Comments on: What Length Should A Post Excerpt Be? http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/ Better Looking Blogs Grow Faster Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:21:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Michael Martin http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-783 Michael Martin Sun, 09 Sep 2007 12:55:47 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-783 Kristarella - Putting it somewhere that makes sense is the most important tip of all I'd say. If that's what you're doing, you're doing well. Even on Pro Blog Design, the excerpt length does tend to vary a fair bit. I would never sacrifice good writing for the sake of getting a consistent length either. The tips I've listed here are the things I consider each time I choose my excerpt, but I don't necessarily obey all of them with every post. Kristarella – Putting it somewhere that makes sense is the most important tip of all I’d say. If that’s what you’re doing, you’re doing well.

Even on Pro Blog Design, the excerpt length does tend to vary a fair bit. I would never sacrifice good writing for the sake of getting a consistent length either. The tips I’ve listed here are the things I consider each time I choose my excerpt, but I don’t necessarily obey all of them with every post.

]]> By: kristarella http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-776 kristarella Sun, 09 Sep 2007 11:34:22 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-776 I used to be like Amy, but I think that's because I was exposed to poor excerpting. I read one blog in particular that was consistent, as you said, but it was a consistent pain in the neck. They had an image and a tiny amount of text before the "click for more" so to read anything you had to click all over the place and the homepage felt confused. Lately however I've seen longer excerpts that do pull me in and Im happy to click to read more. Since you've posted about excerpts I've started using the more tag. I don't do a lot of the things you've said here though. It terms of consistency, I generally put it at the end of 3 paragraphs, but those paragraphs might be fairly different lengths. I try to put it somewhere that makes sense, where people might want to continue reading. Actually I think my main reason for using it is I don't want to show really long posts on the front page... I used to be like Amy, but I think that’s because I was exposed to poor excerpting. I read one blog in particular that was consistent, as you said, but it was a consistent pain in the neck. They had an image and a tiny amount of text before the “click for more” so to read anything you had to click all over the place and the homepage felt confused.

Lately however I’ve seen longer excerpts that do pull me in and Im happy to click to read more.

Since you’ve posted about excerpts I’ve started using the more tag. I don’t do a lot of the things you’ve said here though. It terms of consistency, I generally put it at the end of 3 paragraphs, but those paragraphs might be fairly different lengths. I try to put it somewhere that makes sense, where people might want to continue reading.

Actually I think my main reason for using it is I don’t want to show really long posts on the front page…

]]> By: Michael Martin http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-750 Michael Martin Sat, 08 Sep 2007 12:36:32 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-750 Amy - Fair enough, but to comment, you have to click through anyway? Steven - lol, thanks. It's nice that the archives are finally growing to a point where I actually can link internally! pablopabla - Nice system. :) Dave - Sounds like you're prepared at least. That means you will always have the option to change between the 2 very easily. Amy – Fair enough, but to comment, you have to click through anyway?

Steven – lol, thanks. It’s nice that the archives are finally growing to a point where I actually can link internally!

pablopabla – Nice system. :)

Dave – Sounds like you’re prepared at least. That means you will always have the option to change between the 2 very easily.

]]> By: Dave S. http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-739 Dave S. Sat, 08 Sep 2007 05:41:09 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-739 My blog is a photoblog. So I copy & paste the thumbnail of the picture and a small amount of text from the post into the excerpt area. I currently don't use it anywhere on my site yet. If I can build some traffic, I may change my monthly archive page and categories page to use it. My home page is all full posts. My blog is a photoblog. So I copy & paste the thumbnail of the picture and a small amount of text from the post into the excerpt area. I currently don’t use it anywhere on my site yet. If I can build some traffic, I may change my monthly archive page and categories page to use it. My home page is all full posts.

]]> By: pablopabla http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-709 pablopabla Fri, 07 Sep 2007 02:28:21 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-709 I usually allow at least two or three paragraphs before using the "More" tag found on the WP editor. I only use it when my post has at least 5 paragraphs of content. I usually allow at least two or three paragraphs before using the “More” tag found on the WP editor. I only use it when my post has at least 5 paragraphs of content.

]]> By: Steven Snell http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-708 Steven Snell Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:30:20 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-708 Michael, This is a very useful article for me as I have kind of been overlooking this. I really like the point you make about leaving a paragraph below a picture. That definitely helps with the visual layout of the blog front page. Also, good use of internal links in this post. It's nice to have several resources on the subject all just one click away. Michael,
This is a very useful article for me as I have kind of been overlooking this. I really like the point you make about leaving a paragraph below a picture. That definitely helps with the visual layout of the blog front page.

Also, good use of internal links in this post. It’s nice to have several resources on the subject all just one click away.

]]> By: Amy http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-707 Amy Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:12:26 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-707 I don't like excerpts. I only read as much as is listed on the front page and then I either comment or move on. I can't stand having to click something to read the rest, then go back to the main page to read more. I don’t like excerpts. I only read as much as is listed on the front page and then I either comment or move on. I can’t stand having to click something to read the rest, then go back to the main page to read more.

]]> By: Michael Martin http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-699 Michael Martin Thu, 06 Sep 2007 21:43:22 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-699 Mommy Zabs - In the example you described on notchinamade.net, I agree that there is no need for a text excerpt, provided you write a good, descriptive title (Which you did. :) ). Mommy Zabs – In the example you described on notchinamade.net, I agree that there is no need for a text excerpt, provided you write a good, descriptive title (Which you did. :) ).

]]> By: Mommy Zabs http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-697 Mommy Zabs Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:16:07 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-697 excerpts. Thanks to you this is something I have begun using... mostly on notchinamade.net The only time i do an excert where the image is the excerpt is for the posts on toy recalls lately. That way people have the visual to see if it is something they have or not and if they think they might they can click to read on. The rest is usually a block quote from the recall from the government and there really isn't a way to break it up. So i figure in that one instance the picture being the excerpt is okay :) I'm so glad I have been able to keep my feeder in full feed though b/c i can't stand having to click to a site to read if I'm not going to comment. excerpts. Thanks to you this is something I have begun using… mostly on notchinamade.net The only time i do an excert where the image is the excerpt is for the posts on toy recalls lately. That way people have the visual to see if it is something they have or not and if they think they might they can click to read on. The rest is usually a block quote from the recall from the government and there really isn’t a way to break it up. So i figure in that one instance the picture being the excerpt is okay :) I’m so glad I have been able to keep my feeder in full feed though b/c i can’t stand having to click to a site to read if I’m not going to comment.

]]> By: Michael Martin http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-696 Michael Martin Thu, 06 Sep 2007 20:12:41 +0000 http://www.problogdesign.com/blog-usability/what-length-should-a-post-excerpt-be/#comment-696 Thanks for sharing milo. That code would work well when your design requires the excerpt fit into a very exact space, like on your blog's homepage. :) Thanks for sharing milo. That code would work well when your design requires the excerpt fit into a very exact space, like on your blog’s homepage. :)

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