Is it preferred to have an article of about 2000 word count?

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   Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years ago

   Hi there,
   I was preparing a hub for publishing. After I finished my article, it has slightly more than 2000 words in total. So my question is, whether this article has the potential for getting more traffic or not?

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      samanthacubbisonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Ashraf,
      
      We ask that articles be at least 800 words long, though we suggest shooting for 1150 – 1500. 2000 words is totally fine, but be sure that you state your point and outline the contents of your article towards the top. For longer articles, this is especially important.
      
      Word count doesn't really have anything to do with whether your article is chosen for a Network Site or not, though articles that are too thin probably won't be accepted.

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         Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you for your answer. If I have some more things to discuss before discussing the promised content, will creating a table of contents help me?

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            samanthacubbisonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            It depends on the content. If you're writing a "10 Reasons Why __" article, then yes, it's a good idea to have a ToC. The same goes for "How to Start a Garden" article. You can outline the steps in a ToC to let the reader know what they're getting into. I suggest reading articles on similar topics to see how others format it!

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         Marisa Writesposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         I've been away from HubPages for a while, but the 1150-1500 word count was the "sweet spot" for a very long time. However, I recall hearing that Paul had noticed very long Hubs were doing really well - i.e., those over 2000 words.  Is that still the case?

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            samanthacubbisonposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Hi Marisa,
            
            I haven't noticed any trends as of late, but I can look into it. I think it depends on the content and quality. Some topics don't do as well as others, so even if the article is 2000 words, it may not get the same attention as another. Also, if a 2000 word article is poorly structured, readers will probably click away.
            
            Sometimes you can say what you have to say in fewer than 1150–1500 words, and that's ok. I recommend that authors write without a number in mind. There is always time to cut or add more content.

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               Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years agoin reply to this

               So the quality, as well as the length, is matters here. Right?

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      OldRosesposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Bear in mind that most people are reading your article on their phones so longer is not always better because their attention span is shorter than if they were reading your article in print or on a computer.

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         Marisa Writesposted 4 years agoin reply to this

         ...but also bear in mind that you have to satisfy two audiences.  One is the real people who will appreciate your article, but the other is Google.  And if you don't satisfy Google, those real people will never find your article.
         
         The real people generally want a quick answer to a problem.   But Google wants long, information-rich articles.  It's a contradiction we have to live with. 
         
         The way to solve it lies in how you structure the article. Never write long introductions.  Cut to the chase and convince your reader you can answer their question in the first paragraph.  Answer their question as soon as you can, then expand on your answer in the rest of the Hub.

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            Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years agoin reply to this

            It is correct. We have a contradiction between real people and Google. I sorted my article and placed a "Table of Contents" just followed by the introduction. I think those who came to read particular information can forward if they wish to.

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      FelishiyaPSposted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Ashraf,
      
      Here's my personal experience. I hope it'll be helpful:
      1. Articles with 850 are pretty descent too. I have an article that I published in 2016 and it still ranks on the first page. I definitely updated it regularly.
      
      2. Articles with 2000 words are more or less normal length now. I am quite inspired by Neil Patel's blog. Almost each of his blog posts is more than 5000 words and they always rank on the first page.
      
      3. If your article is on a unique subject, 800 to 1000 words are sufficient.
      
      4. If you write on a common topic, it's better to elaborate on it as much as you can. Just make sure to include the summary in the starting.
      
      5. Follow Google's algorithm update, they're very helpful.

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         Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you very much for sharing your personal experience. Where can I find Google's algorithm? Any official site for this?

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            FelishiyaPSposted 4 years agoin reply to this

            Moz and blog.google are very helpful sites. You can also follow @searchliaison on Twitter for the latest search updates.

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               Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years agoin reply to this

               Thank you very much. You are such a helping person.

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                  Marisa Writesposted 4 years agoin reply to this

                  When reading those sites, do bear in mind that your HubPages account is NOT a blog, and it's also not a website.
                  
                  You are contributing articles to websites that belong the HubPages. That's all.  Google doesn't look at your account as a whole. It judges each niche site as a whole, and most of the articles on those sites are not yours.

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   JerryFisherposted 4 years ago

   Hi there Ashraf - I find the more words I submit on an article the higher Hubpages seem to rate the score. I try for 3000 minimum and they seem to rate those at about 90 plus, whereas if I'm lazy and drop in a 750 word article I get punished with a score of like 75. But also I believe the higher word articles do seem to get pushed up in Google ratings, although the trick seems to be for Google's sake is to keep adding once a week a new fresh paragraph or more. They like that. Also, if you submit a 3000 plus word article Hubpages are very likely to drop it into their higher categories such as dengarden, where it will get more traffic, and hence more Google traffic.

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      Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Hi JerryFisher. Thank you for your kind answer. I think adding a paragraph once a week is not practically possible if you have 500 featured articles. As for me, it is a practicable strategy.
      
      I get something valuable from you. Having more words will make it worthier, right? So it is clear that I can move forward with my 2000 words article.

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   bhattucposted 4 years ago

   I do not think that more length of article is any advantage. Normally 1500 to 2000 words is a good band.

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      Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years agoin reply to this

      But, most of the bloggers prefer more length. My doubt was, is that okay in HP.

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   FatFreddysCatposted 4 years ago

   2000 words seems like a lot. I generally shoot for 900-1000 words.

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      Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for the response FatFreddysCat. Are you getting good traffic from search engines?

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   psycheskinnerposted 4 years ago

   I think length is a proxy for having a reasonably in depth and substantial topic. Fluffing up the words does no good.  I have many articles down around 500 words that do well because they are about something very specific and of interest to a niche audience--not some blathering about how to be a better person or eat vegetables.

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      Ashraf Sheera 1posted 4 years agoin reply to this

      Do you recommend a narrow niche?

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   sachnikhposted 4 years ago

   Hello Ashraf, I hope you're doing great!
   
   So, here is my personal experience with HubPages so far
   1. Considering 800 words as the minimum, you should describe and write all the things that you think will give value to the readers.
   
   If your article has already reached the 2,000-word count mark, and you think, more information and value could be added then do that. Don't hesitate to write more than what is required or suggested.
   
   2. Many prominent bloggers write more than 1,500 words articles which are said to rank better on Google search. However, you should also be able to deliver that quality throughout such a long-form article.
   
   3. If you have written an article after proper research on a topic and has checked the plagiarism, 1,000-1,200 words write-ups are more than sufficient on HubPages.
   
   4. Try to use relevant keywords while writing an article. It doesn't mean inserting the keywords wherever you think it relevant. Be sure to mention it in the beginning, in the body text, and in the end, most probably in the conclusion to rank your article better.
   
   I hope it helps.

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