Low Text-to-HTML Ratio in Semrush: Should You Fix It on Modern Next.js Websites?

The warning looks scary, but it is usually a byproduct of modern component-based HTML. What matters is intent, rendering, and content depth - not a ratio.

Low Text-to-HTML Ratio in Semrush

Should You Fix It on Modern Next.js Websites?

What the "Low text-to-HTML ratio" warning actually means

The "Low text-to-HTML ratio" warning in Semrush often raises concerns for teams running modern websites built with Next.js, React, or other component-based frameworks.

At its core, this metric compares the amount of visible textual content on a page to the total volume of HTML markup. A low ratio usually means that the page contains a large amount of structural markup, scripts, components, or repeated layout elements relative to plain text.

This signal originated in an era of static HTML websites. Today, it frequently triggers on modern, well-built applications - even when there is no real SEO problem.

The key question is not whether the ratio is low, but whether the page fulfills its search intent and is properly rendered and indexed.

When a low text-to-HTML ratio is not a problem

In many real-world projects, this warning can be safely ignored.

Typical examples include:

  • Pages built with React or Next.js where components generate deep HTML structures.
  • Pages with large headers, navigation menus, card layouts, filters, or grids.
  • Listing and index pages (blog indexes, tag pages, case study overviews).
  • Legal or utility pages (privacy policy, terms, brand disclaimer).
  • Pages where most content is delivered via reusable UI components.

In these cases, Google does not evaluate "ratio" as a ranking factor. What matters instead is:

  • Whether Google can render the content.
  • Whether the page provides sufficient information for its intent.
  • Whether the page is internally linked and indexable.

A low ratio alone does not reduce rankings.

When it can indicate a real issue

The warning becomes relevant when it correlates with other signals.

You should investigate further if:

  • The page has very little meaningful content (for example, a service page with two short sentences and a grid of cards).
  • The page targets commercial or informational keywords, but lacks depth.
  • Google Search Console shows poor impressions or indexing issues.
  • Important content is rendered only client-side and not visible in the initial HTML.
  • Semrush also flags Low word count or Thin content.

In these cases, the ratio is not the problem - it is a symptom.

How this affects SEO in practice

Low text-to-HTML ratio does not directly impact rankings.

However, insufficient or poorly rendered content can affect:

  • Keyword relevance and topical authority.
  • Crawl efficiency and indexing confidence.
  • User engagement and conversion rates.
  • Internal linking strength.

In other words, Google ranks pages, not metrics. The ratio only becomes meaningful if it reflects a page that fails to communicate its value clearly.

How we evaluate this issue in real audits

Instead of fixing ratios, we ask the following questions:

  1. Does the page clearly satisfy search intent? Would a human understand what the page offers within seconds?
  2. Is the core content visible in server-rendered HTML? Especially headings, main paragraphs, and structural text.
  3. Is the page internally linked from relevant sections?
  4. Does the page have sufficient topical depth for its purpose? (Service, location, industry, or knowledge content.)
  5. Are there stronger issues present? Performance, Core Web Vitals, indexing, or cannibalization usually matter more.

Only if content quality is lacking do we recommend expanding or restructuring text.

Practical fixes (only when justified)

If improvement is needed, we focus on quality - not padding.

Typical improvements include:

  • Adding a concise introductory section (150-300 words) above or below complex layouts.
  • Including a clear "What we do / How it works" explanation.
  • Adding FAQs that answer real client questions.
  • Ensuring headings and key paragraphs are not hidden behind tabs or accordions.
  • Rendering essential content server-side in Next.js.

Artificially inflating text volume without value rarely helps - and often hurts conversion.

Key takeaway

A low text-to-HTML ratio is not an SEO problem by default.

For modern Next.js websites, it should be treated as a diagnostic hint, not an action item. Focus on intent, rendering, structure, and usefulness - not on hitting arbitrary metrics.

In professional audits, we always prioritize:

  • Indexability
  • Content relevance
  • Performance
  • Architecture

Metrics follow quality, not the other way around.