Free Word Counter | Online Word Count & Reading Time Tool

Word count matters for SEO, academic writing, and content marketing. Google favors comprehensive content, with top-ranking pages averaging 1500-2500 words.

Try it below - it's free with no signup required.

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Why Word Count Matters

Word count serves as a crucial benchmark across many contexts.

Recommended word counts by use case:

• SEO Blog Posts: 1500-2500 words (Google ranking average)
• College Essays: 500-1000 words (Standard assignment)
• Research Papers: 3000-8000 words (Academic standards)
• Email Newsletters: 200-500 words (Optimal read time)
• Social Media: 40-100 words (Engagement optimization)
• Product Descriptions: 300-500 words (Conversion optimization)

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Optimal Word Count by Content Type

1. Blog Posts (For SEO)

Research on what Google prefers for blog content.

Recommended word counts by post type:

• News/Updates: 300-600 words (Quick information)
• How-to Guides: 1000-1500 words (Step-by-step)
• Listicles: 1500-2500 words (List-based content)
• Pillar Content: 3000+ words (Comprehensive guides)
• Case Studies: 2000-3000 words (In-depth analysis)

2. Academic and Business Documents

Professional documents have strict word count requirements.

Document type word counts:

• Resume: 300-500 words (1 page standard)
• Cover Letter: 200-400 words (Keep it concise)
• Executive Summary: 150-300 words (Business reports)
• Thesis Abstract: 150-350 words (APA/MLA standards)

3. Social Media

LinkedIn: Short posts of 40-100 words have highest engagement

Facebook: 40-80 words optimal, shorter equals higher engagement

Email Marketing: Subject 5-10 words, body 200-500 words

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How Reading Time is Calculated

This tool automatically calculates reading time.

Average reading speed by language:

• English: 200-250 words/min
• Korean: 400-500 chars/min

Practical Applications:

• Blogs: Display reading time to reduce bounce rate
• YouTube Scripts: Predict video length from word count
• Presentations: Calculate speaking time

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Word Count and SEO Relationship

What Google Prefers

According to multiple SEO studies, the average Google #1 ranking page has 1890 words (Backlinko).

Important note: padding content just to increase word count hurts dwell time and backfires. Quality over quantity.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many words should a blog post be?

For SEO, 1500-2500 words is recommended. But it depends on search intent - what matters most is completely answering the user's question.

Does word count affect SEO rankings?

It's not a direct ranking factor, but there's correlation. Longer content can include more keywords and tends to attract more backlinks.

How is reading time calculated?

Based on average reading speed: 200-250 words/minute for English, 400-500 characters/minute for Korean.

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Need More Powerful Content Tools?

Word counting is just the start. To really succeed with content, you need more.

• Keyword Research: Know what topics drive traffic
• Competitor Analysis: Understand what number one pages look like
• SEO Diagnostics: Ensure technical optimization

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Conclusion

Word count is one indicator of content quality.

Key benchmarks to remember:

• Blog SEO: 1500-2500 words
• Social Media: 40-100 words
• Email: 200-500 words

But value matters more than word count. Use the free tool above to check length, but focus more on content quality.