A Top 10 List Blog or a Deep-Dive Feature? Deciding on the Length of Your Content

In the modern world, there’s a widespread belief that shorter content is always better, and that readers’ attention spans are limited. While it’s true that brevity is important in many areas of travel content, it is not always the case. In fact, many readers are on the lookout for in-depth content that answers questions, educates and inspires them.

A recent study by Medium, a platform for technological content writing, revealed that the time spent reading one blog was up to seven minutes, or about 1,600 words. Other studies go further, demonstrating that the top-ranked content on Google has over 2,000 words. While these figures are enlightening, this isn’t just a question of longer versus shorter content – different topics and formats need different word counts. The takeaway is that you should write however much is needed to get your message across. That if you give readers good content, they’ll read it.

So how do you go about choosing the perfect word count for your travel content – and how do you structure it to make it as reader-friendly as possible? Scroll down to read some tips from our expert travel content writing team…

Continue reading

Word Count: Choosing the Ideal Length and Structure for Your Travel Content

In the modern world, there’s a widespread belief that shorter content is always better, and that readers’ attention spans are limited. While it’s true that brevity is important in many areas of travel content, it is not always the case. In fact, many readers are on the lookout for in-depth content that answers questions, educates and inspires them.

A recent study by Medium, a platform for technological content writing, revealed that the time spent reading one blog was up to seven minutes, or about 1,600 words. Other studies go further, demonstrating that the top-ranked content on Google has over 2,000 words. While these figures are enlightening, this isn’t just a question of longer versus shorter content – different topics and formats need different word counts. The takeaway is that you should write however much is needed to get your message across. That if you give readers good content, they’ll read it.

So how do you go about choosing the perfect word count for your travel content – and how do you structure it to make it as reader-friendly as possible? Scroll down to read some tips from our expert travel content writing team…

Continue reading

How to Meet Your Deadlines Without Fail

The reputations of content writers and editors live and die by their deadlines. A late hand-in is one of the worst sins a writer can commit. Repeated missed deadlines can strain client relationships, damage your reputation and, ultimately, impact on your income. Even if your failure to meet a deadline is a rare occurrence – even if it’s a one-off – it will almost certainly kill hopes of a repeat commission, and put a permanent black mark next to your name.

The harsh truth is that it doesn’t matter how busy you are or what else is happening in your life – whether you’ve taken on too many commissions, or are juggling work with personal issues – at the end of the day, clients (quite rightly) demand quality, on-time content without exception. If you can’t deliver, they’ll find someone else who can.

If you are a writer or editor who needs help meeting your deadlines, the reliably punctual team of expert writers and editors at World Words is here to help. Read on for our top tips on always being dependable with deadlines.

5374200948_539b10fb1c_b Continue reading

Travel Content and Cultural Sensitivity: How Should You Depict Other Cultures?

After returning from a trip, travellers are usually consumed by an overwhelming desire to tell everyone about the amazing experience they have had. This is what a travel writer is paid to do in the most eloquent way possible. However, it can also be the hardest part to master when it comes to depicting and representing other cultures.

Cultural sensitivity should be paramount when writing travel content, but it is often sorely overlooked. Mariellen Ward of the Breathedreamgo travel blog has discussed the dangers of cultural imperialism (or the belief that your way of life is better) in travel writing, while photographer Bani Amor has criticised colonialism in travel literature.

When writing about location, ethnicity and society, there are certain to be complicated politics that come into play. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all phrasebook to help travel writers avoid all controversy in their content, there are helpful tricks for traversing this complicated terrain. Scroll down to read the advice of the World Words team.

hands-600497_1280 Continue reading