It was generally understood that the longer the word count of the content, the more likely it was to rank higher in the Google SERPs. But with Google’s new helpful content algorithm update, the topic is once again up for debate.
The reality, though, is as it has always been – you need to create content at the length needed to properly satisfy the query. If your content can do the job at just 150 words, then user behaviour and interaction will show that they are satisfied with the content, and Google’s algorithm will bump it up in the SERPs.
But all that said, how often can a 150-word text satisfy the query? Rarely. Which is why longer content typically occupies those top SERP spots.
So while Google will tell you flat out that word count is not a ranking factor in their algorithm, the simple fact is that shorter content is unlikely to satisfy the user query in most cases.
At the end of the day, follow this simple rule: Content needs to be written to the length required to address what the user is looking for.