What’s better: quality or quantity? We’ve heard this question—and a variety of answers—a lot over the years. It’s not a bad question, by any means. But you should know that we have a very concrete opinion on which is the right answer.
Quality is superior to quantity.
What is Quality? What is Quantity?
Before we even get into this topic, it’s important to have a clear understanding of quality and quantity.
Quality
If an article or website is informative and easy to navigate, then it is made of quality substance. When compared to others, quality information is what makes content trustworthy and reliable. If you’re reading a blog about a product you purchased and you can pinpoint the answers you’re looking for, that’s quality. It didn’t take several, similar blogs to get to some sort of answer. One solid, substantial piece of content led you in the right direction.
Quantity
Quantity is the amount of substance–in the case of content marketing, words or articles–being used. If you can write a single article that accurately discusses a topic, don’t write several unnecessary articles discussing similar points. Most of the time, less is more when it comes to content because readers don’t have time for fluff. Instead of focusing on the numbers–the quantity–involved, focus on getting the point across in the best way.
Why Do We Believe Less is More?
Though both quality and quantity are important, we believe what goes into content makes the biggest difference. What you read on a web page or a blog post or in a social media caption stays with you.
But not all content is done the right way. There are ways to create quality content that stands out without all the excess words and paragraphs. You don’t need several mediocre articles with fluffy details to get a point across. One solid article is usually enough to lead readers in the right direction.
“Get to the Point” Culture
We live in a world where everything needs to be easy and quick. No one likes waiting an hour for a meal to arrive at a restaurant or standing in line at the grocery store. The same goes for the content you read on websites.
Research conducted by Microsoft Corp. discovered that the average attention span for millennials and zoomers ranges from eight to 12 seconds. Viewers move on if the content they’re reading doesn’t quickly answer their questions or grab their interest. You don’t want your content to be easily forgotten. We believe that website copy, SEO content and social captions should be to the point.
More = Clutter
Let’s be honest—no one likes reading sentences that go on forever and ever. Fluffy, excessive descriptions aren’t helpful, which makes them frustrating for users who otherwise might have been interested in your offerings.
When quantity is the main objective, it can come across as overbearing and unnecessary. Create informative, precise content where it matters most.