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Is It Time to Remove Recommended Word Count from SEO Briefs?

Oct 18, 2024 |
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As a writer, I’ve always been passionate about telling stories. It’s what I’ve done since I was young and what I continued to do as a professional. But when I stepped into the world of SEO, storytelling took a backseat to something I quickly learned to call “writing for the spider.” That meant keeping search engines in mind, sometimes at the expense of the human experience. Still, as a writer with high standards, I always sought to balance SEO requirements with creating meaningful, engaging content. When I eventually began managing a team of writers, I pushed them to do the same. But here’s where things got interesting: the more I immersed myself in SEO, the more I started to question the relevance of one thing in particular—word count. And that’s where I stand now: firmly against rigid word count recommendations in SEO briefs.

Word Count in SEO: Why Are We Still Doing This?

Let’s be real: SEO has evolved massively over the years. We’re long past the days of keyword stuffing, thanks to updates like Google’s Panda and Penguin. Yet, despite all these changes, I still see SEO briefs asking for content based on arbitrary word counts. Why? Google’s own John Mueller has confirmed that word count is not a ranking factor. So why do we still cling to this idea that 1000 words will somehow outperform 300, even if those extra 700 words are just filler? Here’s a look at some of the reasons why word count is still alive and kicking in SEO, and why it shouldn’t be.

1. More Words Mean More Keywords, Right?

It’s often assumed that the longer the content, the more keywords you can squeeze in, including those precious long-tail variations. But here’s the question no one asks: are those extra keywords even valuable? Are they helping you reach your target audience, or are they just fluffing up the piece for the sake of length?

2. It Feels Easier Than Tackling Technical or Off-Page SEO

For small businesses that don’t have the resources to dive into technical SEO, or for bigger companies where SEO often gets buried in bureaucratic approval processes, cranking out content seems like a quick win. But is more content the real solution, or just a distraction from what could be bigger wins through technical fixes?

3. More Words Can Make Writing Easier

This one seems counterintuitive, but stick with me. Writing concisely—writing just 300 really solid, punchy words—can be much harder than padding a piece out to 1000. As much as we love to believe that long-form equals quality, let’s face it: fluff exists. Writing more doesn’t always mean saying more.

More Words ≠ Better Content

Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely a place for long content in SEO. I’ve written 500-word briefs that turned into 1000 words because the topic demanded it. But that’s the key—it’s the topic that dictates the length, not an arbitrary target. Word count should be determined by:
    ✔️ The topic and related keywords ✔️ The industry ✔️ The format (e.g., blog, product page, service page)
Competitor analysis can be helpful for gauging what’s working in your space, but it shouldn’t be the sole factor determining your word count.

How Should We Brief SEO Copywriters?

So, what’s the solution? Here’s what I believe: ditch the word count recommendation and trust your writers to do what’s best for the topic at hand. Writers understand the balance between what the client wants to communicate and what users are searching for. They’re the bridge between SEO and storytelling. So, if your writers are in-house, bring them into the SEO conversation. If they’re external, try to go beyond simple word counts and focus on providing more in-depth briefs that allow them to flex their storytelling muscles. In short, give your writers the information they need, and trust that they’ll deliver content that ranks—not because of its length, but because of its quality.

Final Thoughts

Word count shouldn’t be the yardstick by which we measure SEO success. As the SEO landscape continues to shift, it’s crucial to adapt. Let the topic guide the length of your content, and focus on creating pieces that genuinely serve your audience, rather than hitting an arbitrary word target. Because when it comes down to it, good writing and smart SEO aren’t about hitting a number—they’re about connecting with the people who matter.