We get this question all the time: “What’s the right amount of content for my web pages?”
The short answer is, “The right amount.”
But before you punch me in the face for that pithy answer, hear me out…
Our best recommendation is always write for your audience. Create powerful, thoughtful, informative materials and you can’t go wrong.
That being said, many of the most popular search engines do still appear to have several components of their search ranking algorithms that may leverage word count, keyword density (the number of times a preferred keyword appears in your copy in relation to the overall word count), and time-on-site metrics that suggest paying attention to content length (word count) may be something to consider when crafting your story. To further complicate things, there is no set “standard” for keyword density metrics but we do know that “stuffing” (overloading your copy with keywords in an attempt to game the system) can get you penalized. The current thinking is 1-2% is a good starting point: (keyword mentions/word count)*100.
The current research suggests “300 words” is a good starting point for word count on any given page (right… now, we’re at 150ish for this article, for comparison’s-sake). 600 words may be better because it provides opportunities to increase time on site, be ranked as a “higher authority or importance” article, etc. Again, the best answer is to write for your audience, provide them with solid information and advice, and then maybe massage things a little to add some extra punch.
And we’ll wrap this up with some advice about your messaging: People often don’t buy the best products or services, they buy the ones they can understand the fastest. So, with that in mind, make sure everything you are doing is moving the conversation toward solving the readers’ problems and how your products or services will help the readers thrive and survive as succinctly as possible.
Have questions about site content or current thinking on Search Engine Optimization? Get in touch.
