Blog Post Word Counter
Count your blog post words and compare against SEO benchmarks.
Also works for newsletters (Substack, Beehiiv, Ghost) and content marketing briefs — none of these platforms sets a practical word limit, so write to your reader rather than to a number.
Ideal blog post length for SEO
Research from Backlinko, Semrush, and HubSpot consistently shows that longer, comprehensive content tends to rank better for competitive keywords — but length alone isn't a ranking factor.
| Post type | Recommended length |
|---|---|
| News / quick update | 300–500 words |
| Standard blog post | 1,000–1,500 words |
| Long-form article (SEO target) | 1,800–2,500 words |
| Pillar page / in-depth guide | 3,000–5,000 words |
Key insight: Google's Helpful Content Update rewards content written primarily for humans, not search engines. A 600-word post that completely answers a question beats a 3,000-word post stuffed with padding.
Frequently asked questions
No — Google does not penalise short content by default. Thin content (content that adds little value) can be penalised, but a 400-word post that comprehensively answers a specific query can rank well. Length should match the depth of the topic.
SEO best practice is to keep introductions under 100 words. Get to the point quickly — readers and search engines alike prefer content that delivers value fast without excessive preamble.