Get the Green Light

Chances are, if you live anywhere near a paved road, you have experienced traffic signals. They can be the bane of your existence when you’re late for work, but without them, imagine the mayhem. It’s not fun, obeying the little lights strung over your head. But think about the confusion that ensues when lights are out in a major intersection The reference to site visitors as "traffic" can be taken literally. Internet readers are on a mission to get information. Too little content does not give enough information or create enough interest for further exploration. Huge blocks of content are skipped over entirely. Providing the right length of content will encourage people to
Stop at your site
Slow down to consume your content
Go to your site again.
The problem is, no red light tells you to stop writing. (Except on Twitter.) No green light is telling you to continue writing. The following tips will help you determine the appropriate amount of content for your subject matter.

Determine the Essentials

Having the essential parts of the message insures against a piece that is too short. They include What, When, Who, Where, Why, and How. For example, if you are writing about an event, you start out by saying WHAT the event is. You say WHEN people should be there. You write it for WHO you want to come, and about WHO will be there. You tell WHERE it will be, and WHERE to park. Persuasion comes in when telling WHY it is worthy of their time. You might even provide information on HOW to get there. Now you have provided everything one needs to know about your event.

Audience

Who is going to read your piece? What do they like to read? Look at statistics. Talk to people in this group. Do they like to have a lot of information? Do they want media attached? What kind of humor do they like? If you give what your readers want, they will need less content to justify the message, and view your content more.

Outline

Plan your length. Draw out what the piece will look like. Assign a subject for each paragraph. This will create an organized piece and make you the master of your work. All the technical work is done, now spill your creativity. If you feel that you can send the message and engage the reader in two sentences, go for it! At least you've done the preliminary work.

Infuse your piece with interesting tidbits.

For an extra spritz of pizzaz, add in bits of information. People are hungry for fun facts and media. For example, if you are writing a piece about cowboys, you could add a section on cowboy horse names. (Can you believe Annie Oakley named her horse Tigger?) You could also add pictures of cowboys or a video of your favorite bonanza clip. Keep in mind, content with media attached catches more attention.

Cut the fat

Try cutting out the words you don't need. Increase your conciseness. You might feel connected to every word, but this process helps you determine the words you need to get your point across and entertain, but not overdo it. This makes for a smooth and effortless read.