Randy,
It’s not that NO ONE reads long posts. It’s just that the vast majority of people won’t read the vast majority of long posts.
Penelope Trunk is an awesome writer, and I read her stuff whenever I can. And the Grantland long reads are also very good. But the average blogger reaching the average reader — and especially if they’re in a crowded field trying to stand out — should have more shorter posts than long ones.
I do like the pillar posts myself, mostly because I like to hear myself talk, but unless the topic is really compelling, I’ve found that shorter is usually better.
Plus — and this is a big one — as more people read blogs on their mobile phones, the number of scrolls they’ll make is usually around 3, which is close to 200 words, depending on how big their screen is.
You know what? That last sentence just raised an interesting question in my brain. I’m going to check it out and do something on the analytics of mobile vs. non-mobile traffic and longer posts. Thanks for the inspiration!
