How to create engaging content that ranks on Google

Executive overview

Most content fails not because it lacks information, but because it ignores how people actually read and discover it online. Writing quality alone is insufficient — sizing, readability, and media format all affect both rankings and retention.

The WSSM framework covers four dimensions: writing, sizing, styling, and mixing.

The core insight: content that ranks must satisfy both search algorithms and real human readers — and those requirements overlap more than most people think.

Writing: start with human feedback

• Before using any tools or tactics, get qualitative feedback from actual customers or network contacts
• Organise a screen share or sit-down session to dissect content together
• The goal: confirm whether real people stay engaged — not whether the content looks good on paper

Sizing: length has diminishing returns

• Content over 2,000 words tends to rank better on page one than shorter content
• Beyond 2,000 words, length can hurt both rankings and reader retention
• Ask yourself: does the length match what your target audience actually reads?

Styling: match readability to your audience

• Flesch-Kincaid is the most widely used readability test — it scores the reading level of your content
• Simpler content generally performs better online, but the right level depends on your audience
• Other tools: Gunning Fog, ARI, Coleman-Liau, Hemingway App
• Google "Flesch-Kincaid alternatives" to find the right fit for your context

Mixing: go beyond the written word

• Infographics can generate significant PR and backlinks — viral examples include Visual Capitalist's "world's most expensive coffee" piece, featured by CNN, BBC, and The Guardian
• Use AI tools (ChatGPT, Bard) to find examples of high-performing content in any format or niche
• Content types to consider: written, infographic, video, audio
• Niche down your search by industry to find format-specific inspiration