“Content is king” is a phrase you’ve probably heard many times in the world of Search Engine Optimisation – especially with the rise of long-form content for SEO.
Although that phrase may no longer ring as true as it once did, quality content is still a crucial aspect of any successful SEO strategy.
In fact, according to recent studies, long-form content tends to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) and attracts more backlinks and social shares compared to shorter articles.
This is because long-form content provides more comprehensive and detailed information on a particular topic, making it more valuable to readers.
But what exactly is long-form content? Why is it important for SEO?
And what is the secret to creating effective and engaging long-form content that nobody is talking about?
We’ll be exploring all that and more in this essential guide to long-form content for SEO.
What is Long-Form Content in Search Engine Optimisation?
Long-form content refers to articles or blog posts that are longer in length compared to traditional short-form content.
While there is no set definition for what constitutes “long-form”, it generally involves 1,000 words or more.
The growing popularity of long-form content is largely due to the evolving nature of search engine algorithms.
Back in the early days of SEO, it was all too easy for websites packed with keyword-stuffed short articles to climb the ranks of SERPs.
However, this practice resulted in a saturation of low-quality, clickbait content that offered very little real value to readers.
Thankfully, the 2011 Panda update to the Google algorithm forced digital marketers to change their strategies, with the search engine giant now favouring high-quality, relevant content and punishing spammy or low-quality websites.
This is where long-form content truly shines, providing the comprehensive, in-depth analysis that both readers and search engines crave.
Now, long-form content is a staple part of any decent SEO strategy, with many businesses using it to increase their website’s visibility and attract organic traffic.
What is the Best Page Length for SEO?
Recent studies suggest that the ideal page length for SEO ranking is between 2,000 to 2,500 words.
However, this doesn’t mean shorter (or even longer) content cannot rank well in search engine results.
Ultimately, the length of your content should depend on the topic, the amount of information you need to convey and what your target user is looking for.
After all, the user is king.
Does Google Prefer Long-Form Content?
Technically, yes. But the reality is not as black and white.
Google’s primary goal is to provide the most relevant, high-quality and useful information to its users. And long-form content can help achieve this goal in many cases.
However, it’s not just about length – the content needs to be valuable and engaging. If your long-form article is simply filled with fluff and irrelevant information, then Google will not give it a higher ranking.
So while long-form content can certainly help with SEO, it’s not a magic formula for success. Quality and relevance are still the most important factors.
Can Content Be Too Long for SEO?
Just because we’ve said the ideal length is 2,000 to 2,500 words, that doesn’t mean every page and post needs to reach that word count.
As mentioned before, the length of your content should depend on your topic and target audience.
If you can provide all the necessary information and value in 700 words, then there’s no need to pad it out just for the sake of hitting an arbitrary word count.
In fact, excessively long content can actually hurt your SEO if it’s not relevant or engaging for the user.
What’s more, shorter-form content could even give you a competitive advantage on SERPs as the content is much more digestible for users casually looking for information.
Remember, Google wants to provide the best experience for its users and will rank content accordingly.
Ultimately, a page’s length should entirely depend on the user’s search intent and the value your content provides to them.
The Crucial Role of User Intent in Content Creation
A user’s search intent is an essential part of Search Engine Optimisation that is often overlooked.
Search intent refers to the primary goal or purpose behind a user’s search query and can be divided into four main categories: informational, navigational, transactional and commercial.
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- Informational intent: The user is seeking information on a specific topic or question.
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- Navigational intent: The user is looking for a specific website or web page.
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- Transactional intent: The user intends to make a purchase or perform a specific action.
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- Commercial intent: The user is researching products or services with the intention of making a future purchase.
But how does this relate to long-form content?
If your target audience is looking for an in-depth guide on a specific topic, they will likely prefer a longer article that covers all the necessary information in one place.
On the other hand, if your user is seeking quick answers to a specific question, shorter content may be more effective.
Simply put, the better you understand your target audience, the better you can deliver content that they actually want to read and engage with. In turn, this improves user experience and increases the chances of ranking well on search engines.
Is User Experience More Important Than Content-Length?
Much like how in the early 2010s there was an oversaturation of low-quality, keyword-stuffed short-form content, we are now seeing an oversaturation of long-form content as businesses try to keep up with the latest SEO trends.
So, in a world where ranking on the first page of SERPs is more competitive than ever, how can your website stand out and attract organic traffic with your long-form content?
The answer lies in understanding and prioritising user experience.
User experience extends far beyond just search intent.
It entails everything from website design and page loading speed to mobile responsiveness and readability.
Even with well-written long-form content, if a website is poorly designed or takes longer to load, users are likely to abandon the site before even reading the content.
This can result in a high bounce rate and negatively impact search engine rankings.
A well-designed, intuitive website can often be the deciding factor between a user staying on your website to read your content or leaving to find information elsewhere.
Therefore, while long-form content is essential for SEO, it should not be the sole focus.
Prioritising user experience alongside high-quality long-form content will ultimately lead to better results and improved search engine rankings.
Is Longer Form Content Better for SEO? (Case Study)
What better way to showcase the impact of long-form content for SEO than with a case study?
One of our clients had been struggling to rank on the first page of SERPs for their target keywords, with their service and industry sector pages in particular receiving little traffic.
These pages primarily contained short-form content, which we felt could benefit from being expanded and restructured into long-form content.
After conducting keyword and competitor research, we suggested creating longer-form content for these pages to provide more in-depth information and value to users.
During our research, we identified the search intent as commercial and informational and worked with our client to optimise the website text to align with the needs of their target user.
From here, changes were made to the 165 service and industry sector pages in December 2023 and have been tracked over a period of seven months.
Admittedly, our sample size is relatively small and more research is needed on the topic.
That’s why we also explored the overall impact these updates have had on the website and its 734 pages.
We believe the results of this study highlight the importance of creating high-quality, relevant and user-focused content rather than solely focusing on length for SEO purposes.
The Impact of Long-Form Content on SEO
Starting with website traffic, over seven months we saw a 24.1% increase in organic clicks from SERPs.
This boost in traffic is the result of a 37.95% increase in organic impressions on search engines, indicating an improvement in content quality and relevance.
What’s more, this increase in website traffic and impressions can be attributed to the longer form of content providing more valuable information and better meeting user search intent.
Following the updates to website text, these 45 pages improved their average by position by 19 places, with some pages even jumping from the second or third page of SERPs to the first.
This increase in average position directly correlates with an increase in website traffic, demonstrating the positive impact long-form content can have on SEO efforts.
Despite being a small sample size, our data suggests that longer form content can have a tangible impact on search engine rankings and organic traffic.
However, it is essential to note that this success is not solely due to the length of the content but rather the quality, relevance and user experience it provides.
It is also worth noting that other factors have been at play with this website (such as a change in URL structure), but it is clear that updating the text to be detailed, relevant and rich has led to improved SERP results and organic traffic.
The Effect on Overall Website Performance
When one page performs well on a search engine, it can significantly improve a website’s overall performance.
The more impressions and traffic a single page creates, the more credible a website becomes.
Therefore, when multiple pages from a website start to perform well on SERPs, search engines will begin to favour content from those specific websites.
In this instance, we discovered that during this period our client saw a 351% increase in organic traffic, rising from 3.5k clicks to a whopping 15.8k.
What’s more, overall search impressions on SERPs rose from 510k to 1.56m – a 205.88% increase!
This reinforces the fact that long-form content can have a significant improvement on a website’s total performance – even on pages that aren’t ideal for long-form content.
Benefits of Long-Form Content for SEO
It’s clear that long-form content has the ability to improve your website’s traffic and search impressions on SERPs, but what are some other benefits of creating longer content for SEO?
We’ve broken down six key benefits to help you understand the value of long-form content for your business’s SEO efforts:
Establish Your Business as a Thought Leader
Long-form SEO content serves as a powerful tool for establishing your business as a thought leader within your industry.
By providing users with comprehensive, well-researched, and insightful articles, you position your brand as an authoritative source of information.
This not only helps to build trust with your audience but also encourages them to view your business as a go-to resource for knowledge and expertise.
When potential customers encounter content that effectively addresses their queries and offers valuable insights, they are more likely to engage with your brand, share your content, and return for more.
Consequently, this elevated perception of your brand fosters loyalty, enhances credibility, and drives organic traffic, ultimately contributing to your long-term success in a competitive marketplace.
Users Stay on Your Website for Longer
In theory, the more content a user has to read, the longer they’ll stay on your website.
As mentioned earlier, the time spent on a website is an important factor for search engines when determining ranking as it signals to search engines that your content is valuable and relevant
Longer content provides more opportunities for users to engage with your website, whether it be through internal links, calls to action, or simply continuing to read the article.
This increased engagement can lead to a lower bounce rate and higher session duration, both of which are positive signals for search engine rankings.
However, if your content is long for the sake of being long and lacks valuable information or is not user-friendly, users may still leave your website quickly, so it’s crucial to strike a balance between length and quality.
Rank for More Keywords
Long-form SEO content is an effective strategy for ranking for a broader array of keywords, allowing your website to attract diverse traffic.
By thoroughly covering a topic and incorporating various relevant keywords and phrases throughout the content, you enhance the likelihood of appearing in search results for multiple queries and featured snippet opportunities.
As your content addresses various facets of a topic, you’re not only meeting users’ specific searches with precision but also capturing related terms that contribute to your overall keyword portfolio.
More Backlinks
Backlinks are an important part of any SEO strategy, and long-form content can help websites attract them naturally.
When your content is informative, comprehensive, and well-written, other content creators, bloggers, and industry experts are naturally encouraged to link back to your articles, thereby increasing the number of inbound links to your site.
An increased backlink portfolio amplifies your credibility in the eyes of search engines, improves your online reputation as a trusted source and enhances your ability to convert website traffic into lasting business relationships.
Increased Social Sharing
Similar to backlinks, social sharing can also be boosted by long-form content.
When your content is valuable, users are more likely to share it with their network on social media platforms, such as LinkedIn.
In turn, this could place your content in front of a whole new audience that is engaged and interested in your niche.
Compelling articles that address pertinent issues or provide unique perspectives are more likely to start conversations, which creates additional opportunities for your content to go viral.
This increased social sharing not only drives more traffic to your website but also helps improve your brand’s online presence and authority.
Improve Domain Authority
Improving your domain authority is a long, time-consuming task that takes months (even years) of consistent effort.
However, long-form content can help expedite this process by establishing your website as a valuable resource in the eyes of search engines.
As mentioned earlier, longer content tends to have more backlinks and social shares, both of which are critical factors for domain authority.
Over time, as your website consistently delivers valuable insights, its domain authority rises, translating into improved search rankings, heightened credibility, and ultimately, greater visibility in a competitive digital landscape.
Long-Form vs Short Form Content
We’ve already established what long-form content is, but what about short-form?
Short-form content typically refers to pieces of content that are under 1,000 words and are designed for quick consumption, delivering concise messages that cater to users with limited attention spans.
While some businesses may argue that shorter content is easier to consume and more convenient for readers, it also has its limitations.
Some experts argue that short-form content stops businesses from reaching their full potential, as it doesn’t allow for in-depth coverage of a topic and may not provide enough value for users.
However, it could be argued that if you can say everything you need to say in 800 words, you’re doing a much better job at providing value to the user than a website that explains a topic in 5,000+ words.
After all, the goal of search engines is to provide users with the most relevant and valuable information for their queries.
So, while longer content may not always be better, it’s important to understand that the length of your content should be driven by its purpose and how effectively it addresses user intent.
Ultimately, a balanced blend of both formats can maximise reach and effectiveness, responding to diverse audience needs while achieving strategic business goals.
Are Empty Pages Bad for SEO?
Extremely story-form content is often perceived as empty pages, which begs the question: are empty pages bad for SEO?
Empty pages can be harmful to your website’s SEO as they may indicate a lack of quality content or valuable user experience.
When search engines crawl a site and encounter empty or thin content pages, they may interpret this as a sign of neglect, leading to lower rankings and diminished visibility in search results.
Furthermore, empty pages can frustrate users, leading to high bounce rates and a negative perception of your brand.
The presence of such pages undermines your overall content strategy, diluting the credibility and authority you work tirelessly to build.
To maximise your SEO efforts, it is essential to ensure that every page delivers meaningful, relevant content that meets user intent and encourages engagement.
Can Too Much Content Hurt SEO?
Regardless of whether your content is long or short form, having too much content that isn’t performing well on SERPs can seriously harm your SEO efforts.
When you have a high volume of low-quality content, it will negatively impact the overall perceived value of your website and potentially lower your rankings.
Search engines may see this as an attempt to manipulate rankings by keyword stuffing or creating irrelevant content, leading to penalties and lower rankings for your website.
It is essential to regularly review and audit your content to ensure that it aligns with your overall SEO strategy and provides value to users – and if you need to prune underperforming content, don’t hesitate to do so.
Removing, updating or optimising dead-weight content can significantly improve the overall quality of your website’s content portfolio and enhance its visibility in search results.
How to Optimise for Long-Form Content
Now that we’ve covered everything you need to know about long-form content, let’s run through a step-by-step guide on how to optimise your content for maximum effectiveness.
Know Your Audience
We’ve touched on this point a lot throughout this post, but we cannot emphasise enough the importance of understanding your audience.
Make sure you know what their interests and pain points are, and what type of content they prefer to consume.
This information will help you create targeted, valuable content that resonates with your audience and keeps them engaged.
Choose an Evergreen Topic
For lasting impact, it’s important to choose a topic that will remain relevant and valuable to readers for years to come.
In other words, your content needs to be evergreen.
By choosing evergreen topics, you ensure that your content will continue to attract traffic and generate results long after it’s been published, providing your website with a valuable asset for years to come.
How Many Keywords Should I Focus On?
When it comes to any form of SEO content, it’s essential not to overdo keywords.
We recommend focusing on one primary keyword per page, with up to three secondary keywords or related terms.
However, it’s vitally important to avoid flooding each page with the same keywords, as search engine bots will see this as keyword stuffing and negatively impact your rankings.
Instead, incorporate your keywords naturally throughout your post, ensuring they fit seamlessly with your content and provide value to the reader.
What’s more, make sure to conduct thorough keyword research and choose the most relevant and high-value keywords for your content and overall SEO strategy.
Map Out Your Strategy
Before you start writing, map out your content strategy to ensure that every piece of information is relevant and contributes to the overall goal of your post.
Create a clear outline that covers all aspects of your topic, addressing any potential questions or objections that readers may have.
This approach ensures your content is well-structured and provides value to users while meeting their intent.
Create Engaging Headlines
Your headline is your first opportunity to capture a reader’s attention, so make it count!
Ensure your headlines are engaging, accurate and reflect the main purpose of your content.
Aim for an optimal length between 50-60 characters with primary keywords included where possible.
Also, don’t be afraid to experiment with different headline formats, such as using numbers or posing a question to entice readers.
Which Technique Should Be Avoided in SEO?
While there is no one technique that should be universally avoided in SEO, it’s essential to steer clear of any tactics that go against search engine guidelines. These can include:
- Keyword stuffing: Repeating keywords excessively to manipulate search engine rankings.
- Cloaking: Showing different content to users than what is shown to search engines with the aim of manipulating rankings.
- Buying links: Purchasing backlinks to your website is a practice that is against Google’s guidelines and can result in penalties.
- Duplicate content: Copying large portions of content from other sources without adding any unique value or attribution. This can lead to lower rankings or even de-indexing from search results.
- Low-quality content: Thin or irrelevant content that provides little value to users can harm your rankings and reputation.
These techniques may provide short-term gains but can ultimately harm your website’s rankings and credibility in the long run.
Always follow best practices and focus on creating valuable, relevant content for users instead of trying to manipulate rankings through quick-fix methods.
Conclusion: Is Long-Form Content in SEO Important?
Long-form content isn’t a magic solution to all your SEO woes, but when implemented correctly, it can significantly impact your website’s visibility and ranking potential.
It is an indispensable tool for anyone seeking sustainable growth in a competitive digital landscape and can transform your content marketing efforts into a powerful lead generation and conversion machine.
By providing valuable, in-depth content that meets the needs of your audience, you can attract more traffic, improve user engagement and ultimately boost your website’s performance on search engine results pages.
Remember to regularly review and optimise your long-form content for maximum effectiveness, stay up-to-date with SEO best practices and focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with your target audience.
But more importantly, make sure the foundations of your SEO strategy are strong with an intuitive website that encourages users to explore and engage with your content.
Not got enough time to craft your own SEO strategy or optimise your web design? Let us help you! We specialise in crafting high-quality, SEO-optimised content that drives results. Contact us today to learn more.