What is Thin Content?

Thin content is web content that provides little or no value to visitors. It's typically short, superficial, low-quality, or automatically generated without meaningful information. Google's algorithms actively work to rank thin content lower.

This doesn't just mean short content. A 300-word post that thoroughly answers a specific question isn't thin. A 1,500-word post stuffed with fluff and generic advice absolutely can be thin. It's about value, not word count.

Why thin content matters

Google's Helpful Content Update specifically targets thin content. Sites with large amounts of low-value pages can see their entire domain's rankings drop, not just the thin pages themselves.

Thin content hurts user experience. Visitors who land on unhelpful pages quickly leave, increasing your bounce rate and decreasing dwell time. These negative signals further hurt your rankings.

What Qualifies as Thin

Automatically generated content without human review or editing. Posts that just rehash what's already ranking without adding new insights. Pages with more ads than actual content.

Tag pages and category archives with no unique content. Doorway pages created just to rank for keywords. Short posts that don't answer the question implied by the title.

Duplicate content copied from elsewhere, even if you have permission. Guest posts that are clearly low-effort and written just to get a backlink. Placeholder pages or "coming soon" content.

How to Avoid It

Write content that serves a clear purpose. Before publishing, ask whether the post provides information, perspective, or value that doesn't already exist. If it's just rephrasing what's already ranking, add original research, examples, or insights.

Focus on helpful content that actually helps your audience. Answer questions thoroughly, provide actionable steps, and share experiences. Quality beats quantity every time.

Audit your existing content regularly. Delete or substantially improve thin pages rather than letting them drag down your site's overall quality signals. Use 301 redirects when removing pages with backlinks.