We’ve all heard it before, “If you want to rank on Google, write long.” Longer content equals more keywords, more backlinks, more time-on-page and higher rankings. Right? Well, not always.
Over the last few months, we’ve been running quiet experiments across a few websites we manage. Different industries. Different content types. No flashy campaigns. Just a few tweaks, a shorter copy, and a little patience.
And the results? They surprised us. In more than one case, shorter content didn’t just hold its own, it actually performed better.
Why Did We Start Believing “Longer Is Better”?
Let’s be fair. For a long time, it made sense.
Search engines wanted to give users the most detailed, useful answers. So, the deeper your article went, the more Google rewarded you. And hey, if your 2,000-word guide answered five different questions in one go, it probably deserved to rank.
That logic still holds in some situations. But what’s changing is how people search.
Most of us aren’t sitting at a desktop reading an essay. We’re scrolling on our phones in a rush, looking for one clear answer. The truth is, we don’t always need 15 subheadings and 10 images, we just want something that gets to the point.
What We Tried (And Didn’t Expect to Work)
We ran a series of small tests. For each test, we compared a long-form page (usually 1,200–2,000 words) with a short-form version of the same content (under 600 words). Nothing else changed; same site, same topic, similar structure. Just a tighter copy.
Here’s what happened.
Case #1: Skincare Product Page
- Old page: 1,400 words, full ingredient breakdowns, brand story, how-to videos
- New page: ~400 words, focused on benefits, clear “Add to Cart” buttons, a few FAQs
What changed?
- 22% more people clicked “Buy Now”
- Users stayed longer
- We ranked for more long-tail search terms.
People didn’t want a skin science lecture. They wanted to know if it worked for oily skin and how soon they’d see results. That’s what the short version gave them.
Case #2: Local Dental Services
A dental clinic’s whitening service page was a wall of text. We cleaned it up, made it shorter, and added expandable FAQs.
Result?
- Bounce rate dropped
- The average time on the page went up.
- It moved to page 1 in Google within 6 weeks.
This one hit us: shorter doesn’t mean shallow. When it’s easier to skim, people stay.
Case #3: Loan Eligibility FAQ
The original blog post was nearly 1,800 words. It answered everything you could ask about loans without a credit score but maybe too much.
We trimmed it to around 600 words, used bullet points, added real-life examples, and bolded the key info.
Within two weeks:
- We showed up in the featured snippet
- Clicks went up by 38%
- The page started ranking for new variations we didn’t even target
Sometimes, less is more.
Why Shorter Pages Can Beat Long-Form
Let’s break it down:
- Faster answers. The page solves one problem and gets out of the way.
- Better for mobile. No one wants to scroll through 10 paragraphs while juggling a coffee and phone.
- Cleaner focus. Shorter pages tend to stay on one topic, which can match search intent more directly.
- Lower bounce. When readers find what they came for quickly, they’re less likely to hit the back button.
When Short Isn’t the Right Move
Of course, not every page should be short.
Long-form still works great for:
- Deep guides
- Complex topics
- Content that’s meant to earn links or be shared around
If the topic really needs explaining, don’t hold back. But don’t stretch a 400-word answer into 1,500 words to please an algorithm. You might be hurting the user experience.
A Better Question to Ask
Instead of, “How many words should I write?”
Try:
- What does my reader actually want from this page?
- Can I deliver that clearly without filler?
- Would I read this if I was in a hurry?
If your content answers those questions, the word count often takes care of itself.
Final Thought
We’re not here to say short-form content is always better. But the idea that longer is automatically better? That’s the myth.
In some cases, a short, useful page can get more clicks, rank faster, and convert better than a thousand-word article.
So, if you’re stuck obsessing over length, stop. Start focusing on clarity, intent, and what actually helps the reader. Because the truth is Google doesn’t reward the longest content, it rewards the best answer.
And sometimes, the best answer fits in just a few scrolls!
