This is the ideal length of your SEO text! (Isn’t it?)

“What is a good length for my SEO text?” You may wonder this when you are about to write a blog post or article. Do you keep it short and concise or do you pull out all the stops to come up with a text that is as long as possible?

There are many theories about the answer to this dilemma. For example, you often hear in marketing that a text should always be as long as possible in order to score well. The longer, the better. As a consequence, for your article on the functions of the paper clip, you spend hours toiling away on one more paragraph. But that may not be necessary at all!

Do you keep it short and concise or do you pull out all the stops to come up with a text that is as long as possible?

There is no single answer to the question of what length your SEO text should be. It depends on several factors. The topic you write about, the place where your text is published, and what your competition is doing in this area all play a role.

Have your SEO texts written for you?

So, do you want to know exactly what length your SEO text should be? Then continue reading!

What is the length of a short or long text?

We are going to talk about the pros and cons of short and long SEO texts in a moment. But first, we need to discuss something important. That being – what do copywriters and content marketers mean when they call a text short (also called short-form) or long (long-form)?

The limit depends on who you ask – everyone has a different opinion. But in general, 1,000 to 1,200 words are seen as the limit. Let's stick to 1,200 words for convenience. This means that texts up to 1,200 words fall in the short-form category and texts with more than 1,200 words are considered long-form.

There is room for both short and long texts in a successful content marketing strategy.

There is room for both short and long texts in a successful content marketing strategy. They are both very powerful resources in your marketing toolbox. However, it is very important that you choose the right form at the right time. In any case, what you should not do is use the same number of words for every text you write. That is unnecessary.

For every message you want to convey, you first think about how exactly you are going to do this, right? Are you releasing a YouTube video, social media post, blog article or TV commercial? What fits your story? What appeals to your target audience? And what are other companies doing? The same goes for SEO texts. Do your research first and determine how long your text should be based on your findings.

Do your research first and determine how long your text should be based on your findings.

There are also many different ideas about the minimum number of words for a text. The SEO experts at Yoast believe that a blog article or web page should contain at least 300 words. When you give your text enough body, Google better understands what your text is about. But quality and an understanding of your readers remain the most important aspects.

What is Short-Form Content?

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Short-form texts are texts with a length of up to about 1,200 words. They are texts that you can read quickly and easily and that usually focus on one specific subject. They do not go into the subject very deeply, but keep the information simple and clear. Think about:

• Short blog posts
• News articles
• Social media messages
• Emails

The purpose of these short texts is generally to convey one message quickly and effectively.

This type of content is not too heavy, quick to read and usually easy to create. The purpose of these short texts is generally to convey one message quickly and effectively and above all to keep it simple.

What is Long-Form Content?

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Texts longer than about 1,200 words fall into the category of long-form content.

This is content that delves deeper into a topic. Long-form texts discuss a topic extensively and from multiple angles. Examples might be:

• Long, detailed blog posts
• Evergreen pages
• Guides and tutorials
• Whitepapers and eBooks
• Pillar pages

Long-form texts discuss a topic extensively and from multiple angles.

These types of texts create more connection with your target audience because you treat the subject in much more depth. In other words: it’s not snackable content, but content that is aimed at answering questions and making people who are interested in the subject more knowledgeable.

Of course, you do not create this content in a split second; you have to invest a lot of time in preparing and writing it. But you are often rewarded for your efforts. The yield and results of the smart use of long-form content can be significant.

Long-form content (especially timeless, evergreen content that stays relevant for years) really is the backbone of your SEO strategy.

Long-form content (especially timeless, evergreen content that stays relevant for years) really is the backbone of your SEO strategy. When you manage to publish several successful texts, the search results can be huge. This provides you with a structural flow of visitors and leads.

Does the length of your SEO text matter?

There are short texts and long texts, but does the length of your text really matter? The answer is yes, but NOT in the sense that a longer text is always better than a short one. The length of the content should be appropriate for your goals and the message you want to convey.

That is why it is so important that you know how to choose the right content form for different purposes. And that you look at comparable content that is already ranking high in the search engines. If you understand the search intent, you have the key to success.

In most cases, longer texts perform better in organic searches than short content.

In most cases, longer texts perform better in organic searches than short content. But that is not just because of the number of words. That is mainly because many searches require detailed content, which covers a topic in depth.

If you want your text to become the best available source on the internet, you usually need more content. Only then are you able to answer as many questions as possible about the subject in plenty of detail. In short, you should always consider the length of your text in context, even if ranking high in Google is your main goal.

Check what your competitors are doing and what is on the SERPs (search engine result pages), then try to write a specific amount of text based on that. Then you have the best chances of your blog post performing well.

Reading tip: What does the Google helpful content update mean for your SEO texts?

The advantages and disadvantages of short texts 

Short and long texts are both useful and you should carefully examine when to use what.

What are the advantages of short texts? Short texts are:

• An effective way to quickly and effectively get your point across to your audience.
• The best form of communication for people with a short attention span, which is why they are so effective on social media.
• Quick and easy (easier) to create.
• Usually easier to read on mobile phones than long texts.

But there are also disadvantages to using short-form content:

• It is more difficult to cover a subject in depth.
• It is harder to be creative.
• Short content is often not evergreen – interest and performance decline over time.

The advantages and disadvantages of long texts 

Long texts also have their own advantages and disadvantages. Some benefits of long-form content include:

• It usually ranks better in search engines because a query often asks for detailed results.
• It often scores better on a larger number of keywords, because you cover a topic in more depth.
• Long-form content generally gets more backlinks than short-form, increasing page performance and rankings even more.
• The conversion rate is often higher than that of short texts, due to the attention you give the reader and the intention of their visit.
• It helps to position you as an authority in your field. Your target audience will see you as a market leader more quickly if you regularly write long, strong texts.

On the other hand, there are these drawbacks of long-form content:

• Creating them takes much more time and resources, and often a larger financial investment. As a result, the yield of this content must be considerably greater than that of short-form content. 
• Long-form content is often less suitable to read on mobile devices. Remember: the longer the text, the more attention you need to pay to form and layout. Use white lines, embedded videos, and quotes to make the text scannable and mobile-friendly.
• Your audience is more likely to drop out. So always give the most important information right at the beginning of your article. Readers who are done after a few lines (there always will be some) still get the most important message. Later in the text, you can get into the details for the most interested readers. As with a good press release, your article should be ‘rollable’. The title, intro and conclusion together provide the most important information, with the rest of the text filled with additional information.

Reading tip: This is how you write SEO-friendly texts in 2022: a checklist

So, what will be the length of your SEO text?

The main thing is that you use as much text as necessary. Do you only have a little space? Then keep your text short. Does research show that all your competitors have already written an entire book on this subject? Then stock up coffee because you will have put a lot of effort into your text. Look at your topic, the SERP, place of publication and your competition and then decide how long you want your text to be.

Your texts, written by professionals

Do you want to write powerful, short texts, but can't quite figure out how? Or do you need a long and in-depth article, but don't have the time to research and write it? Then outsource the writing of your SEO texts to professional copywriters.

Have your SEO texts written for you?