How To Think About Shortform Site Content

John Mueller is a Webmaster Trends Analyst at Google who frequently offers public comments about changes to the SEO algorithm, best practices, and more. It has long been an undisputed fact that high word counts for news and articles produce an SEO boon. However, in recent conversations, Mueller says that shorter pieces are “sometimes fine” for a query. How can this be?

Google is known to minimize SEO performance for sites whose content is thin – meaning short, void of relevant keywords, and lacking in a distinct perspective. If content doesn’t add value, chances are, it’s harming a site’s chances at showing up anywhere beneficial on a search engine results page.

However, as marketers know all too well, there is tension here – extremely long content is unlikely to hold a customer’s attention. Besides, long-form articles can risk being seen as “thin” by the algorithm in that they contain spammy content or aren’t making a decisive contribution to the internet. If smaller stories are indeed providing some value, it’s worth it to index them. This is especially notable for brands that are producing news or publishing frequent short-form content. By thoroughly using metatags and backlinking, marketers can increase the SEO value of their shorter articles.

Relevance is vital when it comes to shorter articles. As I’ve written about in the past, quality website content is a crucial stepping stone to SEO success. ASTRALCOM is here to help you assess the best path forward to increase traffic and grow the potential of your online business.