including your topic, content quality, and audience size—not just length. While word count matters, focusing on creating share-worthy content that resonates with your audience is equally important for increasing social engagement.

What length should I aim for to rank better on Google?

To improve Google rankings and get more daily readers, write longer, heavily researched posts with at least 2,450 words. While SEO is important, don’t focus on it too much as that can waste time. Longer posts give Google more information to understand your content through keywords, headings, links, and images. Just avoid keyword spam—use your focus keywords naturally throughout the longer text.

What are the key elements of an effective lengthy blog post?

Start every paragraph with a topic sentence and elaborate in the rest of the paragraph. Keep sentences and paragraphs short and snappy, delete unnecessary words, and control passive voice usage. Use clear headings to show hierarchy and help readers navigate, add eye-catching images or infographics, write original content that makes you unique, and follow a basic template with introduction, body (3-7 headings), and conclusion.

Why are headings important in blog posts?

Headings serve two critical purposes: they show a top-down hierarchy and tell readers what each paragraph is about, making your text pleasant to read. Clear headings help readers navigate your content and decide what to focus on. Using well-written headings is essential for increasing traffic since they improve readability and help both readers and search engines understand your content structure and main points.

Which blogging platform is best for hosting my content?

WordPress is highly recommended because it’s an amazing blogging tool built for strong SEO with a huge community creating free and paid plugins. Squarespace is another excellent option—it’s more expensive than WordPress but offers easier design control and setup. Avoid platforms like Blogger, WordPress.com, or Wix, which experts consider amateur choices. Hosting your blog on a professional platform helps feature your content more effectively.