There’s a lot of debate on the ideal length of a thought leadership article, and while there may be no golden rule, our general rule is that an article should be capped at 1,200 words as an absolute max.

But beyond just the number of words, there are a number of very important other practical considerations that enhance readability. Let’s break them down:

• White space: Lots of it on the page so it doesn’t feel overwhelming to read – especially on phones and tablets.
• Clear take-aways: Get them in early, and make them findable for the skimming reader.
• Pace: Regardless of word count, keep the article moving forward to avoid reader boredom.
• Sub-heads: Use them to guide your reader around your argument.
• Fixing points: Use bold and italics (sparingly) to draw attention to key parts of the text.