Bloggers often wonder if there is a magic formula to running a successful blog. Not only how often they should blog, but also how many words each post should be. Blog post length is something often discussed. Some seem to think shorter is better, where there is another camp that thinks longer posts reign. But is either of them right? The best answer is: it depends. When figuring out your own blog post length, consider these things.

Your posting frequency. When determining your blog post length, it is good it to think about how often you’re going to be posting. Blogs that update daily, or even more often than that, often have readers who would like their information in shorter bursts. With so much information being thrown at them, there is just no time to read that many lengthy posts. On the other hand, other bloggers like to update less frequently can write longer, more thorough blog posts.

Your tone. What do you want the tone of your blog to be? The tone will help determine how you will talk to your readers, but also determines your blog post length. For example, posts that are lighthearted and informative can afford to be on the shorter side. Posts that intend to dig deeper and inspire can be on the longer side to really get to the heart of the subject.

Your goal for your blog. Blog posts that are around the same length tend to have the same effect. In general, blog posts of:

• 75-300 words are good for getting people talking. They lead the discussion and ask for comments. Since they are so short, they aren’t big social share generators.
• 300-750 words are the standard industry blog post length. It is a good middle ground for getting comments and social shares.
• 750-1,500 words tend to get more social shares. They don’t get as many comments (unless you have a very dedicated audience that reads all your stuff in entirety) but these posts tend to be more thought out and insightful, therefore garnering more shares.
• 2,000-2,450 words seem to rank high on Google, as long as the topic is something people are searching for, and the content is original and well-written.

When you start a new blog, how will you determine your perfect blog post length? The best thing to do is to figure out what your goal for your blog is, and how you want to communicate with your audience. And above all else, test and retest to see what your audience responds to best.