In 2025, Google will become tougher on thin content. The June 2025 Core Update pushed down pages that were too shallow or repeated the same points without depth. The August 2025 Spam Update targeted keyword-heavy pages and duplicate location-based content, resulting in significant drops in search engine rankings. On top of that, Google has started de-indexing low-value pages and closely reviewing AI-written content. This makes spotting and improving thin content more important than ever for strong SEO results. The good side is that by optimising thin content, you can boost rankings, build user trust, and drive long-term SEO growth.
What Is Thin Content?
Any webpage that provides content to readers with little to no real value is considered to have thin content. These pages often lack depth, originality, or helpfulinformation. Common examples include auto-generated text, duplicate or copied content from other websites, pages with very minimal information, or keyword-stuffed articles created solely to rank in search. Since such content does not fully answer a user’s query, it negatively impacts both user experience and search engine rankings. The secret to avoiding thin content problems is to create original, informative, and user-focused content that will help readers find clear, trustworthy answers to their queries.
The Evolution of Thin Content in Google’s Algorithm
Thin content has been on Google’s radar for more than a decade. The 2011 Panda update was the first major shake-up, wiping out sites that attempted to rank with duplicate pages, keyword stuffing, or content that added no genuine value. Overnight, businesses learned that poor content could cost them both traffic and trust. Then came the 2017 Fred update, which targeted ad-heavy, spam-like blogs designed to generate revenue instead of assisting readers. Together, these updates set a clear standard: if your pages don’t serve users first, they won’t survive in search. Even today, every core update carries the same reminder:quality, relevance, and originality always win over thin content.
How Thin Content Hurts Your SEO
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Poor Search Engine Rankings
Thin content can weaken your SEO because it fails to give readers the answers they need. Google prefers pages that are useful, original, and engaging, so shallow content often drops in rankings. For example, a product page with just one line of description will likely rank lower than a competitor’s page that includes detailed specifications and reviews. In some cases, thin pages can even be penalized or removed from Google’s index, reducing your site’s overall visibility.
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Negative User Experience
Imagine landing on a travel blog that merely lists cities without offering any tips, or a tech guide that just repeats basic steps you already know. Most readers leave quickly, frustrated. This increases bounce rates and lowers the time users spend on your site. When your site consistently provides shallow or repetitive content, Google perceives it as less valuable, which can reduce your search visibility, repeat visits, and overall user trust.
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Weakend Brand Authority
Thin content can quietly hinder your website’s performance by affecting how users and search engines perceive your brand. Pages with little depth or originality can make your site appear less knowledgeable, which can reduce trust from visitors. For example, a health website that copies generic wellness tips from other sites instead of offering expert advice can make your brand seem unreliable. High-quality, detailed content, on the other hand, builds credibility and shows your expertise.
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Decreased Conversion Rates
Every website owner wants visitors to stay, explore, and take action, but thin content makes that challenging. Pages that barely explain a topic, duplicate content from competitors’ blogs, or use AI-generated text without providing real insights often leave users unsatisfied. For example, an online course landing page with only generic module titles, or a SaaS pricing page without detailed feature explanations, can fail to engage visitors. Thin content can lower time-on-page, reduce click-throughs, and limit conversions.
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Short-Term Focus
Focusing on quick wins with low-quality content might seem like a time-saver, but it often limits long-term growth. Thin content like short product descriptions, brief blog posts, or copied service pages may bring temporary traffic, but it doesn’t help users trust your site or keep them engaged. Search engines now favour pages that honestly answer questions so low-value content can stall your rankings over time. Building informative, original content ensures that users stay longer, return more often, and view your site as an authority.
How to Identify Thin Content
1. Check Google Search Console
Step: 1
Spotting thin content involves using tools you already have, starting with Google Search Console. Within the Search Console, you’ll find a section called “Manual Actions.” This is where Google highlights if any of your pages are not meeting quality guidelines. While the name suggests manual penalties from Google’s team, most of the issues shown here today are algorithm-based. Checking this tab helps you quickly see whether Google has flagged your site for low-value or shallow content, allowing you to take action before it impacts your overall visibility.
Step: 2
Identifying thin content starts with checking Google Search Console. In the Indexing report, look for pages labelled “Discovered – Currently not indexed” or “Excluded,” as thin content is often the reason. The Coverage tool helps you see how Google views your pages and why some aren’t being indexed. Pay special attention to tabs like
“Crawled – currently not indexed,”
“Duplicate without user-selected canonical,” and
“Duplicate, Google chose different canonical than user.”
Focus first on pages that get some traffic or backlinks, as improving them can give the quickest boost to your site’s visibility and user experience.
Step : 3
Start by looking at pages with low impressions or high bounce rates. These are often the ones that fail to engage visitors. Check if the content is concise, repetitive, or fails to answer the user’s questions completely. Pages that visitors leave quickly or don’t return to are usually lacking depth or useful information. By paying attention to these signals, you can easily identify which pages need improvement and focus on creating content that genuinely helps your readers.
2. Run a Site Audit and Fix Technical Issues
You can also start by using tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog. They scan your pages and highlight ones with low word counts, repeated content, or weak user engagement. Next, review your page titles, meta descriptions, and headers to ensure they clearly reflect the content and purpose of each page. By combining these insights, you can easily identify pages that require more depth, originality, or focus, making it easier to plan improvements that truly benefit your readers and improve your SEO.
3. Read Through Your Webpages
To spot thin content, think about what your readers get from your page. A good page clearly explains what the topic is, why it matters, and how to use or apply it. If it leaves questions unanswered, it might be thin content. Checking for this can take time, as simply looking at word count isn’t enough—short pages can still be valuable if they fully satisfy the reader. Manually review pages for brief or incomplete information to ensure every page genuinely helps users and adds value. You can also use basic analytics tools to identify pages with low engagement or high bounce rates, providing you a quick hint of where to start.