During a chat, John Mueller from Google has talked about the importance of word count to get better rank in Google. In case a webpage has not managed to obtain desired rank then is it useful to add more content?
Should you add more content to get better rank?
Upon asking whether it is possible to improve web page rank through inclusion of additional relevant content. On the occasion, the person may not have been clear about the true meaning of relevant content. Now, it is important to know whether content should be more relevant according to the keyword or it should be more relevant according to the intent of the user. Through various ways, content can become relevant.
In order to improve content of the page, you can add as much content as possible that is relevant for the user. Due to more relevant content on the webpage will it be assumed as a better page by Google automatically? Is text given more importance by Google?
Here the person has believed that improving webpage rank is simple thing that can be done merely by adding more content. However, everything is pretty complex.
Process of content updating is quite nuanced than including more content.
Is quality content and word count linked?
Quality content is considered more comprehensive. These articles are generally longer. Now, it is important to know how to make an article all inclusive and not long at the same time. Superiority of an article is often decided by its completeness.
On the relation between word count and quality, John Mueller has said
“From our point of view the number of words on a page is not a quality factor, not a ranking factor.
So just blindly adding more and more text to a page doesn’t make it better.”
Later on John Mueller has added,
“It’s a bit like if you want to present something to a client who’s walking in, you can give them a one or two page brochure or you can give them a giant book of information.
And in some cases people will want a book with a lot of information. And in other cases people want something short and sweet.
And that’s similar to search.
If you have the information that you need for indexing for …kind of making it so that users and Googlebot understands what this page us about, what you’re trying to achieve with it uh… in a short version then fine, keep a short version, you don’t need to make it longer.
Just blindly adding text to a page doesn’t make it better.”
Thin Content
Some people think that thin content may be too short to achieve a rank. However, it may not be true at all.
Generally, thin content is considered as a short content by Google. Sometime, it can be also looked as a content that does not offer a lot of usefulness. However, thin content may not be decided only basis of the world count. More importance may be given on the effectiveness on the occasion.
How to get better ranking by improving articles?
Process of obtaining better ranking by improving article is rather complicated matter. In the beginning, it is important to know the mission and vision of the webpage.
If user searches the content a specific way then the article may lose relevance. Intent of the user plays an integral part here.
Experts have said that adding content to the webpage blindly may not make it better. There should be a purpose behind rewriting and extending the content further.