Do SEO articles have to be long?

No. The right length depends on how much explanation the question needs. Helping readers understand the answer, its conditions and the next step is more useful than forcing every article to reach a fixed word count.

Let the size of the question determine the length

“How do I write image alt text?” may need a few principles and examples. “How do I investigate a sudden traffic drop?” may require a step-by-step check. Forcing questions of different depths into the same length makes them harder to read.

Google’s content guidance explicitly says it has no preferred word count. Short content still needs enough information; changing the title while leaving readers searching for an answer is not enough.

Give each article one clear job

Answer directly, then add conditions that affect the decision. Link to separate Q&A articles for questions that deserve their own discussion. You can also adapt the same core answer for social posts while retaining its context and a link to the full article.

Reference: Google documentation