I don’t know about you, but whenever I used to sit down to write anything… I always wondered: How long should this be?
Maybe it’s a habit leftover from school—where word count mattered more than clarity—but I’d constantly worry that my content wasn’t long enough. And I’d imagine the silent judgment of every reader picking apart my “too-short” work.
But once I started writing professionally, I realized something surprising: Too short is almost never the problem. Too long? That’s where content goes to die.
The truth is, if you want your content to actually be read, it has to be the perfect length.
How Long is Too Long?
Winston Churchill once said:
A good speech should be like a woman’s skirt—long enough to cover the subject, short enough to create interest.
Admittedly, this quote might raise some eyebrows today, but the message is solid. Most people write far more than necessary—and it’s hurting their engagement.
Take blogging, for example.
In the early 2000s, blog posts were short and digestible—usually 500-800 words. People had longer attention spans and actually read entire articles. It was the golden age of blogging.
Then came the SEO “arms race.”
Marketers realized that longer posts ranked better on Google. And suddenly, the 500-word blog became 1,500 words. Then 2,000. Now, in 2024, it’s common to see blog posts exceeding 3,000 words—all to chase search rankings.
But here’s the problem:
👉 The average reader spends just 52 seconds on a blog post. 👉 Most people read at 120 words per minute. 👉 That means they only get through about 100 words before bouncing.
Yes, long-form content gets more traffic. A 2022 SEMrush study found that posts over 3,000 words got 138% more traffic than shorter posts. But traffic doesn’t equal engagement. If your audience isn’t reading past the first paragraph, what’s the point?
The Smarter Approach
Instead of playing Google’s game, focus on actual readers—the ones who buy from you.
✔ Keep blog posts concise: Aim for 500-800 words. ✔ Highlight key takeaways so even skimmers get value. ✔ Quit trying to impress algorithms—Google doesn’t love you. Let it go.
What About Emails?
If blog readers check out after 52 seconds, email readers are even worse.
Most people spend 9 seconds reading an email they choose to open. That’s roughly 10 words before they decide whether to keep reading—or hit delete.
Does that mean no one reads emails? Of course not. But it does mean that engagement matters more than ever.
The people who love your content will read everything you send. But you have to earn their attention:
✅ Be entertaining, not just informative. ✅ Build a relationship with your readers. ✅ Make your emails worth opening—every single time.
TL;DR: Less is More
Long content doesn’t mean better content. Whether it’s a blog post, an email, or a sales page, people appreciate content that respects their time.
So trim the fluff. Say what matters. And keep them wanting more.
Speaking of which… if you want more content like this (that actually gets read), sign up for my newsletter below. I promise to keep it short—and worth your time.