{"id":2907,"date":"2025-04-23T10:27:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T10:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/why-longer-content-isnt-better\/"},"modified":"2025-04-23T10:27:32","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T10:27:32","slug":"why-longer-content-isnt-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/why-longer-content-isnt-better\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Longer Content Isn&#8217;t Better"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>You\u2019re looking for this article because you think long-form content works right? Or at least that\u2019s what you\u2019ve heard from many marketers.<\/p>\n<p>You might even have seen it for yourself. You\u2019re trying to make a simple pasta dish (like aglio e olio) but you have to scroll through a piece that\u2019s thousands of words long, answering questions you didn\u2019t need:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"694\" class=\"wp-image-187202\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/random-question-on-a-recipe-page.png\" alt=\"Random question on a recipe page\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/random-question-on-a-recipe-page.png 750w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/random-question-on-a-recipe-page-459x425.png 459w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Even when I ran my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/si-quan-ong_ive-written-100-blog-posts-for-the-ahrefs-activity-7140166423636537345-Rt5y\/\">AMA on LinkedIn<\/a> to celebrate my milestone of writing <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/100-blog-posts\/\">100 blog posts<\/a> for the Ahrefs blog, a common question was \u201cWhat\u2019s the length?\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1070\" height=\"346\" class=\"wp-image-187203\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post.png\" alt=\"People asking me what's the length of my blog posts\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post.png 1070w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-680x220.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-768x248.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1070px) 100vw, 1070px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1070\" height=\"346\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187203\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post.png\" alt=\"People asking me what's the length of my blog posts\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post.png 1070w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-680x220.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-768x248.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1070px) 100vw, 1070px\"\/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1064\" height=\"288\" class=\"wp-image-187204\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-1.png\" alt=\"People asking me what's the length of my blog posts\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-1.png 1064w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-1-680x184.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-1-768x208.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1064px) 100vw, 1064px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1064\" height=\"288\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187204\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-1.png\" alt=\"People asking me what's the length of my blog posts\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-1.png 1064w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-1-680x184.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/people-asking-me-whats-the-length-of-my-blog-post-1-768x208.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1064px) 100vw, 1064px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>That question reveals something important. As marketers, we don\u2019t just believe that long-form content works; we believe length is the <strong>reason<\/strong> it\u00a0does.<\/p>\n<p>But what if we\u2019re confusing what\u2019s working\u2026 with why it\u2019s working?<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Why do marketers love long-form content?\" data-section=\"why-love-long-form-content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_xq12vy12peoq\"\/>Why do marketers love long-form content?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s not because someone said it once in a viral podcast episode. There are deeper reasons as to why SEOs and marketers love long-form content:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_pw6hgzl72nrh\"\/>1. Long-form content feels like a tangible, repeatable strategy<\/h3>\n<p>In an industry full of ambiguity and platitudes (\u201cmake helpful content\u201d, \u201coffer value\u201d), long-form content gives marketers something concrete to\u00a0chase.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s easier to say \u201cwrite at least 2,000 words\u201d than it is to say \u201cunderstand your audience on a human level, figure out what they\u2019re struggling with, and deliver a solution in the most effective format.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<div id=\"attachment_187205\" style=\"width: 1956px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-187205\" class=\"wp-image-187205\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde.png\" alt=\"The amount of work you need to actually do to understand your audience\" width=\"1946\" height=\"1096\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde.png 1946w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde-680x383.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde-1536x865.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1946px) 100vw, 1946px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-187205\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187205\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde.png\" alt=\"The amount of work you need to actually do to understand your audience\" width=\"1946\" height=\"1096\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde.png 1946w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde-680x383.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-amount-of-work-you-need-to-actually-do-to-unde-1536x865.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1946px) 100vw, 1946px\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-187205\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The amount of work you need to actually do to understand your audience, from <a href=\"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/blog\/audience-research-the-complete-guide-for-marketers\/\">Sparktoro<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>One is a simple metric; the other requires actual skill and investment. So we default to what feels easy, even if it\u2019s not \u201cright\u201d.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_2m3w1sjq67ms\"\/>2. It\u2019s easier to dump ideas than to\u00a0edit<\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s easier to dump everything you know into one place than to use judgment and reason and be selective about what to include.<\/p>\n<p>I see this all the time. I wanted to learn how to cook a tuna aglio e olio last month and the first article I found covered:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is aglio e\u00a0olio?<\/li>\n<li>Where does aglio e olio come\u00a0from?<\/li>\n<li>What is aglio e olio sauce made\u00a0from?<\/li>\n<li>What\u2019s the difference between aglio e olio and carbonara?<\/li>\n<li>What is the Feast of the Seven Fishes?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The last one was truly a ???. Look at how far I had to scroll to <em>actually <\/em>get to the recipe.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"934\" height=\"1150\" class=\"wp-image-187206\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/how-long-i-needed-to-scroll-to-get-to-the-recipe.png\" alt=\"How long I needed to scroll to get to the recipe\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/how-long-i-needed-to-scroll-to-get-to-the-recipe.png 934w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/how-long-i-needed-to-scroll-to-get-to-the-recipe-345x425.png 345w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/how-long-i-needed-to-scroll-to-get-to-the-recipe-768x946.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"934\" height=\"1150\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187206\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/how-long-i-needed-to-scroll-to-get-to-the-recipe.png\" alt=\"How long I needed to scroll to get to the recipe\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/how-long-i-needed-to-scroll-to-get-to-the-recipe.png 934w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/how-long-i-needed-to-scroll-to-get-to-the-recipe-345x425.png 345w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/how-long-i-needed-to-scroll-to-get-to-the-recipe-768x946.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The hardest part of content creation isn\u2019t writing. It\u2019s editing. It\u2019s having the discipline to say: \u201cThis is interesting but not essential for the reader right now.\u201d That kind of <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-curation\/\">curation<\/a> takes confidence and a deep understanding of your audience, which is harder than adding another subheading.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_e4jlne6bicjv\"\/>3. Google seems to reward it<\/h3>\n<p>We see long-form content ranking, so we think that must be one of the reasons why it\u2019s ranking. I mean, even a simple query like \u201chow to clean coffee machine\u201d has articles with word counts &gt;1,000.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"924\" height=\"1218\" class=\"wp-image-187207\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-the-top-ranking-pages-for-how-to-c.jpg\" alt=\"Word count for the top-ranking pages for &quot;how to clean coffee machine&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-the-top-ranking-pages-for-how-to-c.jpg 924w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-the-top-ranking-pages-for-how-to-c-322x425.jpg 322w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-the-top-ranking-pages-for-how-to-c-768x1012.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"924\" height=\"1218\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187207\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-the-top-ranking-pages-for-how-to-c.jpg\" alt=\"Word count for the top-ranking pages for &quot;how to clean coffee machine&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-the-top-ranking-pages-for-how-to-c.jpg 924w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-the-top-ranking-pages-for-how-to-c-322x425.jpg 322w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-the-top-ranking-pages-for-how-to-c-768x1012.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Sounds bonkers, but it works, right? So we\u00a0copy.<\/p>\n<p>But that\u2019s like copying Bill Gates\u2019 morning routine to become rich. Sure, it\u2019s what we can see and follow, but it\u2019s not the reason why he became a billionaire.<\/p>\n<p>Correlation is not causation. Length <em>may <\/em>be a factor, but we don\u2019t know 100%. Is it ranking because it\u2019s long\u2026 or is it ranking because it\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/quality-content\/\">high-quality<\/a>, satisfies <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-intent\/\">search intent<\/a>, and has tons of backlinks?<\/p>\n<p>Length could simply be a byproduct of quality, not the driver. Yet, as SEOs, we copy the format, not the\u00a0value.<\/p>\n<p>By the way, you can rank with a short article too. Meta, but this article ranking for my target keyword has only 837\u00a0words:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1168\" height=\"700\" class=\"wp-image-187208\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-one-of-the-pages-ranking-for-long-f.png\" alt=\"Word count for one of the pages ranking for long form content\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-one-of-the-pages-ranking-for-long-f.png 1168w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-one-of-the-pages-ranking-for-long-f-680x408.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-one-of-the-pages-ranking-for-long-f-768x460.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1168px) 100vw, 1168px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1168\" height=\"700\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187208\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-one-of-the-pages-ranking-for-long-f.png\" alt=\"Word count for one of the pages ranking for long form content\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-one-of-the-pages-ranking-for-long-f.png 1168w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-one-of-the-pages-ranking-for-long-f-680x408.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/word-count-for-one-of-the-pages-ranking-for-long-f-768x460.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1168px) 100vw, 1168px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>But this also includes all the miscellaneous words on that page, like the header and footer. If we take the actual article and paste it into <a href=\"https:\/\/wordcount.com\/\">Word Counter<\/a>, it\u2019s only 253\u00a0words:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"994\" class=\"wp-image-187209\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page.png\" alt=\"Actual word count of the page\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page-680x330.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page-768x373.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page-1536x746.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"994\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187209\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page.png\" alt=\"Actual word count of the page\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page-680x330.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page-768x373.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/actual-word-count-of-the-page-1536x746.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_yueapbj4yod7\"\/>4. Long-form content is \u201cdata-backed\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>You might have seen these stats from other data studies:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cThe average Google first page result contains 1,447\u00a0words.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cThe bloggers who write 2000+ words on average are far more likely to report \u2018strong results.\u2019\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"886\" height=\"224\" class=\"wp-image-187210\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/study-that-says-the-average-google-first-page-res.png\" alt=\"Study that says \u201cThe average Google first page result contains 1,447 words.\u201d\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/study-that-says-the-average-google-first-page-res.png 886w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/study-that-says-the-average-google-first-page-res-680x172.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/study-that-says-the-average-google-first-page-res-768x194.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"886\" height=\"224\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187210\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/study-that-says-the-average-google-first-page-res.png\" alt=\"Study that says \u201cThe average Google first page result contains 1,447 words.\u201d\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/study-that-says-the-average-google-first-page-res.png 886w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/study-that-says-the-average-google-first-page-res-680x172.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/study-that-says-the-average-google-first-page-res-768x194.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px\"\/><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1046\" height=\"312\" class=\"wp-image-187211\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/survey-results-that-says-the-bloggers-who-write-2.png\" alt=\"Survey results that says \u201cThe bloggers who write 2000+ words on average are far more likely to report \u2018strong results.\u2019\u201d\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/survey-results-that-says-the-bloggers-who-write-2.png 1046w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/survey-results-that-says-the-bloggers-who-write-2-680x203.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/survey-results-that-says-the-bloggers-who-write-2-768x229.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1046px) 100vw, 1046px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1046\" height=\"312\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187211\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/survey-results-that-says-the-bloggers-who-write-2.png\" alt=\"Survey results that says \u201cThe bloggers who write 2000+ words on average are far more likely to report \u2018strong results.\u2019\u201d\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/survey-results-that-says-the-bloggers-who-write-2.png 1046w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/survey-results-that-says-the-bloggers-who-write-2-680x203.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/survey-results-that-says-the-bloggers-who-write-2-768x229.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1046px) 100vw, 1046px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Many marketers take this to say \u201clong-form content works\u201d. But this is a classic case of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Survivorship_bias\">survivorship bias<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We see the successful long-form content that made it to the top. But we don\u2019t see the 90% of long-form posts that sank into the\u00a0void.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, if I do an empty search in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/content-explorer\">Content Explorer<\/a> and filter for pages that are more than 1,000 words and have 0 traffic, there are over one billion pages:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1144\" height=\"844\" class=\"wp-image-187212\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1-billion-pages-have-no-search-traffic.png\" alt=\"1 billion pages have no search traffic\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1-billion-pages-have-no-search-traffic.png 1144w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1-billion-pages-have-no-search-traffic-576x425.png 576w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1-billion-pages-have-no-search-traffic-768x567.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1144px) 100vw, 1144px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1144\" height=\"844\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187212\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1-billion-pages-have-no-search-traffic.png\" alt=\"1 billion pages have no search traffic\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1-billion-pages-have-no-search-traffic.png 1144w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1-billion-pages-have-no-search-traffic-576x425.png 576w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1-billion-pages-have-no-search-traffic-768x567.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1144px) 100vw, 1144px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Just because some lengthy articles rank high doesn\u2019t mean all of them rank high. If we only look at the winners, we get a warped view of reality.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_8npr64es4nak\"\/>5. Long-form content signals authority<\/h3>\n<p>There\u2019s this \u201clength is strength\u201d heuristic baked into our brains:<\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If it\u2019s long, it must be detailed.<\/li>\n<li>If it\u2019s detailed, it must be\u00a0smart.<\/li>\n<li>Therefore, long =\u00a0smart.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>But you can write 3,000 words and say absolutely nothing. Just look at all the books on the business shelf in your local bookstore.<\/p>\n<p>Long content isn\u2019t automatically valuable. Funnily enough, the opposite is true. Ask any writer and they\u2019ll tell you that making something shorter and simpler is harder than creating something long. You can pad words, but it takes hard thinking to reduce something to its essence.<\/p>\n<p>As Einstein once said, \u201cIf you can\u2019t explain it simply, you don\u2019t understand it well enough.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Long-form content does make sense (sometimes)\" data-section=\"long-form-content-makes-sense-sometimes\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_tj38idurcnih\"\/>Long-form content does make sense (sometimes)<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Let\u2019s be clear: I\u2019m not here to trash long-form content.<\/p>\n<p>There are reasons to go\u00a0long:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Complex, high-stakes topics like finance, health, and\u00a0law<\/li>\n<li>Research-heavy pieces<\/li>\n<li>Foundational guides or tutorials<\/li>\n<li>Evergreen \u201cpillar\u201d content that needs to cover multiple use\u00a0cases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1800\" class=\"wp-image-187213\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg.jpg\" alt=\"Content is an iceberg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg-378x425.jpg 378w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg-768x864.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg-1365x1536.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1800\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187213\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg.jpg\" alt=\"Content is an iceberg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg-378x425.jpg 378w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg-768x864.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/content-is-an-iceberg-1365x1536.jpg 1365w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Some subjects simply can\u2019t be summarized in a few paragraphs without doing a disservice to the reader. But even then, the length isn\u2019t the goal; it\u2019s the result of doing the topic justice.<\/p>\n<p>So, here\u2019s the truth: long-form is a container, not a strategy.<\/p>\n<p>You don\u2019t aim to make long-form content. You aim to make useful, comprehensive, in-depth content. Sometimes that requires a long answer; sometimes a short one suffices.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Follow this rule: earn your length\" data-section=\"earn-your-length\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_k49nl8oovwqk\"\/>Follow this rule: earn your length<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Thinking about the word count before you type a single word is the wrong approach. The length of the article should be earned, not determined.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_tkgvu2ujitt7\"\/>Look at search intent<\/h3>\n<p>To give your reader exactly what they need, you need to know <em>why<\/em> they\u2019re searching for that topic. That\u2019ll also tell you if they\u2019re beginners or already know a lot about the\u00a0topic.<\/p>\n<p>How do you figure out search intent?<\/p>\n<p>First, you need to make sure you\u2019re targeting a topic people are searching for. Otherwise, you can\u2019t figure out why they\u2019re searching for\u00a0it.<\/p>\n<p>To do this, enter your target topic into <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1442\" height=\"970\" class=\"wp-image-187214\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-volume-and-metrics-for-how-to-create-conte.png\" alt=\"Search volume and metrics for &quot;how to create content&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-volume-and-metrics-for-how-to-create-conte.png 1442w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-volume-and-metrics-for-how-to-create-conte-632x425.png 632w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-volume-and-metrics-for-how-to-create-conte-768x517.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1442px) 100vw, 1442px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1442\" height=\"970\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187214\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-volume-and-metrics-for-how-to-create-conte.png\" alt=\"Search volume and metrics for &quot;how to create content&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-volume-and-metrics-for-how-to-create-conte.png 1442w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-volume-and-metrics-for-how-to-create-conte-632x425.png 632w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/search-volume-and-metrics-for-how-to-create-conte-768x517.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1442px) 100vw, 1442px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s a good start: \u201chow to create content\u201d has 500 searches a month. So, people are searching for it. However, you\u2019ll notice that the Parent Topic (\u201ccontent creation\u201d) is different. Parent Topic determines if you can rank for your target keyword while targeting a more general topic on your page instead.<\/p>\n<p>What this tells us is that \u201chow to create content\u201d is actually a sub-topic; the main topic is \u201ccontent creation\u201d. So we should target \u201ccontent creation\u201d instead.<\/p>\n<p>Once we\u2019ve figured out that is actually our target keyword, we can look at the top-ranking pages for that keyword to figure out search intent. Scroll down to the SERP Overview and click on <strong>Identify intents<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"812\" class=\"wp-image-187215\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents.jpg\" alt=\"Figuring out search intent using Identify Intents in Keywords Explorer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents-680x270.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents-768x305.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents-1536x609.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"812\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187215\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents.jpg\" alt=\"Figuring out search intent using Identify Intents in Keywords Explorer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents-680x270.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents-768x305.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/figuring-out-search-intent-using-identify-intents-1536x609.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>So, it\u2019s likely that people searching for this topic are complete beginners and need help getting started.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_96yvz56s55x2\"\/>Be as clear and complete as needed<\/h3>\n<p>Since we know that people searching for \u201ccontent creation\u201d are beginners, we need to match their level of sophistication.<\/p>\n<p>The big mistake here\u2014that a lot of marketers do\u2014is cramming everything possible about the topic into an article. All of those 5,000-word-long beginner\u2019s guides are for SEO, not for readers.<\/p>\n<p>Because if you\u2019ve ever been a noob at something, being given a firehose worth of information is not actually useful. It\u2019s overwhelming. You\u2019re more likely to quit than continue.<\/p>\n<p>You need to give readers enough to feel supported and want to learn more, but not so much that they feel overloaded. Be as clear and complete <strong>as needed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>How do you know what you need to include or exclude? The obvious answer is to use your expertise. Another way is to enter your keyword into <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/ai-content-helper\">AI Content Helper<\/a>, and it\u2019ll suggest important subtopics to cover. For example, here\u2019s what it suggests for \u201ccontent creation\u201d:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What is content creation<\/li>\n<li>AI in content creation<\/li>\n<li>Steps involved in creating content (e.g., ideation, planning, creation, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Content performance analytics<\/li>\n<li>Role of SEO in content creation<\/li>\n<li>Content strategy<\/li>\n<li>Types of content<\/li>\n<li>Content creation tools<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"693\" height=\"2048\" class=\"wp-image-187216\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/suggested-subtopics-from-ai-content-helper-for-co.png\" alt=\"Suggested subtopics from AI Content Helper for &quot;content creation&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/suggested-subtopics-from-ai-content-helper-for-co.png 693w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/suggested-subtopics-from-ai-content-helper-for-co-144x425.png 144w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/suggested-subtopics-from-ai-content-helper-for-co-520x1536.png 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 693px) 100vw, 693px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"693\" height=\"2048\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187216\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/suggested-subtopics-from-ai-content-helper-for-co.png\" alt=\"Suggested subtopics from AI Content Helper for &quot;content creation&quot;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/suggested-subtopics-from-ai-content-helper-for-co.png 693w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/suggested-subtopics-from-ai-content-helper-for-co-144x425.png 144w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/suggested-subtopics-from-ai-content-helper-for-co-520x1536.png 520w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 693px) 100vw, 693px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Those are what you need to include to make your article comprehensive and helpful.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_nomkhki41dq1\"\/>Structure for skimmers and deep readers<\/h3>\n<p>The secret to making content work, whether long or short, is structure.<\/p>\n<p>People don\u2019t read blog posts top to bottom like novels. They skim and scan. They look for answers and bounce if they don\u2019t find them\u00a0fast.<\/p>\n<p>So give the answers to them\u00a0early.<\/p>\n<p>Use the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Inverted_pyramid_(journalism)\">Inverted Pyramid model<\/a>. Start with the tl;dr and answer the core question. Then dive into the details.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1700\" class=\"wp-image-187217\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method.jpg\" alt=\"The Inverted Pyramid method\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method-400x425.jpg 400w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method-768x816.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method-1446x1536.jpg 1446w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1700\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187217\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method.jpg\" alt=\"The Inverted Pyramid method\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method-400x425.jpg 400w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method-768x816.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/the-inverted-pyramid-method-1446x1536.jpg 1446w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The golden child of this format is Wirecutter. They\u2019ll always tell you their top picks first before going into the meticulous specifics about why and how they chose\u00a0them.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1418\" height=\"712\" class=\"wp-image-187218\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go.png\" alt=\"Wirecutter gives the best recommendation before going into details\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go.png 1418w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go-680x341.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go-768x386.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go-400x200.png 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1418px) 100vw, 1418px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1418\" height=\"712\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187218\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go.png\" alt=\"Wirecutter gives the best recommendation before going into details\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go.png 1418w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go-680x341.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go-768x386.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/wirecutter-gives-the-best-recommendation-before-go-400x200.png 400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1418px) 100vw, 1418px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_ftb5froblo3a\"\/>Think in layers, not length<\/h3>\n<p>Not every reader wants the same level of depth. So why force everyone through the same experience?<\/p>\n<p>Consider thinking about content in layers instead:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Short-form<\/strong>: Teasers or summaries that create curiosity (posts on X or LinkedIn, short videos like TikTok or\u00a0reels)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mid-form<\/strong>: Content that dives directly into the essence (playbooks, beginner\u2019s guides)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Long-form<\/strong>: Deep dives for people who really want to go down the rabbit hole<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, Joe Ng, the founder of Shift Fashion Group, does teardowns (yes, literal ones) of popular clothing brands. He posts the quick versions of it on TikTok and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DBEiULnO3Uj\/?igsh=OGU0c3kxNmgwYnJl\">Instagram<\/a>, answering the most important question: is it worth\u00a0it?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1142\" height=\"2048\" class=\"wp-image-187219\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of.jpeg\" alt=\"Joe Ng's short-form video on tearing down Fear of God's sweatpants\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of.jpeg 1142w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of-237x425.jpeg 237w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of-768x1377.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of-857x1536.jpeg 857w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1142px) 100vw, 1142px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1142\" height=\"2048\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-187219\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of.jpeg\" alt=\"Joe Ng's short-form video on tearing down Fear of God's sweatpants\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of.jpeg 1142w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of-237x425.jpeg 237w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of-768x1377.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/joe-ngs-short-form-video-on-tearing-down-fear-of-857x1536.jpeg 857w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1142px) 100vw, 1142px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>You can walk away from this short video knowing you will or won\u2019t buy any of these brands. But if you want to see why and watch him tear the piece bit by bit, you can watch it on his YouTube channel:<\/p>\n<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-rgt6xbl0vk8\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\"> <iframe allow=\"accelerometer 'none';autoplay 'none';camera 'none';ch-ua 'none';clipboard-read 'none';clipboard-write;display-capture 'none';encrypted-media 'none';gamepad 'none';geolocation 'none';gyroscope 'none';hid 'none';identity-credentials-get 'none';idle-detection 'none';keyboard-map 'none';local-fonts 'none';magnetometer 'none';microphone 'none';midi 'none';payment 'none';picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create 'none';publickey-credentials-get 'none';screen-wake-lock 'none';serial 'none';sync-xhr;usb 'none';window-management 'none';xr-spatial-tracking 'none';\" allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless=\"\" data-arve=\"arve-youtube-rgt6xbl0vk8\" data-lenis-prevent=\"\" data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/RGT6xBL0vK8?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name=\"\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/RGT6xBL0vK8?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" title=\"\" width=\"900\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Thinking of content like this is helpful because it helps you build an ecosystem. You don\u2019t have to create one-size-fits-all content pieces all the time. Break them up and serve them to different audiences.<\/p>\n<p>That way, the long-form version becomes a destination for the nerds and power users, not a mandatory step for everyone.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-187201-_a8s8t1ggz1ih\"\/>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>Yes, I know it\u2019s ironic that I just wrote a long-form piece for the topic of \u201clong-form content\u201d. Or perhaps it\u2019s intentional?<\/p>\n<p>Well, I think it deserved the treatment and earned the length.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re serious about content that works, you have to move beyond the illusion. Long-form is not a strategy. It\u2019s just a format.<\/p>\n<p>The real strategy is knowing what your audience needs, giving it to them fast, going deep when it matters, and removing everything else.<\/p>\n<p>Earn the length. Or don\u2019t bother at\u00a0all.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script>!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\nif(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod?n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window,document,'script','https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');fbq('init','1511271639109289');fbq('track','PageView');<\/script><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/long-form-content\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019re looking for this article because you think long-form content works right? Or at least that\u2019s what you\u2019ve heard from many marketers. You might even have seen it for yourself. You\u2019re trying to make a simple pasta dish (like aglio e olio) but you have to scroll through a piece that\u2019s thousands of words long, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2908,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}