Quite the hot little debate has been going down in a recent Google Webmaster Help forum thread.
The member who started the thread asked whether Google views shorter
content as shallow. He wrote from experience – he’d recently changed the
format of his website from longer-form articles to brief articles
covering a wider range of topics.
According to the member, his site’s rankings took a hit when he
changed over to the new abbreviated style – even though readers loved
being served bite-sized pieces of info instead of large walls of text.
So where’s the disconnect? Google talks about thorough content, but
can shorter articles do the job just as well? Let’s look at Google’s
stance and real users’ experiences so you can draw your own conclusions
about which length is best for your website.
One Member’s Experience
The forum member, who goes by the handle “TheBigK,” runs a popular
news blog and bases the content for its stories on various news sources.
According to his post, the authors on the site began writing longer
articles with lengthy opinions and descriptions after the algo changes.
After receiving feedback from website visitors, however, TheBigK
deduced that members desired shorter content instead of these lengthy
pieces. They seemed to favor brief articles with bite-sized chunks of
all the most relevant info packed tightly into each one.
So what’s a webmaster to do?
If you guessed “please his visitors” then you’re right on the money.
The webmaster moved to 150 – 200 word articles covering a much broader
range of topics, and visitors were once again thrilled. However, Google
was not impressed. The member noted that most of these mini-pieces
ranked poorly even though they were receiving more loyal traffic than
were their longer counterparts.
TheBigK wondered whether Google considers shorter articles to be
thinner content. He says that the data and testing performed by his crew
more or less confirmed this assumption. Conversely, he pondered whether
it would be worth losing loyal visitors to rank better in the SERPs.
Google’s Take on Content Length
It seems that Google’s reiterated the mantra, “content should focus
on users, not search engines” about a bazillion times over the years.
Countless Webmaster Help videos exist that tout the importance of
creating completely original content as opposed to regurgitated “me too”
posts that users can find copies of on hundreds of different sites.
Further, Google expresses the importance of adding your own voice to the
discussion and adding a unique perspective readers cannot find
elsewhere.
Big G has never released anything mentioning exact word count
guidelines, but the tips above lead most to believe that longer is
indeed better. After all, when users search for something, they’re more
apt to favor results with more on the answers they seek. This requires
one thing above all: words.
Google’s pushing webmasters to offer up more comprehensive posts
because it’s trying to provide a more robust search experience for
users. Is it possible to furnish that in 200 words or less? That’s
doubtful. But in TheBigK’s case, it was all about providing what his
users wanted – not what pleased Google… and that worked for him.
Testing On Your Own & The Way Forward
If you’re experiencing traffic fluctuations and you’ve begun to
wonder whether the length of your content is playing a role in the
changes, try doing what TheBigK did. Add some content of different
lengths and analyze which ranks better – as well as the number of terms
for which the content is ranking. Don’t just depend on Google for your
feedback, however. Encourage feedback from your users as well.
If retaining your loyal visitors is more of an incentive for you to
keep doing what you’re doing, don’t change for Google’s sake. Instead,
adopt a full-scale link acquisition program that hinges upon building
your network. Reach out to peers in your niche and market through guest
posting and social networking. It is possible to build a large following
without depending on Google to get there.
However, if ranking is important for generating the traffic you
desire, then getting your site in Google’s good graces should be
priority numero uno for you. If you feel your website is lagging in the
SERPs, you still have options. Figure out which posts rank well and
analyze why they’re gaining traction. Consider links to the page in
question and carefully review the nuts and bolts of the content itself.
Then, use that information to construct more of the same kinds of posts.
Gauge their success. Rinse and repeat.
I personally believe that longer is better when it comes to content
on the ‘net. That said, 1000 words of drivel will still sink your site
like a stone if you let it, so make sure your posts pack some heat and
controversy at every twist and turn. Get in front of breaking stories in
your niche and deliver something users can’t find elsewhere. It’s
bigger than pleasing Google – it’s about creating loyal visitors who are
sure to return time and again.
Nell Terry, Post from: SiteProNews
