How Many Words Should a Blog Post Be?
2 min read
Short answer
The length that matches the job
Word count is a symptom, not a target. Pick the length from what the reader came for:
| The reader wants | Length | Reading time |
|---|---|---|
| A single fact (“how many pages is 1,000 words”) | 600–900 | 3–4 min |
| A how-to they will follow | 1,000–1,500 | 4–6 min |
| A comparison or buying decision | 1,500–2,500 | 6–10 min |
| A complete guide to a subject | 2,500–4,000 | 10–17 min |
| An opinion or argument | 800–1,500 | 3–6 min |
| A news update | 300–600 | 1–3 min |
A 2,500-word answer to a 600-word question ranks worse, not better, because readers arrive, fail to find the answer quickly, and leave.
Where “longer ranks better” comes from
Studies do find that top-ranking pages tend to be long. The usual causal reading is backwards. Comprehensive treatments of a subject tend to be long, comprehensive pages attract links, and links help rankings. Length is a side effect of thoroughness, not a substitute for it.
You can see this by checking the search results for any specific question. The pages that rank for “how many words is a 5 minute speech” are not 3,000 words, because the question does not need 3,000 words. The pages that rank for “content marketing strategy” are, because it does.
A test that works
Ask: would a knowledgeable friend answering this out loud take this long?
If the honest answer is two minutes, write 500 words. If it is fifteen, write 3,500. The reason this test works is that a friend does not pad — they answer, add the thing you did not think to ask, and stop.
The signs of a padded post
You can usually feel these while writing:
- A 200-word introduction before the subject appears. Readers scroll straight past it, so the words do nothing except delay the answer.
- A “what is X” section in a post aimed at people who already know what X is.
- Restating the subheading as the first sentence under it.
- Three examples where one clear example would do.
- A conclusion that summarises a piece the reader has just finished.
The readability checker finds the sentence-level version of this; the repeated word checker finds the phrases you have used five times without noticing.
How to make a post longer honestly
If a post genuinely needs more depth rather than more words:
- Answer the next question the reader will have.
- Add the specific numbers, dates or prices you left vague.
- Include the case where your advice does not apply.
- Show the working — how you arrived at the recommendation.
- Add a table so the comparison can be scanned rather than read.
Every one of these adds value along with length. Adjectives do not.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum length for SEO? There is no minimum. Pages of 300 words rank when they answer a question nothing else answers as well. Thin content is a problem of substance, not of length.
Does length matter for AdSense? Only through the user experience. Padding a page to fit more ad slots increases bounce rate, which costs you more than the extra impressions earn.
How long should the introduction be? Two or three sentences. State the subject and give the reader a reason to continue, then start.