Why a website needs long texts and when they are too much

A website needs long texts when the topic calls for a detailed answer: guides, comparisons, service breakdowns. Google does not rank pages by word count. It judges how fully and usefully the text answers the reader.

What counts as a long text (longread)?

A longread is usually a piece of 1,500–2,000 words or more, with subheadings, lists, tables and images. The line is arbitrary. Depth matters more: the text covers the topic so well that the reader has no reason to go back to search.

Signs of a good longread:

• every section has its own question and a direct answer in the first sentence;
• facts can be checked: dates, tool names, links to primary sources;
• there is navigation: a table of contents or clear H2 subheadings;
• readers can jump into any section and still follow it.

Does text length affect Google rankings?

Not directly. Google's helpful content documentation asks authors a pointed question: are you writing to a particular word count because you heard Google prefers one? Google's own answer is short: it does not.

The link to length is indirect. A full answer to a complex question usually takes more space. Such a text picks up more related queries, earns links and keeps readers longer. A short page with a precise answer can still outrank a long one if it matches the searcher's intent better.

The check is simple. Open the top 10 results for your query and see what ranks: quick definitions, detailed guides or service pages. Match the format and length to what already works for both the search engine and people.

When do you need a longread and when a short text?

Benchmarks from our SEO copywriting practice:

How do long texts help a business?

• They handle objections before the call: timelines, stages, what the client needs to provide.
• One page can collect dozens of long-tail queries.
• They give you material for newsletters, social posts and sales decks.
• They show expertise. Clients see that you know the details.

What are the downsides of long texts?

• Cost: research, expert interviews, editing, layout.
• Readers leave quickly if the answer is buried.
• Facts age: prices, laws, software interfaces. The text needs updates.
• Filler and repetition added for length blur the topic and hurt rankings.

How do long texts perform in AI search?

Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT Search and Perplexity assemble answers from fragments of different pages. They pick up blocks where the question sits in a subheading and the answer in the first sentence below it. So long texts for AI search are written in modules: each section makes sense on its own.

Schema.org markup (Article, FAQPage), a visible update date and a clear author help too. These signals show that the material is current and a real company stands behind it.

How do you make a long text easy to read?

1. Answer the main question in the first 2–3 lines.
2. Add an "In short" box or a table of contents for skimmers.
3. Keep paragraphs to 2–4 sentences, with a subheading every 200–300 words.
4. Use lists and tables instead of long comma-separated sentences.
5. Add images and diagrams with captions and alt text.
6. Show the update date and link to sources.

At Marketing MIX, our SEO copywriting team handles such texts: we collect queries, study the search results and agree on the structure before writing. When the whole site needs more traffic, we add SEO promotion. In our experience, the first noticeable SEO results appear after about 3 months.

Frequently asked questions

How many words should an SEO text have?

There is no fixed number. Look at the top 10 pages for your query and aim for a complete answer. In our experience, a blog post usually needs 700–1,400 words and a service page 700–1,500.

Do long texts rank better?

Length alone does not raise rankings. Long pieces often collect more queries and links because they cover the topic more fully.

Can I split a longread into several articles?

Yes, if the parts target different queries and intents. When people search for the same thing, one complete page is better, so your own pages do not compete with each other.

How often should long articles be updated?

Review them every 6–12 months and after changes in laws, prices or software interfaces. Update the facts and the modification date.

Does an online store need long texts?

Product pages rarely do. Long texts work well for category pages, buying guides and the store blog.

Sources

• Google Search Central: creating helpful, reliable, people-first content
• Google Search Central: AI features and your website