Article Length

Size matters... right?

Byword lets you set a target word count for each article, which Byword's algorithms will work hard to hit. You have two options for how to control article length:

• Word Count Target You can give Byword a word count between 1,000 and 3,000 words, and Byword will do its best to hit that target.

• Short-Form Mode You can enable short-form mode, where Byword will aim to writer a shorter article between 500 and 1,000 words, with a focus on quality and cohesiveness over hitting a specific word count.

Both modes count the same in terms of article usage (1 article each) - this should be kept in mind if you're looking to maximise the amount or length of content you can produce.

Note that article length features aren't a guarantee, and we can't promise that Byword will always hit your target word count (especially when generating 2,500+ word articles).

When should you use short-form mode?

Short-form mode is a great choice in a few specific scenarios:

• You're writing content that's aiming to rank on quick, factual, Q&A type questions. You wouldn't write thousands of words on how to change a lightbulb, for instance. Rather, the 500 to 1,000 words that short-form mode gives you would provide a much better reader experience.

• You're on the Unlimited plan, and looking to produce large amounts of long-tail content, where there often isn't enough factual inforrmation to pad out a full length article, while remaining on-point and relevant.

Length, quality, and SEO

There's a tendency to think that longer articles are better. Perhaps this comes from thinking that they'll contain more keywords, and so can rank on more keywords. Alternatively it might come from thinking that longer content is more authoritative in Google's eyes.

In reality though, there's little hard evidence to suggest that length really does matter, at least once you get past the 500-1,000 word mark. Byword also tends to produce higher quality output at lower lengths, which is why your account default is set to 1,500 words on signup.