One expert recommended short blog posts, around, say, 500 words. That makes sense. Seth Godin, some sort of guru who wrote a book about the novelty of a purple cow, writes posts that are eensy-weensy and he is quite popular. Obviously, people like very digestible, very scannable content. I myself am a fan of blogs that I can absorb very quickly, because my time tends to evaporate.
That strategy makes sense to me. I like free stuff, and, if I'm really impressed with the free stuff, I assume the paid stuff must be even better.
That makes sense to me too. The scarcity of a product, or the level of difficulty to get it, can create a perception of authority and value. People looking for a good product are expecting to pay for it. Getting it for free makes them wonder: "Is this the real deal or would a few bucks get me more value?"
The experts all say different things, and they all have good reasons for their opinions. I see both sides and it's driving me crazy. Should I aim for 300 words or 3000 words? Should I give some stuff away free, or make everything a paid option? What to do?
As in: "I don't have the time or patience to write 3000 word posts, so regardless of the share-ability, I'm writing short posts."
As in: "I really like sharing my work with people, so I'm going to give away some of my favorite shorts stories for free, so readers know what I'm capable of, but reserve my best and more labor-intensive works for those who are willing to pay."
If I feel like doing it, and I can afford to do it, and I'm having fun doing it, maybe that's what will do the trick eventually. You know what really sells? ENTHUSIASM.
At least, I think so.
We shall see, shan't we?