Content, can you have to much?

[kensmith]

I just posted at my blog about Content and if you can have to much. IMO you can, read the post and let me know your thoughts.

[Jim Messenger]

Ken,

Your post title and successive argument initially through me off. I disagree with the hypothesis that you can have too much content. I would agree, however, that you can have too much content on one page.

I agree that many web pages are way too long. I am guilty of this as well. In the old days, we were creating very long pages to please the search engines. When we create new sites we focus on the user FIRST. KISS! (Keep it Short & Simple)


-Jim

[kensmith]

But I got you to read it . And yes the point is you can have to much content on one page. Plus you can have to many options as to where your visitor can go and this is just as bad.

Drive your visitor to the places you want them to go and you will get more leads.

[Jim Messenger]

Correct! Great Advice!

[naplesrealestate]

Ken,

I used a concept to develop certain pages within my site recently - selected 5 friends and clients with specific expertise in a certain area. Based upon what "they wanted", I developed an initial page for their feedback - incorporated their additional thoughts. They got 4 of their clients to review the page to determine the usefulness of the page.

The page is slowly being completed and it will be very interesting to see if the search engines feel the page is geared to the user based upon 25 potential users' input.

[kensmith]

Would like to see the page if your willing to share. Also what you learned from talking with others would be a big help to everyone I am sure.

[naplesrealestate]

One of the things that I have seen on forums, is that someone makes a statement and it is totally incorrect - there are usually individuals that will try it and cause their sites damage. I would rather disclose the page after it succeeds(?) - if it fails, it dies quietly.

[kensmith]

But a page that visitors find useful should never die, it just might not work for the SE's. IMO the search engines are only so important, if you have a page that visitors like that means more. You can drive them to that page from other pages that are optimized for the SE's.

If nothing else it would be good to look at and see if there are parts that can be incorporated to make things better for visitors.

[naplesrealestate]

You made good points.

[MattL]

Google only scores the first 500-something words on a page (I can't remember the exact number). So, assuming you follow newspaper etiquette (teaser, body, summary), your pages should be "naturally" optimized because Google wants, hey, real content.

If you absolutely need to post something long, either A) break it up into logical sections and create & title separate pages, or B) use a "Read More about <topic>" link to keep the SEO juice high.

You can't have too big of a site, but excessively long pages don't help anyone.

-MattL

PS- average page view is 12 seconds, average content page view is 26 seconds