Everybody in this industry wants to know the intricacies of Google’s algorithm. We can take the little snippets shared by Google and make educated guesses using our own tests and findings, but we’re still mostly in the dark about how the search engine actually categorises good and bad content.
The question I want to dive into is: how long should a blog post be?
Is there an ideal blog post length for SEO?
Quick answer, no. (If the answer was that shorter posts are best, I could end the blog post here. But alas, we’ll continue).
Google’s John Mueller was asked about this topic on X (Twitter), and he said:
“Word count is not indicative of quality. Some pages have a lot of words that say nothing. Some pages have very few words that are very important & relevant to queries. You know your content best (hopefully) and can decide whether it needs the details.”
Putting John’s statement aside for a second, it’s worth mentioning that, in general, longer content does seem to perform better in search. However, this is less to do with the length of the article itself, and more to do with the content.
What content does Google like?
Google’s ultimate goal when categorising content on the web is to provide results that satisfy the intent of the searcher. Content of a high-quality, that is both educational and resourceful is often going to perform better in search – Google wants copy with substance, that is truly designed to satisfy the end user.
As it goes, that’s much easier to achieve with a longer article.
Now, it may seem as though I’m already contradicting myself. Surely that means that longer content must be better for SEO? As confirmed by Mueller, this isn’t the case. It’s just much easier to tick all the boxes that make a valuable piece of content if there’s more to it.
How much information is needed in a good blog post?
The reason you can’t rely on word count to carry an article to greatness is that every search query requires a different amount of information.
Consider the intent of the search query. Is the searcher looking for an in-depth, comprehensive answer that incorporates background information and future predictions, or are they looking for something they can quickly read and benefit from?
If your blog post is covering current industry news or trends, or perhaps offering quick tips or a mini tutorial, it’s likely that the copy will be shorter.
Take this example from our own blog:
What information do you need for a content strategy? – 556 words
What does the searcher most likely need when they first stumble onto this blog post? We can assume it’s tips for planning a content strategy. It’s unlikely they need any background information, like what a content strategy is and why it’s important, they’re probably just looking for quick, digestible advice.
Certain topics require more in-depth exploration, often resulting in longer copy, such as thought leadership pieces, technical queries, and research findings / market analysis.
Using another example from our blog:
Understanding the modern buying journey – 2087 words
Searches landing on this blog post are likely interested in up-to-date consumer trends and insights, which is what the article provides. Along with key statistics, it also gives some background information on the methodology of the research, adding credibility to the stats, and gives a brief analysis of the findings, helping the searcher apply the numbers to real-life scenarios. Naturally, this blog post is substantially longer than the example above, because there are a lot more areas to cover whilst remaining relevant to the main search query.
Another factor to consider is the content that’s already out there for a specific query. Google your main keyword and see what others have already produced on the topic. If every result is a really long piece of content, chances are there’s a golden opportunity for a short-form summary to appease searchers just looking for a digestible snippet on the topic. Although there may be additional information that is both relevant and valuable to the query, if the SERPs are lacking a strong piece of short content, you could be the one to fill the gap!
The benefits of keeping it short and sweet
If the query you’re aiming to resolve in your article can be explained in a short paragraph, that’s completely okay! Not only do you want to satisfy the searcher at this moment in time, but you also want to prove to them that your site can be of value to them. If they’ve clicked your link and immediately had their query answered to a good ability, then they’re likely to return in the future for other queries.
On top of this, valuable short-form content is much more likely to be pulled into Google’s featured snippet, putting your site above the usual organic search results, with the information displayed in a simple and digestible way.
Long posts that lack substance can do more harm than good. Google can recognise content that has little to no value and will penalise it in search. On top of this, users will be less likely to return to your site as an information source.
So, what is the ideal blog post length for SEO?
How long is a piece of string?
When writing a blog post, consider:
- How much information is required to produce a suitable and complete answer for the searcher?
- Will the searcher be looking for a short, quick answer, or a longer, more in-depth result?
Focus on the important information, back it up where you can, and keep your focus on the main query you’re trying to resolve. Of course, add some personality to your writing, but don’t let an abundance of personality-driven fluff deter from the focus.
