SuperSEO Tips
Posts
Best Word Count for SEO – Issue #024

Best Word Count for SEO – Issue #024

Published on March 2, 2022
Subscribe to Newsletter

Actionable SEO Tip of the Week

Let me start by stating the obvious… word count is NOT a ranking factor

I'm starting to believe the only people who count words are teachers and SEOs. Search engines definitely don't count words.

Ok, if word count is not a ranking factor, then why are we even talking about this?

Because the fact that it’s not a ranking factor does not mean that it doesn’t impact your ranking potential.

If you ask people what they think the minimum suggested word count is, you will hear anything from 500 to 1,000 and much much more than that

So, let’s get to the bottom of this, how many words should you write to have better chances of ranking on Google?

The answer: As many as you need to cover the topic you are writing about

I’m pretty sure you were expecting a flat number here, but the truth is that if your topic can provide value and be explained in 500 words, then that’s how many words you need to write. If it’s a more advanced topic that needs at least 3,000 words of content, then do that.

Remember that quality and value are much more important than word count

So, should you totally ignore word count? No!

Long-Form Content

When you are trying to compete for a spot on the first page of Google, it’s a good idea to consider the word count of the content that is already ranking.

As I already mentioned, quality is always first. 500 words of quality content will always beat 2,000 words of crappy content.

But, if the websites that are ranking on page #1 of Google have an average of 2,000 words of QUALITY content, then your 500 word count article will have a hard time competing for a spot in the top 10 positions.

This is because long-form content is much more comprehensive, which allows you to cover a wider topic, provide more content for Google to index, include more keywords, and provide more value to your readers. Not to mention that they will stay longer on your website.

That’s why writing long-form content, when it makes sense for the topic and competition, can help you rank higher on Google.

Determining how much content to write

Do a Google search for your keyword and take note of the websites on the first page. Run each of them through a website word counter tool to get the results and then do the math to get the average.

If you don’t want to do one website at a time, KatLinks has a nice little feature in the rank tracking tool that will tell you the average word count of the websites that are ranking on the first page of Google for a specific keyword, and it’ll also give you your current word count.

With the above, we are assuming that the competitor content is of good quality. If it sucks, don’t even worry about word count. Just write quality content and you’ll be able to compete for a spot on the first page of Google.

P.S. Websites with high authority can get away with ranking with less content, so don’t forget to also work on your backlinks to increase your ranking potential

Are there any specific topics you want me to cover in the coming weeks? DM me on Twitter and let me know!

SaaS Showcase of the Week

If you run a SaaS as I do, you know how important customer support is, but you also know it can sometimes be a little complicated to understand the issues users are having.

What I usually do is ask them for screenshots or provide a written detailed explanation of the problem they are having so I can kinda understand and provide the help they need.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a tool that could help users better communicate what they need? Well, let me tell you about this week’s SaaS showcase.

question.to

Question.to is a tool that helps you collect feedback from your users using video or text with a simple website embed.

Your users will be able to record a Loom video without having to install anything. They don’t even need a Loom account! They can record their questions and feedback and send it to you, all with just a couple of clicks.

Do you want me to showcase your SaaS or digital product? Click here to learn about our sponsorship opportunities.

Product Shoutouts

Tweet Hunter: Grow a high-quality Twitter audience

Superblog: A blazing fast alternative to WordPress and Medium

BrandBird: Turn your screenshots into captivating branded social graphics

SuperSEO Tips: Actionable tips to help improve your SEO

Copymatic: Generate AI blog articles, website copy, landing pages & digital ads in seconds.

KatLinks: Affordable SEO Tool for Makers

In Conclusion…

Word count matters when your topic requires it and when you are trying to compete against long-form content. But the real goal is to create quality content that provides value. In the end, that’s what will help you rank higher on Google

If you found value in reading this, please consider sharing it with your friends and also on social media