How Long Should Your Blog Posts Be? Let’s Talk Word Count, Coffee, and Google
Grab your favorite mug and settle in, because we’re diving into the age-old question every client fires at me sooner or later: “So, how many words should my blog post have?” I’ve heard everything—from “Never bother writing past 700” to agencies churning out 5,000-word epics like they’re paid by the syllable. Where’s the sweet spot? Spoiler: it depends, but I’ve got a roadmap that’ll spare you a few headaches (and maybe a Google penalty).
Word Count Is the Tempo, Not the Song
Think of word count like the tempo of a track on your playlist. Too short and you’re the Ramones blasting through in two minutes; too long and you’re Pink Floyd sending listeners into a 20-minute trance. Either can be brilliant if it serves the song. Online, that “song” is answering the user’s question better than anyone else on page one. Sometimes that’s 800 punchy words; other times it’s a 3,000-word deep dive complete with screenshots and personal war stories.
The Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet
Product pages: Keep it snappy—maybe 150–300 crystal-clear words, bullet points, specs, and you’re golden.
Standard blog posts: 750–1,500 words usually hits the sweet spot. Enough space to flex expertise without putting the kettle on twice.
Mega guides & white papers: 3,000–10,000 words. Yes, really. If you’re trying to be the authority on “How to choose cloud accounting software,” people expect a field guide, not a sticky note.
But Quality? That’s Non-Negotiable
Confession time: I once cranked out a 1,200-word plumbing article purely to “meet the target length.” The editor called it “marathon waffle.” We sliced half, added three concrete examples, and boom—traffic doubled.
Lesson: Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) framework is the bouncer at the SEO nightclub. If your copy’s slurring, over-stuffed with keywords, or—worse—full of fluff, you’re not getting past the velvet rope.
Keywords: Sprinkle, Don’t Stuff
Remember 2012, when we’d write “best Manchester solicitor” every ten syllables? Yeah, that got ugly. Today, pick a primary phrase and a couple of close cousins, then weave them in naturally—title, an H2, image alt text, and a handful of body mentions. Read the sentence aloud: if you sound like a Dalek, rewrite. Google rewards clarity, not bingo cards.
Structure Is Your Secret Weapon
Big grey walls of text give readers indigestion. Use H2s, bullets, numbered steps—whatever keeps eyeballs moving. For anything longer than 1,500 words, slap in a clickable table of contents. It’s like a tour guide for your article, and yes, search engines appreciate that neat breadcrumb trail, too.
Long-Form Isn’t Just a Trend—It’s Insurance
I recently audited national search results for “SEO companies in the UK.” Nine of the top ten pages were 3,000 words or longer and updated within the last year. Coincidence? Hardly. Long-form attracts backlinks, covers every angle of a topic, and signals to Google, “We’ve got the goods.” Just remember the “evergreen” part: schedule a six-month check-in to refresh stats, examples, and screenshots.
Anecdote-Powered Authority
Want proof that experience matters? I once helped a claw-foot-bath retailer triple organic traffic by swapping generic care tips for a story: the founder cracked her own bath coating with a DIY cleaner, documented the fix, and we posted the blow-by-blow. Readers loved it, and Google loved that readers loved it. Real-world stories = trust magnets.
Putting It All Together
Start with the question. How many words does it genuinely take to answer it better than the current top results?
Draft, then brutal-edit. Delete anything that doesn’t move the reader forward.
Check the E-E-A-T boxes. Personal anecdotes, cited sources, and a clear author bio go a long way.
Format for scanners. Headings, bullets, short paragraphs.
Update on a schedule. Even evergreen posts need spring cleaning.
Final Sip of Wisdom
Forget chasing a magic “perfect word count.” Instead, chase usefulness. When a stranger finds your post, do they think, “Wow, that nailed my question—I’m bookmarking this”? If yes, you’ve probably nailed the length, too. Write until it’s genuinely helpful, then hit publish—and pour yourself another coffee. You’ve earned it.