“Cut your content down for mobile users – they won’t read anything longer than a tweet!” This well-worn advice keeps circulating in SEO circles, right alongside other stubborn myths like keyword stuffing and the notion that meta keywords still matter.
The conventional wisdom goes something like this: Mobile users are always in a hurry. They’re distracted, impatient, and only want bite-sized chunks of information. Therefore, you should hack away at your content until there’s barely anything left when it appears on a mobile screen.
What utter nonsense.
Do mobile users read long-form content?
Mobile users absolutely read long-form content. They read novels on their phones, for heaven’s sake. The idea that they suddenly develop the attention span of a goldfish when visiting your website is ridiculous.
What matters isn’t the length of your content but how you present it.
It’s about format, not length
3,000-word articles can perform brilliantly on mobile if they’re properly formatted for smaller screens. The key isn’t cutting content; it’s making it accessible.
Here’s how to do that:
Clear, descriptive headings
Break up your content with headings that tell users what each section contains. This allows mobile users to scroll to the bits they care about.
Short, focused paragraphs
No one wants to face a wall of text on a tiny screen. Keep paragraphs short and focused on a single idea. Two to three sentences is perfect for mobile.
Proper spacing and font size
Give your content room to breathe with adequate white space. Make sure your font is large enough to read without squinting – at least 16px.
Visual breaks
Use images, pull quotes, or other visual elements to break up long sections of text. They give the reader’s eyes a rest and make the content feel less overwhelming.
Scannable elements
Mobile users often scan first to decide if content is worth reading in full. Help them by using bulleted points, numbered lists, or highlighted key phrases where appropriate.
Why this matters for SEO
Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking and indexing. If you’re serving up watered-down content on mobile, you’re essentially telling Google that’s all you have to offer.
Full, rich, content – properly formatted for mobile – shows Google you’re providing comprehensive answers to users’ questions, regardless of their device.
Don’t insult your mobile visitors by assuming they want less. Give them the same valuable content you’d offer desktop users, just packaged in a way that works for their screen size.
Remember: It’s not about less content – it’s about better presentation.
There are so many SEO Myths out there that I wrote a book about them – SEO Myths Debunked.
