Megan Berry recently discussed the notion that online content and communication is progressively getting shallower. She admits to only reading the first page of an article and skimming the rest. I’ve been guilty of skimming articles that have a high word count as well, but this often has more to do with the quality than my attention span. Please allow me to continue the discussion Megan started.
Just because an article is long doesn’t mean there’s more value. Just because an article is short doesn’t mean that it’s shallow. Sometimes long articles are long merely for the sake of it. Sometimes short articles are jam packed with great information and resources. Seth Godin writes short riffs, yet his content makes me think more than any other marketer. Perhaps it is a gift for some, but for the rest of us here are three ways to spice up your shallow content.
1.) Take a similar approach to Valeria Maltoni of Conversation Agent and start your conversation on Sunday/Monday and let it progress throughout the week, adding something different each time. You may have some shorter posts, but they build off each other, explain one big idea, and culminate at the end of the week.
Along these same lines, break large posts into a couple of segments just because sometimes long posts, even those with phenomenal content, can be a bit daunting.
2.) Mix in feature length posts. If the majority of your posts are short (and perhaps a
bit shallow), but then periodically when you have a really long feature-length post your readers will probably realize that it is longer for a reason, and that is has additional depth.
3.) Add valuable linkbait and resources to your post. Some bloggers are scared that if they send their readers elsewhere, that they won’t come back. In my experience I’ve found that they realize you valued their time to send them to somewhere that could further enhance their experience. This helps gain their trust (which is invaluable) and they’ll keep coming back for more.
Bonus: One thing I’m trying to teach myself is that you don’t have to cram everything you’ve researched and brainstormed into the post. Sometimes being a bit vague enables your readers to draw their own conclusions or extend the conversation in the comments section.
For example, I have a few more additions I could add to this post, but then you wouldn’t have to think for yourselves. You would not have to really engage the content. (Not that you have to anyway.) Humor me though, and leave your comments.
What are other ways you can spice up shallow content on your blog? What about you, do you think most blog content is too shallow? Do you even read long posts? What kind of posts do you typically do on your own blog?
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We have discussed how being editor or curator of your own content is important. That often means choosing what to leave out of a post as much as what you put in. It’s also important to be involved with your readers. Ryan, you are a good example of active participation and listening. I also like that you extend conversations intra-blogs. Collaboration can mean building off each other. As for other ideas – use one thought per post. Pick a thread, a concept, and flesh it out. Ask yourself: what am I trying to say/show? Share resources along with why they are useful with your voice and from your point of view. Tell a story. Be into what you’re writing and search for that kernel you can contribute. These are all ideas to own your content, your brand and the experience of you. Thank you, Ryan for giving me something to chew on.
@ Valeria – Coming from the person who always has a way of challenging me into thinking about various things, I’m flattered that I actually gave you a few nuggets to contemplate. Also, thanks for some valuable additions and advice in addition to the advice/suggestions I offered.
If the writing is good and the topic interesting, I will read the entire post or if I have networked with the person and feel like I know them. Otherwise, I skim. 🙂
@ Rebecca – I am pretty much in the same boat as you. I’m even guilty (in rare situations) of unsubscribing from a great blog because the posts were just too demanding in the scheme of time. If I could subscribe to 3 other blogs, with great content, but shorter posts, and have similar time during the day, it made sense to do so.
Thanks for sharing your honest response, and congrats on yet another engaging blog post on your front!
Hey Ryan,
Just started reading your site fter i saw a comment on Gary V’s page about the baseball card show. I love your stuff. Its truly inspiring and right on point for me. Keep it up.
@Chase – Thanks for stopping by! Glad we got the opportunity to connect via e-mail as well. Gary V is an awesome read. It’s rare I miss his stuff.
I have found that I will skim a post if it’s too long no matter what. It doesn’t matter if it’s the greatest post ever written, I will skim it because my attention span is that of a 3 year old.
I don’t know why. I just can’t seem to sit down and read a single post that is longer than 700 words.
Because of this, I have tried to make my posts around 600 words. A trick that I use is to “Not bury the lead.” I write the most important and interesting info at the beginning because it is what people are most likely to read. I also try to make my posts like a story as much as possible. If I can project emotions through my post, a reader is more likely to read through the whole thing.
Great post! I actually read through the whole thing 🙂
– Jun Loayza
@Jun – I suspect you’re not the only one. I have been making a concerted effort to make the majority of my posts a bit shorter. Eventually, the goal is to have them between 400-700 words UNLESS it’s a great feature-length post that could possibly lose value by splitting it up into multiple parts.
I think the advice about not burying the lead is very sound. Brian Clark over at Copyblogger has some great advice about catchy titles, good leads, etc in his extensive archives. I’m glad you read my whole post!
Thanks for the mention and the ideas for increasing the value of posts. As a side note, I wonder whether having longer posts (or week-long conversations) would increase readership or decrease it — as you point out sometimes the short posts can be the most thought-provoking and they take less of your time.
@Megan – I think having longer posts and week-long conversations are two different things, and I think readership depends on your audience and what they want and expect from your blog.
If the week-long conversations are posts that can stand on their own (eventhough they’re all connected in the scheme of things) I don’t know that it would hurt your readership in terms of people not wanting to come back to read all the posts for that week.