AI & Automation
Personas
SaaS & Startup
Time to ROI
Short-term (< 3 months)
Last year, I spent weeks rewriting a SaaS client's homepage because an "SEO expert" told them they needed 1,500+ words to rank. The result? A bloated, unfocused page that confused visitors and actually decreased conversions by 23%.
This got me thinking: when did we start treating websites like Wikipedia articles? Every day, I see business owners stuffing their pages with unnecessary content because someone told them "Google loves long-form content." But here's what they're missing - Google loves relevant content that serves user intent.
After working on dozens of business websites across SaaS and ecommerce, I've learned that the "ideal word count" question is fundamentally flawed. It's like asking "what's the perfect length for a conversation?" - it depends entirely on what you're trying to accomplish.
In this playbook, you'll discover:
Why the word count obsession is killing your conversion rates
The real factors that determine optimal page length
My framework for deciding exactly how much content each page needs
Specific word count ranges that actually work for different page types
How to balance SEO needs with user experience
Let's stop following arbitrary rules and start creating content that actually serves your users - and your business goals. Check out our website optimization playbooks for more insights on building conversion-focused sites.
Industry Knowledge
What every business owner has been told about content length
If you've spent any time researching SEO, you've probably heard these "golden rules" about content length:
The 300-word minimum myth: SEO gurus insist that pages under 300 words can't rank. This arbitrary number has become gospel, leading to countless pages stuffed with fluff just to hit that magic threshold.
The "longer is better" philosophy: Many experts preach that 1,500-2,500 words is the sweet spot for ranking. They point to studies showing longer content getting more backlinks and shares, without considering that correlation doesn't equal causation.
The competitor word count game: Tools like Surfer SEO analyze top-ranking pages and recommend matching their word counts. This creates an arms race where everyone tries to out-write their competitors, regardless of whether users actually want that much information.
The comprehensive content obsession: Content marketers push the idea that every page should be "comprehensive" and cover every possible angle. This leads to homepage novels and product pages that read like technical manuals.
The keyword density balance: Old-school SEO advice suggests cramming keywords throughout long-form content to signal relevance to search engines.
Here's the problem with this conventional wisdom: it treats all pages the same. A product page serves a completely different purpose than a blog post. A pricing page has different user intent than a case study. Yet we're applying the same word count rules across the board.
This approach also ignores the most important factor: user intent. Someone researching "how to choose a CRM" wants comprehensive information. Someone looking at your pricing page wants clear, concise details. Forcing both into the same content length framework is a recipe for poor user experience.
Consider me as your business complice.
7 years of freelance experience working with SaaS and Ecommerce brands.
I learned this lesson the hard way while working with a B2B SaaS client who sold project management software. Their existing website was performing decently, but they'd hired an SEO agency that convinced them their pages were "too thin" for Google's standards.
The agency's recommendation? Expand every major page to at least 1,200 words. Their homepage went from a focused 400-word pitch to a rambling 1,800-word manifesto that covered everything from company history to industry trends. Their pricing page bloated from a clean comparison table with brief descriptions to a verbose explanation of every feature, benefit, and use case.
The client was excited - they felt like they finally had "comprehensive" content that would dominate search results. But three months later, the data told a different story:
Homepage performance plummeted: Bounce rate increased from 45% to 67%. Time on page actually decreased despite the longer content, suggesting visitors were getting overwhelmed and leaving faster.
Pricing page conversions dropped: What used to be their highest-converting page now confused prospects with too much information. The clear call-to-action got buried in paragraphs of feature explanations.
Support tickets increased: Ironically, the "comprehensive" content created more confusion, leading to basic questions that the original concise pages had answered clearly.
The breaking point came when a potential enterprise client told them during a sales call: "Your website has too much information. I just wanted to see your pricing tiers, but I got lost in all the explanations."
That's when I realized we'd fallen into the classic trap - optimizing for search engines instead of users. We were so focused on hitting arbitrary word counts that we forgot the fundamental purpose of business websites: to convert visitors into customers.
Here's my playbook
What I ended up doing and the results.
After that wake-up call, I developed a completely different approach to determining page length. Instead of starting with word count targets, I start with user intent and business goals. Here's the framework I now use for every business website project:
Step 1: Define the page's primary job
Every page on your website has a specific role. Is it to inform, convince, or convert? A homepage's job is to quickly communicate value and guide visitors deeper. A product page's job is to provide enough information for a purchase decision. A blog post's job might be to educate and build authority.
Step 2: Map user intent to content depth
I categorize pages into three intent levels:
Quick Decision Pages (200-500 words): Pricing, contact, about us. Users here want specific information fast. Every extra sentence is friction.
Evaluation Pages (500-1,200 words): Product pages, service descriptions, case studies. Users need enough detail to make informed decisions but not so much they get analysis paralysis.
Research Pages (1,200+ words): Blog posts, guides, comparison articles. Users expect comprehensive information and have time to consume it.
Step 3: Apply the "scan test"
I restructure content so key information is visible in a 10-second scan. This means short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear headings - regardless of total word count.
Step 4: Validate with real user behavior
Instead of guessing, I use heatmaps and user recordings to see how people actually interact with different page lengths. The data always trumps SEO theory.
For the SaaS client, we completely rebuilt their pages using this framework. The homepage went back to a focused 450 words that clearly communicated their value proposition. The pricing page became a scannable 300-word comparison with an expandable FAQ section for those who wanted more detail.
The key insight: We kept the comprehensive content but reorganized it into a logical hierarchy. Users who wanted quick answers got them immediately. Those who needed more detail could dig deeper without forcing everyone to wade through everything.
Content Hierarchy
Organize information by user urgency - put decisions-critical info first, supporting details second
Scannable Structure
Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear headings so users can find what they need in 10 seconds
Intent Mapping
Match content depth to user mindset - quick decision pages stay short, research pages go deep
Real User Testing
Use heatmaps and recordings to see how people actually consume your content, not what SEO tools recommend
The results were immediate and dramatic. Within 30 days of implementing the new content structure:
Homepage conversions improved by 34%: More visitors took the desired action (requesting a demo) because they could quickly understand the value proposition without getting lost in unnecessary details.
Pricing page performance doubled: Conversion rate went from 8% to 16% as prospects could easily compare options and make decisions. The expandable FAQ handled objections without cluttering the main content.
Organic traffic maintained: Despite shorter content, search rankings stayed stable because user engagement signals improved dramatically. Google cares more about user satisfaction than word count.
Sales cycle shortened: The sales team reported that prospects came to calls better informed and ready to move forward. Clear, concise pages had actually improved lead quality.
Six months later, this approach had been validated across multiple client projects. Pages that matched content length to user intent consistently outperformed both the original "thin" content and the bloated "SEO-optimized" versions.
What I've learned and the mistakes I've made.
Sharing so you don't make them.
Here are the key lessons I've learned about content length for business websites:
1. User intent beats word count every time. A confused visitor won't convert, no matter how much content you have or how well it ranks.
2. Scannable structure matters more than length. Users decide within seconds whether to stay or leave. Make sure your key points are visible immediately.
3. Different pages serve different purposes. Stop applying one-size-fits-all content rules. A contact page and a comparison guide have completely different requirements.
4. Quality engagement beats quantity metrics. Google's algorithm has evolved to prioritize user satisfaction signals over simple content length metrics.
5. Test with real users, not SEO tools. Heat maps and user recordings reveal how people actually consume content, which often contradicts what optimization tools recommend.
6. Content hierarchy enables choice. Give users quick answers upfront, then provide detail for those who want it. Don't force everyone through the same content experience.
7. Less can be more profitable. Concise, focused content often converts better than comprehensive content because it removes decision friction.
When this approach works best: Business websites focused on conversion, service-based companies, and any site where users have specific tasks to complete.
When to use longer content: Educational resources, comparison guides, and content designed primarily for organic discovery rather than conversion.
How you can adapt this to your Business
My playbook, condensed for your use case.
For your SaaS / Startup
For SaaS startups looking to optimize content length:
Keep your homepage under 500 words - focus on value proposition clarity
Pricing pages should be scannable in 30 seconds max
Feature pages can go deeper (800-1200 words) but start with key benefits
Use progressive disclosure - show more detail on demand
For your Ecommerce store
For ecommerce stores optimizing page content:
Product pages: 200-400 words plus specs, reviews handle the rest
Category pages: Brief descriptions, let filters do the work
Homepage: Focus on navigation and top products, not company story
About page: Keep it personal and brief - 300 words maximum