When you are creating a website, there are many things that can go wrong.
A common issue that can negatively impact the SEO performance of a website is low content pages.
It is important to identity and fix these low content pages to improve your content and obtain higher rankings.
What are low content pages?
Low content pages, which are also referred to as thin content, typically consist of less than 200 words and possess little or minimal value to the user.
Some common examples of low content in SEO terms are short pieces that don’t contain much detail like lists, pages with very little text, or duplicate content such as republished news releases.
Low-quality content can also be auto-generated pages, doorway pages, scrapped content, keyword-stuffed pages and those characterised by inaccurate spelling and grammar.
Why are low content pages bad for SEO?
Low content pages can have a negative impact on a website’s SEO performance.
Because these types of pages lack depth, relevance, and have no added value, they fail to satisfy user intent.
They also do not enhance the quality of search results, meaning that search engines such as Google are less likely to trust these sites as an authoritative source.
How do I find thin content pages?
To check thin content for SEO purposes on a website, you can use a tool like an SEO crawler to identify pages with the lowest word count or to find examples of duplicate content.
There are many SEO tools that can conduct content analysis checks and provide guidance on how to improve your pages.
There are also ways to locate thin content manually by checking the length, originality, relevance and quality of your content.
Content that is longer typically ranks better than short-form content because it normally incorporates richer detail that offers greater depth and value to the user.
It is a good idea to keep an eye out for content that seems to be copied from other sources because this can have a detrimental impact on your ranking as well as impact the opinion of visitors to your website.
In that regard, it is better to include content that is fresh and original.
To assess the relevance of your content, you should ensure it answers queries made by a user. For example, avoid saturating content with keywords or useless information.
Lastly, you should be able to recognise thin content if it is poorly written with incorrect spelling or grammar.
How do I fix thin content pages?
Fixing thin content pages can be easier than you think.
To find and fix low content pages, you can use filters such as “Body Words Count” and “Body Unique Words Count” to check which specific pages have a low volume of text and original words.
The goal is to make the content as informative, engaging, and useful as possible to the reader.
Of course, if you discover low content pages, it may be a good idea to delete them if they provide no value at all.
However, it is important to redirect a deleted page to a related page on your website.
This helps retain traffic and allows you to keep any links that were directing users to the deleted page. This type of redirect can be achieved with a 301 redirect which informs search engines that a page has moved to a new location.
Other useful solutions for thin content pages are removing useless ads and call to actions, adding in relevant statistics or links that can add quality, as well as identifying a relevant keyword and repurposing the content to cover the topic in a way that satisfies better the search intent for that term.
Ultimately, avoiding low content pages does not have to be a complicated process but it is a necessary one if you want to improve your website’s quality and relevance as well as boost your ranking and performance on search engines.
If you want to create high-quality content and improve your website’s SEO, why not reach out to the skilled team at Aqueous Digital?
If you’d like to discuss your specific requirements, give us a call today on 0800 285 1424.
If you need an agency that can be your guiding hand to great SEO in Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester, and all across the UK, contact Aqueous Digital. To get in touch with our north west team you can either give us a call on 0800 285 1424, or alternatively email us at hello@aqueous-digital.co.uk.
Further reading on SEO
Why pillar pages are the foundations of a successful content strategy
How to conduct a thorough digital marketing audit of your website
Why digital marketing is important to business owners
Digital marketing trends to get ahead of the curve
Short-form vs. long-form content: Which is better for your website?
Digital marketing channels: Which one should you choose?
Content Optimisation: How to improve existing content on your website
How AI is becoming more prominent in digital marketing
How to create a results-driven digital marketing campaign
SEO for YouTube: How to optimise YouTube videos for search
How to boost your website’s domain authority
What is Evergreen Content and why does it matter for SEO?
Why we build backlinks to your website
How to develop a content strategy for SEO
Content is King. What is content marketing?
Creating great content: How to write for SEO
How digital marketing has changed over the years
How video content can elevate your website
Top 20 Facts about Manchester You Never Knew
Aqueous Digital’s Ultimate Guide to the cost of SEO in the UK
Aqueous Digital’s Guide to the Top 501 SEO and Digital Marketing Terms
How video content can elevate your business