How Long Should a Blog Post Be?

You’ve probably read that blog posts should be “at least 1,000 words”, or “2,000+ words to rank”. Word counts make a convenient rule, but they’re the wrong target. The right length is however long it takes to fully answer the reader’s question, and not a word more.

Why word count isn’t the goal

Search engines don’t rank posts for being long; they rank posts that satisfy the search. Long posts often perform well because complete answers tend to be longer, not because of the length itself. A padded 3,000-word post that buries the answer is worse than a focused 900-word post that nails it.

How to find the right length for a post

1. Look at the search results. Search your main keyword and skim the top results. Are they quick answers, medium guides or in-depth resources? That tells you what readers expect.
2. List what a complete answer needs. Steps, examples, common mistakes, FAQs. Write each as a heading.
3. Write until you’ve covered everything, then cut. Remove repetition, filler and sections that don’t help.

Typical ranges by post type

These are ranges, not rules. Check any draft’s length and reading time with our free Word Count & Reading Time tool.

Signs your post is too short

• Readers would still need to search elsewhere to finish the task.
• You list steps without explaining how to do them.
• There are no examples.
• Obvious follow-up questions aren’t answered.

Signs your post is too long

• The introduction is more than a few paragraphs.
• You repeat the same point in different words.
• Whole sections could be their own posts.
• You added content mainly to hit a word count.

Make long posts easy to read

Length is only a problem when it’s hard to navigate. For longer posts:

• Add a table of contents.
• Use clear, descriptive headings.
• Keep paragraphs short and use lists.
• Put the short answer near the top.
• Use tables and summaries for key information.

More in blog post format: the structure readers love.

A worked example: deciding the length of one post

Imagine you’re writing about “how to repot a houseplant”. Here’s how you’d decide how long it should be:

1. Search the keyword. The top results are step-by-step guides of moderate length, some with photos, plus a “People also ask” box with questions like “Should I water after repotting?”
2. List what a complete answer needs: signs a plant needs repotting, what you’ll need, choosing the pot size, choosing soil, the steps, aftercare, common mistakes and those related questions.
3. Estimate: eight sections of roughly 100–200 words each lands around 1,200–1,500 words.
4. Write, then trim. If the “choosing soil” section grows to 800 words, that’s a sign it deserves its own post, with a link from this one.

The length came from the reader’s needs, not from a target.

Length and reader behaviour

Longer isn’t automatically better for engagement. What keeps people reading is momentum: each section gives them a reason to read the next. Signs a long post is working include readers scrolling past the halfway point, clicking internal links and spending several minutes on the page. Signs it isn’t: people leaving within seconds, often because the answer is buried under a long introduction.

Updating old posts: when to make them longer

Revisiting your existing posts is a great opportunity to improve them. Consider expanding a post when:

• Readers ask questions in comments or emails that the post doesn’t answer.
• Search Console shows it appears for related queries you don’t cover.
• Information has changed and a new section is needed.
• Competing pages cover important subtopics that yours skips.

And consider making it shorter when sections are outdated, repetitive or off-topic. Cutting can improve a post as much as adding.

FAQs