How Long Should an Article Be?

This is probably the most asked question from marketers just getting into article submission. They may have tried to submit a short article only to discover it had been rejected because there wasn’t enough content in it. The simple answer is that most directories require an article to be at least 400 to 500 words in length before submitting it. But you should take a lot more than length into consideration.

The reason why more and more article directories want longer articles is because some people were abusing the system with meaningless content so they could get a back link. In essence, they were trying to convert the article directories into link farms and classified ad depots.

However, an article directory feeds on information, not links. They rely on people coming to read content, and “walking away” satisfied so they come back time and time again. They also rely on page rank and popularity with the search engines that index their pages looking for good information to show their users.

So it’s not surprising they’ve tried to put a stop to the abuse by setting a minimum for content being submitted. Yet setting a minimum number of words really doesn’t get down to the heart of article submission. It only serves the purpose of stopping abuse.

The real value of getting an article approved on an article directory is what’s actually in those words!

Thus the more serious question you should be asking is, “how long does your article need to be to get your point across well enough to satisfy your readers, or to get them to click through on your link?”

When you write content that presents a coherent argument for the points you’re seeking to convey, and you make it enticing enough to get your readers to click through on your recommendation link, then your article is long enough to do the job you need it to do.

And chances are, if you write with that in mind, you’ll have no problem complying with the article directories’ minimum length requirements.

But what if you still run short? You can always add some more descriptive words or add an analogy to further enhance your points. Keep in mind, you may know the topic and what you want to say about it, but it’s always good to add a little more detail or a more simplistic explanation for those just learning.

So use your articles as teaching tools and you’ll find you won’t need to keep a word count. Your main objective should always be to get your points made, and everything else will fall into place.

Oh, but if you’re keeping count, this post has a word count of 450.

Just saying! (oops 454)