Concise Content Is The Future As Google Tests Read Labels

For a while, it has been said that ‘length is king’. Page contents with at least 300 words are recommended for ideal SEO ranking. This is because a higher word count enables Google to understand your page better. The longer your optimised content is, chances are, the more times focused keywords appear.

Hence, longer content was always thought to mean more high-quality and on-topic information that would benefit consumers, which resulted in higher lead generation. While it is still true and useful for optimising page performance, it seems that things are changing in another direction as Google is found to be testing two new read labels in some users’ search results.

Google introduces ‘Read’ labels          

Google has recently released a couple of SEO algorithm updates, such as ‘Helpful Content Launch‘ and ‘Validate Fix Feature‘, in order to improve the useability and usefulness of content. These updates ensure that people-centric content is valued across Google Search.

How content is being consumed has evolved significantly in recent years. Consumers have reported being frustrated with clicking on content that, instead of providing a direct solution to their queries, has to read an entire chunk of unnecessary written content before finding the solution they are seeking in a 1000-plus word count article.

Image Source: Twitter

With Google’s latest read labels update, ‘Quick Read and ‘<5 minutes’, it appears that short written content could also be useful and beneficial content. While it still is not available to all Google users, some users have reported seeing the two new labels on their personal devices, from mobile to desktops. From a fellow user’s point of view, this update is definitely targeted at the rising preference for short-form content. Google is not the only corporation heading in that direction of short-form content as we see the rise of Tik Tok, as well as Instagram and YouTube with their reels and shorts, respectively.

Image Source: Twitter

While it is not yet determined what ‘Quick Read’ is exactly, based on the other label, ‘<5 minutes’, it might be possible that Google determines the readability by the general word count. As of the current look, it is safe to say that the label updates are primarily focused on blog articles and some other related support pages. That being said, short-form does not only mean lesser words. There are four qualities of a concise article:

1. Eye-catching

Get your user’s attention with one key point. Whether it be the headline or the use of visuals, be ultra-specific and urgent in the crafting of the article.

2. Easy to consume

Keep your intro and paragraph short. Nobody likes reading a long introduction just to get to the point they are looking for. Just as similar, keep to short but multiple paragraphs rather than long but few paragraphs. It creates a sense of space and makes the page less intimidating.

Also, keep to plain language and active language. When your content is simple to understand, even by an individual who might not speak English well, you are able to capture their attention better.

3. Emotional

Use words that evoke the emotions you want your users to feel when they scroll through your article. For example, fury is often an emotion associated with political articles. However, the same emotion will not have the same impact on users scrolling through a motor vehicle article.

4. Engaging

Choose quality over quantity. You want to create content that is credible, reliable, and beneficial for the users. Providing small technical details shows signs of expertise. Also, write as if you are speaking to a friend. Your written tone should be engaging, approachable, and natural without the use of complex sentences.

Lastly, be a writer before being an editor – in essence, it means completing your article before vetting through and editing it. Try not to write and edit concurrently. It will not only disrupt your flow but makes the article look messy.

Conclusion

Does this then signify the disadvantages of long-form content? Not at all. While the majority of society is moving towards short-form and concise content, there are industries and sectors that find longer content beneficial. There is no need to revise your SEO marketing strategies just yet, and neither should you rush to engage a digital marketing agency to work on your current content. There are other ways you can do so to optimise your SEO, such as optimising existing content and keeping to good meta tags practices.

Quality content is not just about quantity but also about how well optimised the content is. So, always stay sharp and concise in what you craft, and you will do well with both Google and your users!