The Perfect Article Has Exactly 738 Words (Just Kidding)

by Heather Baker June 8, 2016
June 8, 2016

In Search of the (Elusive) Perfect Blog Post Template


There’s actually a profusion of them out there. Social Triggers has one, HubSpot has five and CoSchedule even put together a 5-point checklist they claim will ‘rock a perfect blog post’. Not to be outdone, Buffer went a step further and conducted actual research before coming up with their anatomy of the perfect blog post.


And that’s just the tip of the Google search results iceberg. Go ahead and check for yourself. Type in ‘best blog post template’ and see what comes up. Typical of these kinds of searches, you have to sift through a lot of so-so before you get to the good stuff.


But that’s okay right? If you spend the time now (searching for that surefire formula), it’ll pay off later (when you’re churning out blog posts like a veritable writing machine).


Can a Template Help You?


Well, yes and no (sorry). You can certainly glean a lot from the experts in terms of what works and what doesn’t. They are experts after all.


They’ll spell out the need for a magnetic headline; they’ll take you through the key components of a decent intro. They’ll even talk you through the layout of your blog post, explaining the importance of things like sub-headings, bullets and bolding (it’s so people can scan your text instead of having to read every word).


What About Content?


But what they don’t talk about (at least not in the detail that’s required) is the actual content of your blog post.


You can read up all you want on structure, headlines, sub-headings, post images and whatnot, but if the piece is poorly written or if it serves no purpose, then it won’t matter how slick your layout is, people aren’t going to read it.


Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t want people scanning or ignoring something I’ve just sweated bullets over. I want them to savour every single word as if it were the last they’ll ever read.


For your post to be readable (and, let’s face it, shareable) in needs to be underpinned by a solid ‘why’.


Why are you writing it? And more importantly, why should I read it? Moreover, it requires heart. Heart is the story that will draw your readers in, the context that will help them relate, and the value that will keep them reading until the end.


Lazy Writer Tip: Guidelines vs. Wild Creative Abandon


It takes real effort to write like this. Rely too heavily on shortcuts (like cookie cutter templates) and you run the risk of becoming a lazy writer. And you know what happens to lazy writing? People scan it (if you’re lucky) and flat out ignore it (if you’re not).


I’m not denying the need for guidelines. We all need to learn how to colour inside the lines before we can scribble with the kind of gay abandon that veteran artists indulge in on a daily basis.


But we must also ensure that we don’t bog down our creativity with too many rules and processes. How else will we unleash that wild part of us that makes our words wander off the page right into the heart and mind of the reader?


No amount of bolding will ever do that. And neither will having a surefire formula or knowing how many words constitutes the perfect blog post.


How Many Words Does a Blog Post Need?


Why? Because after you’ve learned the basics what you need to do next is practice. Practice long enough and diligently enough (this is the part where you show up at the page no matter what) and something magical will happen.


Your gut feel will show up unannounced and ready to rumble.


“738 words is perfect,” it says.


“But Medium.com says the optimal post length is 7 minutes, I’m not even halfway there!” you squawk in dismay.


“738 is perfect,” it repeats, this time a little more emphatically.


“But…” you’re on the verge of belabouring your point when suddenly you get it.


The perfect article has exactly the number of words it needs. No more, no less.


Perfect, in this instance, is what’s perfect for you, the writer. Whether you think of it as your sixth sense or gut feel or muse doesn’t matter. What matters is that you listen to it when it shows up and tells you that 738 words is perfect or that this time you don’t need to bold anything because nobody will be scanning your copy anyway. They’ll be drinking it up.


I’m not suggesting you break out your inner Tolstoy and pen the sequel to War and Peace every time you write and neither am I saying you should always strive for brevity. I’m proposing that you judge each piece of writing on its own merit.


If it feels overly long then go ahead and follow Stephen King’s advice in On Writing and “kill your darlings”. Likewise, if the piece is all broth and no meat, by all means, shoot for something more in-depth. It’s about providing value. How you do that is between you and your gut feel.


Client Expectations and Editorial Guidelines


The above advice is great when writing for your own blog or website, where you hold the deciding vote. But what if you’re writing for a client who has very specific ideas or a publication with non-negotiable editorial guidelines?


You start by knowing your audience. If you don’t know who you’re writing for then you can’t possibly expect to give them something they’d want to consume. Find out everything you can about them and then tailor your piece accordingly.


Of course, your audience isn’t just the end user. They’re also your client and the publication’s editor. Writing something that will please everyone can be tricky, but it’s not impossible.


It goes back to good content. First you need to make sure it’s the right fit for your audience, which it will be if your client has asked you to write it. After all, they should know what their customers want.


Then put your shoulder into it and get to work. Tell your story so well that people will want to read it. Do your research, provide value and make a compelling argument. Adhere to a strict ‘no fluff’ policy when writing. Your readers will respect that.


A Final Word on Word Count


Which brings me back to word count. While it shouldn’t always be a mitigating factor, it is an important consideration for you to do your job successfully and not alienate important people (like the editor)!


When publications are prescriptive about word count, it’s generally with good reason. It might have to do with space availability or perhaps they just know what their target audience likes. If you get an assignment that requires a certain number of words, then use it as a challenge to write the best possible piece in the space you’ve been allocated.


If your final piece ends up being more or less than that –and you really believe in the merit of your content– you could argue that the 738 words you’ve written is perfect. Maybe they’ll go for it, maybe they won’t.


Writing is about catering to your audience’s needs. Here, as with most things in life, the ability to adapt will stand you in good stead. So while a blog post template can definitely serve as a starting point, it’s not going to take you all the way.


That takes gut feel, heart and a whole lot of practice.

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