As some of you might know, I have been spending the majority of my time on Steem on the @musing platform. There has been alot of debate going on there about whether longer content means better quality, and I think the same arguments can be applied to blog articles on Steemit. Ever since Musing got their large delegation there has beena fluctuation of long form answers, as alot of people think that longer answers mean higher quality and will lead to bigger upvotes.

Quantity does not always equal quality

I aruge that quantity does not lead to quality, and it actually takes more skill to write a succinct and to the point article. I find (and others agree), that longer blogs often get off point and start to waffle, which leads to the reader losing interest. I am also on @steemhunt, and they also seem to agree, as they have limitied each 'hunt' to 1000 characters. @actifit is another great example of a platform which leans towards shorter form content. Each day people can share their 'daily actifit card' - and I have found these to be short, but enjoyable to read, as people share there fitness accomplishments.

When is quantity called for?

There are certain circumstances when longer content is needed. Often this is when the writer is explaining something that is more 'technical', or going into depth with a specific topic. This is often the case when new dapps are released, and the authors need to share the technical aspects, and what their plan is moving forward. I have come across authors on Steem who are excellent and creating longer form content while still making it 'engaging', and keeping the reader interested.

Finding the balance

Because of the nature of Steem (and social media in general), the majority of content is better suited for shorter form. There are only so many hours people can spend on Steem, and unless something really grabs my attention, I switch off pretty quickly - and I bet I am not the only one!

What do you think? Do you find yourself reading more short or long form content on Steem?