If I had a quid for every time someone asked, “So… how many words should our blog posts be?” I’d be taking this call from a claw-foot bath. (Funny story: we’ve actually helped a bath retailer scale online—and on another day, a top local law firm. Wildly different products, same question.)
Here’s my honest take: there’s no magic number. Word count is the rhythm, not the melody. It sets the pace, sure, but the real music is quality—clarity, depth, usefulness, and trust.
Does word count matter for SEO?
Short answer: yes—but only with substance. A 700-word skim rarely wins a competitive search. When we’re targeting tougher terms, we usually need 1,200 words or more to cover the brief properly. For national, high-competition queries, it’s often 2,000–3,000+ words, written (or reviewed) by someone who actually knows their stuff and aligned with Google’s E-E-A-T—Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness.
Different formats, different lengths
Blog posts: I’ve seen effective pieces anywhere between 300 and 3,000 words. Most “everyday” topics land nicely around 750–1,000 words. If the topic’s gnarlier—or the keyword is heavily contested—go deeper.
Long-form/evergreen guides: This is where you stretch your legs. Think 2,000–3,000+ words with proper structure, examples, and sources. If you’ve ever searched “SEO companies in the U.K.” and found epic guides on page one—that’s not an accident.
White papers: When you need rigour, 10,000 words isn’t unusual.
Product pages: Keep them lean and useful—benefits, specs, FAQs, proof. If you’ve got more to say, write a guide and link to it rather than padding the product page.
Quality over volume (always)
If a sentence doesn’t help the reader, it’s ballast—throw it overboard. We either write with subject-matter experts or bring them in for input, so every section earns its place. The test is simple: Does this help someone make a better decision, faster? If not, cut it.
Keywords: sprinkle, don’t stuff
Keywords still matter, but the game has evolved. Stuffing them into every other line is a fast track to sounding robotic—and risking a penalty. Pick your primary intent and a handful of related phrases, then weave them in naturally where they clarify meaning. If it reads smoothly and answers the query, you’re doing it right.
Structure: your secret superpower
A well-structured article is like a tidy library—you can find what you need without wandering the stacks:
Use clear headings and subheadings that mirror real questions.
Break up big thoughts with bullets and numbered lists.
Add summaries, key takeaways, and FAQs for skimmers.
Keep paragraphs short and purposeful.
E-E-A-T: the north star
Google’s nudge is clear: show real-world experience, genuine expertise, visible authority, and unwavering trustworthiness. Do that by:
Crediting qualified authors or contributors.
Citing reliable sources and data.
Sharing specific examples, cases, or outcomes.
Keeping details accurate, current, and transparent.
So… how long should your posts be?
It depends on the question you’re answering and who you’re up against. Here’s the rule of thumb I give clients:
Simple topic: ~750–1,000 words.
Competitive topic: 1,200–2,000 words to cover it properly.
High-competition national terms: 2,000–3,000+ words with expert input and strong evidence.
If you still want one number, take this: write exactly as many words as it takes to be the best answer on the page—and not one more. Everything else is noise.