Google’s John Mueller answered a question on LinkedIn about the ideal content length for performing well on Google. Participants in the discussion pressed for specifics, raised concerns about being SERP-blocked by Reddit, and suggested that Search Console should offer content feedback. Mueller’s response challenged SEOs to rethink their approach to content.
What’s The Best Length Of Content For SEO?
Of course, the underlying problem is the question itself which is asking what should be done in order to make better content for Google, which is the opposite of what Google’s algorithms are set up to identify.
Yet, there is some merit to the question because maybe some people are new to publishing and don’t really understand what the best length is for content. On the other hand, publishing content that’s so long that it veers off topic is a mistake that many people, regardless of experience level, commonly make.
This is the question asked:
“Hi John, is there an ideal content length that performs better on Google search results? Should we focus on creating longer, in-depth articles, or can short-form content rank just as well if it’s concise and valuable?”
There are a lot of ideas about how to make content so it’s understandable if someone is confused about it.
Mueller’s Answer Is Questioned
Google’s John Mueller answered the question and it was a good answer. However others had concerns about the ranking choices that Google makes that can block good content from ranking.
Mueller answered:
“There is no universally ideal content length. Focus on bringing unique value to the web overall, which doesn’t mean just adding more words.”
Mueller’s suggestion to focus on bringing “unique value” with published content is good advice. Adding unique value doesn’t necessarily mean adding more images, more content, less content, more graphs, or step-by-steps. All of those things could be helpful but only if it’s relevant to a user and their query.
Yet, as someone pointed out in that discussion, a site with good content could still lose out in the SERPs due to Google’s “preference” for showing sites like Reddit.
A person with the user name SEOBot _ wrote that Google should offer more information and feedback about what “unique value” content means in relation to their own content. While it might seem strange that a publisher is unclear about what constitutes “unique value” content, the question calls attention to the confusion that some publishers feel about how sites are ranked by Google.
This is the follow up question asked by that person:
“…do you have any example of content on the website that follows this and is able to get the Google love. “Focus on bringing unique value to the web overall, which doesn’t mean just adding more words.” This is a very vague and unrealistic ask if the GSC can start pinpointing this content/section as not making any sense or not adding any value.