Short content or long content: What is the right content strategy?

a solid one content strategy Developing this is important for website operators.

If you do it right, your website can experience exponential growth.

You have probably heard or read this statement before: The more comprehensive the website content, the better it is.

And the postscript probably went: Every piece of content on a website should contain at least 2.000 words.

Is that true? Yes. And no.

In a successful content strategy, both long-form and short-form content have their rightful place.

You should also generally avoid setting a blanket rule for the minimum number of words for each work you produce.

Rather, we want to enable you to recognize how to select the right type of content for a specific purpose.

In the first part of our guide, we will first look at the definition of the terms as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

Short-form content vs. long-form content

Let us begin by defining what still counts as short-form content and where long-form content begins.

As a website operator, you are probably used to creating different content formats.

They have in addition to blog posts They have probably already published videos, infographics, interactive content, and other content.

You have surely developed a process for determining the correct format.

Now you just need to figure out how long each piece of content should be.

How do you define short content?

Short-form content is generally defined as content with a length of less than 1.200 words.

This is typically information that is quick and easy to digest and covers a specific area of ​​a topic.

They don't go into depth and aren't very detailed.

Common short content formats include:

• short blog posts
• News article
• Info graphics
• E-mails

This type of content is easy for your visitors to consume.

Mentally absorbing the content doesn't take long, and it's usually relatively quick and easy to create.

The goal of short content is usually to convey a single message quickly and effectively.

How do you define long content?

Long-form content typically comprises more than 1.200 words.

This refers to content that delves deeply into a topic and covers it in detail and comprehensively.

This format includes, among other things:

• detailed and lengthy blog posts
• timeless pages (Evergreen content) 
• Instructions and tutorials
• Online courses and virtual events
• Overview pages

This type of content usually aims to educate and provide in-depth information.

They are not intended as quickly consumable content.

Website visitors expect detailed answers to a specific question or want to learn more about a topic.

However, this type of content is resource-intensive.

They are usually not quick to produce and often require a considerable amount of time.

Long-form content – ​​especially that with timeless content – ​​often forms the backbone of a SEO strategy: .

If you build several frequently visited pieces of content on your website, they can deliver consistent traffic and generate leads.

Does the length of the content even matter?

Yes, absolutely.

However, this does not mean that longer content is better.

Because that would take the answer out of context.

You need the right content length to achieve your set goals and meet the expectations of your visitors.

For this reason, it is so important to understand how to choose the right content format for different intentions.

And you need to take the time to find out what makes other websites with similar content to yours successful.

Several studies on ranking factors have shown a connection between content length and higher search rankings.

Longer content typically performs better in organic search results than shorter content.

But that's not just due to the number of words.

Rather, the reason lies in the fact that many search queries require detailed results and content in order to comprehensively cover a topic.

Therefore, you need to create content that best answers the search queries.

And these aren't always long pieces of content.

Create content of the right length and in the right format – for your goals and for the needs of search engine users.

Summary: Advantages and disadvantages

Short content has its place in every content strategy.

What are the advantages of creating simple, direct content?

• Short content is an effective way to quickly convey a single topic. Website visitors can grasp the content quickly and with minimal effort.
• The production requires significantly less time and fewer resources than a complex long-form content.
• Short-form content is often much easier to understand. responsive Design to make it more suitable for mobile devices.

What are the arguments against creating content in short form?

• It is more difficult for the creator to delve deeper into a topic with short content.
• Short pieces of content can easily become formulaic if you're not careful. This could put your audience off.
• Short-form content is usually not timeless. This means that interest and performance can decrease over time.

Full-form content: Advantages and disadvantages

Just like short content, long-form content also has a firm place in the marketing strategy of successful website owners.

What are the advantages of the long form?

• A website typically ranks better in search engines if the search query requires detailed results.
• Long-form content usually ranks for a higher number of keywords because it explores a topic in depth.
• The conversion rate of long-form content is generally higher than that of short-form content. This is mainly due to the website visitor's attention and intent.
• Longer pieces of content can better position you as a thought leader and expert in your industry. Visitors perceive you as a market leader if you regularly produce enlightening, informative content that helps them make decisions.

On the other hand, there are also disadvantages that long-form content brings with it.

• Creating long-form content requires significantly more time and resources. This usually results in higher financial costs as well.
• The return on this type of content must therefore be demonstrably greater than that of short-form content. The higher investment in long-form content is only worthwhile if you are highly likely to derive the desired benefit from it.
• Presenting long-form content effectively on mobile devices can often be challenging. This increases the creative complexity and, consequently, the financial investment. It's also important to consider that the attention span of users on the go is typically shorter.

Conclusion

Always remember that the benefits of different types of content usually extend far beyond the mere... Search Engine optimization goes.

Our well-founded SEO advice It quickly provides clarity if you are unsure how to best structure your SEO strategy.