In SEO, Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Information?

While strategizing with a client recently, she was intent on using a “less is more” approach for product descriptions on the company’s b-to-b web site.

I offered a different opinion, and our discussion went back and forth over the merits of long vs. short. She contended the company’s target audience was informed and knew what it was looking for; I reasoned that, even if that’s the case for every prospect, there’s no such thing as too much information if it’s quality, compelling content.

I understood her desire for brevity and a clean, neat presentation. But, while pictures and graphics can support your message, they CAN’T tell the story. Nor do they do much of the grunt work when it comes to flagging down search engines with keywords.

As Seth Godin opines in his latest book, Meatball Sundae, “The best SEO is great content.”

Fortunately, my client compromised. We kept all the pictures and graphics — fine by me, because they do make a difference for buyers in the decision-making process. But we also bulked up the content for each page and product description. The result? Visually attractive presentations integrated with detailed information that a serious buyer wants and needs.