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Writing high-quality content on a regular basis is an effective way to boost your visibility in search engines. However, the length of your articles may also impact your rankings. So, you may be wondering: how long should a blog post be?
By looking at some recent studies on search engine results, you can determine the ideal length for your blog posts. This knowledge can help you improve your overall search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.
⌛ In this post, we’ll discuss the ideal blog post length for SEO, based on recent data. We’ll then offer some tips to help you break down long articles and make your content more engaging. Let’s get started!
📚 Table of contents:
- How long should a blog post be? 📏
- What research says about article length 🔍
- How to write engaging posts with high word counts ✍
How long should a #blog post be? 🤔 Here's what the data says 📔
How long should a blog post be?
The length of a post is often determined by the topic or the type of content you publish. For instance, an in-depth article on digital marketing will naturally require a higher word count than a quick update post. Meanwhile, the length of a how-to guide will depend on the number of methods or steps involved.
Your target audience also plays an important role in determining how long a blog post should be. If your readers are looking for a quick fix to a WordPress-related issue, you’ll need your content to be short and to the point. However, if your audience is interested in comprehensive guides or tutorials, you’ll want to provide as much information as possible.
It’s also important to take SEO into consideration. For instance, Yoast SEO recommends a minimum of 300 words for a regular post:

For cornerstone content (the core pages and posts you want all visitors to see), the recommended minimum word count is 900 words. If your posts are too short, search engines like Google may see them as thin content. These are posts that provide little value to readers and are therefore ignored (or even penalized) by Google.
At the same time, if your posts are too long, it may have a negative impact on your user experience (UX). Some visitors may be put off by lengthy articles, especially if they’re unable to find the answer they’re looking for within the first few paragraphs.
What research says about article length
Google releases algorithm updates on a regular basis. These are designed to improve the quality and relevance of its search results, and they normally target factors such as a site’s user experience. Additionally, Google pays attention to the quality of your content.
In the past, Google favored long-form articles with word counts of over 3,000 [1]. However, some recent data suggests that the search engine is now prioritizing shorter content.
Backlinko recently analyzed 11.8 million Google search results, and found that the average Google first page result contains 1,447 words [2]. Still, other sources recommend higher word counts.
According to data by HubSpot, the ideal word count for a blog post is even a little higher, at around 2,250–2,500 words [3]. HubSpot found that articles of this length had the most organic traffic and attracted the most backlinks.
On the other hand, Google has often stated that word count is not a ranking factor. In an SEO Mythbusting video, Martin Splitt, a developer advocate at Google, says that the focus should be on satisfying the query intention of the user, whether that requires 50 words or 2,000.
If the top results for a particular search query are about 2,000 words long, this suggests that it’s the ideal word count for satisfying that user intent. Therefore, instead of setting a fixed word count for all of your posts, you might want to allow for some flexibility.
How long your blog post should be will likely be determined by the nature of the article and the user intent you’re trying to address. When writing a new piece of content, therefore, we’d suggest checking out the top competitors for your target keyword, and aiming to create something of a similar length.
How to write engaging posts with high word counts (4 tips)
As we’ve seen, high-performing posts often fall within the range of 1,500 – 2,500 words. This suggests that long posts may help you drive more organic traffic to your website.
However, the length of your article is only one aspect to consider. Let’s look at a few tips to help you produce better content for readers and search engines.
- Focus on the search intent
- Prioritize quality over quantity
- Break down content into digestible chunks
- Use images and other media
1. Focus on the search intent
As we mentioned earlier, Google tries to show the most relevant content for a particular search query. This means that for your content to perform well in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), it should satisfy the search intent. This term refers to what users are trying to find when they type in a particular keyword or query:

For example, if you’re targeting the search term “how to start a blog,” your post would ideally contain a step-by-step guide that walks readers through the entire process. This might require a higher word count than the average post, but it may be necessary to fully satisfy the user intent.
Meanwhile, if users want to know “what is shared hosting?,” you might answer this question with a shorter post. In this scenario, a brief overview or explanation may be enough to satisfy the user intent.
2. Prioritize quality over quantity
Google may not directly factor in length, but it does prioritize quality content. According to its Webmaster Guidelines, pages should provide useful and accurate information, and contain relevant keywords.
We’ve already looked at the importance of addressing user intent. However, there are other things you can do to ensure that your articles meet Google’s quality standards. For instance, you can:
- Make sure your posts provide value to your readers.
- Avoid black hat practices such as keyword stuffing and duplicate content.
- Include links to related posts on your blog, and link out to any relevant sources.
Backlinks are another indicator of a page’s quality. However, gaining links from third-party websites can be a little difficult, especially if you’re new to blogging.
Therefore, you might want to consider guest posting on other blogs. For instance, you could contribute an informative article that contains a link to a relevant post on your website. Ideally, you’ll publish your content on authoritative websites with large amounts of traffic.
Quality content can help you build authority and credibility in your niche. This can help you climb the rankings in Google, and grow an audience of loyal readers or customers. As such, you may want to focus your efforts on the contents of your pages rather than the word count.
3. Break down content into digestible chunks
If you’re writing long posts, you’ll want to make sure that your content is easy to read and follow. Large chunks of text can easily put readers off, especially if they’re reading your post on a small screen. This can negatively impact your conversions as well as your SEO.
The trick is to break down your content into small, digestible sections. Let’s look at some effective ways to do this:
- Use shorter sentences and smaller paragraphs.
- Divide your content into multiple sections, using H2 headings for main topics and H3 – H6 for subtopics.
- Incorporate elements such as lists and quotes to add a bit of variety to your content.
If you’re using the Block Editor, you could use the Separator or Cover block to create breaks between large sections:

These tips can be particularly useful when writing cornerstone content. Cornerstone articles are typically longer and more detailed than regular posts. They also contain links that direct users to other posts and pages on your site.
As such, you’ll want to ensure that these important articles are easy to follow. This will encourage visitors to read the entire post (or at least skim through it), and click on the links within.
If you use Yoast SEO, the plugin can give you some recommendations for improving your posts’ readability. For example, it will let you know if your sections or sentences are too long:

When writing in-depth articles, such as cornerstone content, you don’t want to feel restricted by word counts. You’ll want to provide as much information as possible, using as many words as necessary. As long as it’s also clearly structured, these pieces can help to decrease your bounce rate and increase engagement (including click-throughs).
4. Use images and other media
When used correctly, images can help make your content more interesting and engaging. You can also use them as separators between the main sections of your post.
Long-form articles may require more photos. However, including lots of media files may slow down your pages, which can result in a higher bounce rate. Therefore, it is recommended that you compress any images that you use in your articles.
Moreover, you’ll want to add alt text to your images. This helps communicate the contents of your photos to users with screen readers, and therefore makes your website more accessible:

Alt text also provides search engine crawlers with additional information about your content. This enables them to index your images correctly, which can help improve your posts’ rankings.
Additionally, you could incorporate a relevant video into your content. This can be particularly effective if you’re writing a long tutorial or how-to post. For example, you can demonstrate the troubleshooting process in a short clip to accompany the written instructions.
As with images, videos can slow down your pages. So instead of uploading them directly to your website, you may want to embed videos into your post.
For example, you could upload your videos to your YouTube channel, and then use the YouTube block to insert them into your articles:

A healthy mix of media and text can help to improve the user experience. This can lead to better rankings for your long-form content.
Go to top
Conclusion
Recent data shows that the top results on Google’s first page tend to be long-form articles, with word counts that range between 1,500 and 2,500 words.
How long should a #blog post be? 🤔 Here's what the data says 📔
However, Google has often stated that it does not consider article length as a ranking factor. Rather, its focus is on the relevance and quality of the content. So the short answer to the question “how long should a blog post be” is as long as it needs to be.
In this post, we shared some tips for writing long-form articles that perform well:
- Focus on the user intent and answer it as best as you can.
- Prioritize quality over quantity by providing valuable information to your readers.
- Break down content into digestible chunks to improve readability.
- Use images and other media to make your longer posts more engaging.
What have you found to be the ideal length for your blog posts? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
References
[1] https://neilpatel.com/blog/why-you-need-to-create-evergreen-long-form-content-and-how-to-produce-it/
[2] https://backlinko.com/search-engine-ranking
[3] https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/seo-social-media-study
FAQs
How Long Should a Blog Post Be? Here's What the Data Says in 2023? ›
The ideal length of a blog post is anywhere between 750 to 5,000 words. That's the quick answer, but you can already tell by that massive range that the topic deserves a much deeper look. This blog post will explore the average blog post length in 2023 and how you can stay competitive with your blog content.
What is the ideal length of a blog post in 2023? ›Some content marketing experts suggest that 1500-2000 words are the ideal length of a blog post. However, many companies and brands stick to shorter blog length guidelines (500-750 words) to honor a specific element of their marketing strategy.
How long should blog post be? ›Although your blog post length may vary depending on your topic and audience, it is often best to aim for about 1,500 to 2,000 words for articles or posts.
Are blogs still relevant in 2023? ›The world of blogging for business is flourishing and it isn't too late to jump on the bandwagon! In 2023, blogging should be just as relevant as ever, creating awesome results for businesses. With a little bit of time and effort, your carefully crafted blog articles will start to pay off.
How do I write a successful blog in 2023? ›- Find a way for your blog to make money.
- Pick a niche for your blog.
- Choose a blogging platform and template.
- Choose a blog and domain name.
- Plan your publishing strategy.
- Get people to read your blog consistently.
Therefore, one of the blogging trends that will be dominant in 2023 is cross-channel promotion. This marketing strategy integrates all your marketing channels and unifies their plans, data, and goals across the board. This is different from multi-channel marketing, which also uses several channels to attract customers.
How do I start a blog in 2023? ›- Choose a blogging platform. Use a platform that offers customizable templates.
- Pick a hosting platform. ...
- Find the right niche. ...
- Select a blog name and domain. ...
- Set up and design your blog. ...
- Brainstorm blog topics. ...
- Write your first blog post. ...
- Create an editorial calendar.
To recap, it fills about one full page in a Microsoft Word document at a font size of 11 or 12. 500 words is also a standard minimum word count length for writing a blog post on a common subject. That being said, other types of content may require 1000 words, 2000 words or even 2500 words to be really effective.
What is the ideal length of an article? ›There is a consensus that articles should be no more than 4,000 words; otherwise, readability suffers. The optimal length is generally thought to be around 2,000–4,000 words; about 1,000–2,000 words for an online blog. But articles of all lengths have potential benefits and drawbacks.
What is the best length for articles? ›If you are looking for a good rule of thumb, write content between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Medium says the average reading speed of an adult is about 265 words per minute. If you take that rule of thumb, you should write content that is between 5 to 12 minutes.
Which niche is best for blogging in 2023? ›
- Digital marketing.
- Blogging and making money online.
- Health and fitness.
- Personal finance and investing.
- Recipes and food.
- Personal development and self-care.
Blogging is no different than any other business in that you have to identify unique opportunities and be creative when going after them. Blogging isn't dead, it's completely possible to grow a blogging business in 2023.
When should you stop blogging? ›If you're sinking a lot of money you can't afford into your blog, stop blogging. If you started blogging as a hobby but found you didn't enjoy it, stop. If you're giving it your all, doing everything you can and you're just not attracting an audience, stop. If blogging serves no purpose to you, then stop.
How long does it take to make a profitable blog? ›According to recent research, it takes an average of 20 months to start making money with a blog. However, that is just the average. The statistics show that 27% of bloggers start earning money from blogging within 6 months and 38% are making a full-time income within 2 years of starting their blog.
What percentage of blogs succeed? ›Effectiveness | Value |
---|---|
Blog delivering strong results | 54% |
Some results | 26% |
Unsatisfied results | 11% |
No idea if the blog delivers a result | 9% |
Great blog posts answer readers' questions as quickly and simply as possible, and your headings and subheadings can help accomplish that. Think of them as a continuation of the main idea of your post — use your subheaders to include keywords and topics that naturally follow your main topic and keyword.
What kind of blogs are popular in 2023? ›- Teaching Music.
- Music Review Blogs.
- Games Blogs.
- Let's Play Blogs.
- eSports Blogs.
- Book Blogs.
- Fitness Blogs.
- Sports Blogs.
- Consumer Goods Trends. ...
- Demographic Trends. ...
- Entertainment Trends. ...
- Fashion & Apparel Trends. ...
- Financial Trends. ...
- Food & Beverage Trends. ...
- Health & Wellness Trends. ...
- Startup Trends. The top Startup Trends of 2023 including everything from AI Startups to Climate Tech Startups.
Yes – blogging is still a great way to make a living! The rules have changed, but blogging is still as relevant as it was a decade ago. If you want to monetize your blog in 2023, you must stay on top of search intent and Google SERPs.
Which kind of blogs make money? ›- Business and marketing blogs.
- Finance blog.
- Health blogs.
- Fashion blogs.
- DIY and crafts blogs.
- Nutrition and food blogs.
- Lifestyle blogs.
How many blog posts to make money? ›
Once you're past 10,000 monthly blog pageviews, things start to get lucrative. Only about 10% of blogs consistently exceed 50k average monthly views, and as you approach the 100k point, the revenue can increase dramatically.
Is a 1000-word blog post good? ›A blog post should be well over a minimum of 500-700 words to cover the topic adequately— at least 1,000 words. Longer blog posts need to contain actionable information that will help their readers solve problems.
How much does a 1000-word blog post cost? ›A 1000-word blog article averages around $50 at the lower end and $175 at the higher end.
How much does a 1,000 word blog post cost? ›From 50 Cents to About $2 Per Word. Starting From $0.10 Per Word for a Basic Blog Post. At Least $250 Per 1,000 Words. $15 to $20 for 1,000 Words Depending on the Topic and Deadline.
How many words is a 5 minute article? ›Although pacing varies, a 5-minute speech is roughly 750 words. Publication coach Daphne Gray-Grant says that the average person speaks about 125-150 words per minute—meaning 5 minutes of talking would entail about 625-750 words. That's about the typical length of a blog article!
How many pages is 1,500 words? ›Answer: 1500 words is 3 pages single spaced or 6 pages double spaced.
How many pages is 1,000 words? ›Generally, a word count of 1000 words will result in around 3-4 pages when using a standard 12-point font and double-spaced. This equates to around 250-333 words per page.
What is the best length for a blog post for SEO? ›According to a HubSpot study from 2021, the ideal blog post length for SEO should be 2,100-2,400 words. That's a lot longer than the 200- or 500-word blog posts most writers or webmasters think is ideal.
What is the best length for a blog for SEO? ›So, how many words should a blog be for SEO? A blog post should contain at least 300 words in order to rank well in the search engines. But long posts (1000 words or more) will rank more easily than short posts. CoSchedule found posts with around 2,500 words typically rank the best.
Is 300 words enough for an article? ›We advise writing more than 300 words for regular posts or pages, while product descriptions should be over 200 words.
What is the most successful blog niche? ›
Looking at food blogging, this study from RankIQ, shows that food blogging is the most profitable niche and it generates the highest median income for this type of bloggers. Food blogs also make up most of the blogs with more than 50,000 average visitors a month, compared to other blog niches.
What is the highest paying blog niche? ›- #1. Personal Finance.
- #2. Health, Fitness and Well-Being.
- #3. Dating and Relationships.
- #4. Food and Drink.
- #5. Education.
- #6. Travel.
- #7. Home Improvement and DIY.
- #8. Parenting.
- Food blogs. Food blogs come in several flavors. ...
- Travel blogs. Before planning a trip, we tend to do a lot of research on both Google and social media. ...
- Health and fitness blogs. ...
- Lifestyle blogs. ...
- Fashion and beauty blogs. ...
- Photography blogs. ...
- Personal blogs. ...
- DIY craft blogs.
Bloggers should have at least 10 to 15 posts ready to post before launching their blog in order to bring in meaningful traffic. Of course, that's just to start your blog. To build a decent following and sustain good traffic, you need to keep adding new blog content regularly.
Is blogging out of date? ›Blogging isn't dead — it has simply evolved into something bigger than itself. It's part of a larger picture, one called content marketing. (This is what has replaced the “blogging” of yesteryear.) In a REALLY simplified nutshell — your Google ranking is more often than not directly related to your marketing efforts.
How often should I be blogging? ›Most experts agree that blogging two to four times per week is the best way to see increased traction from your content. This equates to somewhere around eleven to sixteen posts a month, depending on how set you are on the actual times per week you post new content.
How often do successful bloggers post? ›Bloggers who publish more often see better results. Those who post two to six times per week are most likely to report “strong results” (32% of respondents), followed by bloggers who post weekly (27%).
Why do bloggers quit? ›Too many bloggers quit because they're not yet seeing the progress they want. But every successful blogger will also tell you that it took time to get readers and to make a steady income (myself included). Take a look at your blog's key metrics today—compared with six months ago, or a year ago.
What is too long for a blog? ›There's no hard and fast rule, but 1000 words is a good target to aim for. A 1000-word blog post can give you enough space to explore your topic in-depth, without being so long that it will lose readers' attention. Of course, there are exceptions – sometimes a shorter or longer post is more appropriate.
How long does it take to make $100 blogging? ›If you're a blogger just getting started (with little traffic), you may need four to five months to make your first $100. But, bloggers with experience and good quality established traffic on their website can rather quickly and significantly increase their earnings by using a website improvement platform like Ezoic.
What is the average income of a blog? ›
On average, bloggers make around $45,000—with most bloggers earning somewhere between $38,440 to $51,906. However, there are a lot of variables that'll influence how much money you make blogging, so keep reading and I'll explain how to set the right expectations for your blog income.
Do most blogs make money? ›Some bloggers make no money, whereas some bloggers make more than enough to build a career around their blog. That being said, on average, a successful and established blogger can make around $45,000 per year. In your first year of blogging, you can expect to make around $500-$2000 per month.
How many views per day is good for a blog? ›Getting over 1,000 views per day is good for a blog.
This is if you're trying to monetize your blog. If you're starting a new blog or are simply looking for a creative outlet, then 100 views a day is plenty good.
On this basis, here's why 95 percent of bloggers fail to make serious money.
What is the average blog posts? ›After in-depth industry research and analyzing our very own results from the Wix Blog, we've found that the ideal blog post length is between 1,500 - 2,500 words, with a sweet spot right at 2,450.
What is the most important part of a blog post? ›Blog Header
Your blog's header is the first thing most visitors will notice, so it's important to make a good first impression. The header could just be the name of your blog in a fancy font, but it's better to have a banner image that reflects the theme of your content.
- An attention-grabbing headline. A good blog post is about one topic, one story, one idea. ...
- A captivating lead paragraph. ...
- Interesting supporting points. ...
- A compelling call-to-action.
Morning posts tend to have higher click-through rates. Research suggests Mondays are best for website posting, especially when it comes to higher page views and more traffic. Social media blogs posted on Sundays can mean more views and higher share rates.
How long should an article be for SEO 2023? ›The best blog length for SEO in 2023 is 1,760-2,400 Words.
In fact, blog posts with over 1,000 words tend to perform better on average. It is also worth noting that, at a minimum, blog posts should aim for at least 300 words to avoid being classified as 'thin content' on your website.
The Optimal Blog Post Length for Various Content Types
Our research suggests that articles with 3,000+ words generate the most organic traffic. However, other metrics, such as social shares, follow a different logic. Let's look at the suggested blog post length based on specific blog post types and formats.
Is 5000 words too long for a blog post? ›
Can a Blog Post Be Too Long? Longer posts tend to do better in Google rankings — the sweet spot seems to hover around the 2,500-word mark — but that doesn't mean that a 5,000-word blog post is too long. Comprehensive content that adds value to your reader should be your main goal.
What are the niche trends in 2023? ›The top three niches for 2023 are e-commerce, health and wellness, and AI. E-commerce is the fastest-growing industry of the year with increasing demand from consumers for online shopping experiences.
Is blogging profitable 2023? ›Yes – blogging is still alive and kicking in 2023. And it's likely to stay relevant and profitable for many more years. You just need to adapt to the changes in how people search, consume, and interact with online content.
Is SEO important in 2023? ›In 2023, SEO will remain a crucial component of any online marketing strategy. With millions of websites competing for the top spot on search engine results pages (SERPs), businesses will need to implement SEO best practices to ensure their site ranks high on the SERP.
Is SEO worth it in 2023? ›Now, these are enough reasons why SEO is worth the investment in 2023. Not only does it help businesses rank higher in search engine results but it allows them to target users across multiple channels, such as voice search, mobile devices and social media.
Do people read long blog posts? ›Statistics that say no, people don't read long-form content:
People spend 74% of their viewing time on just the first two screenfuls of content. Only 14% of viewing time is spent past three screens. (Nielsen) More than half of readers spend less than 15 seconds on a page.
At the very least, if you're going to write short blogs, try to hit at least the 300-word mark. A post between 400-600 words is widely considered the “standard” length, and it's a good middle ground if you're looking to get more social shares and comments.
How long does a 500-word blog post take? ›Some people can turn out a 500-word blog post in 30 minutes — and some people can't even do it in hours. It depends on the writer and how familiar they are with the topic. Freelance writers working in the industry can write a 500-word article in less than 1 hour.
How much does a 1000 word blog post cost? ›A 1000-word blog article averages around $50 at the lower end and $175 at the higher end.
How much should I charge for a 2000 word blog post? ›Another freelance writer uses a calculator to price projects and typically uses the following range for blog posts: 1000-1500 words: USD 600. 1500-2000 words: USD 700. 2000-2500 words: USD 800.