How Long Should a Blog Post Be? (The Real Answer)

Everyone wants a simple answer: 1,500 words. Or 2,000 words. Or whatever number makes content planning feel easy.

But the real answer to "how long should a blog post be" is frustrating: it depends. The right length is whatever it takes to fully answer the reader's question - no more, no less.

Why the word count obsession exists

Before explaining the right approach, understand where the myth comes from.

Studies show longer content ranks better

SEO research has repeatedly found that longer content tends to rank higher. This correlation is real - but correlation isn't causation.

Long content ranks well because it's usually more comprehensive, covers more related keywords, earns more backlinks, and provides more value. The length is a side effect of depth, not the cause of success.

A 3,000-word post that rambles doesn't outrank a 1,000-word post that perfectly answers the query.

It feels actionable

"Write 2,000 words" is easy to follow. "Write as much as the topic requires" is vague. People gravitate toward specific numbers because they're actionable, even when they're wrong.

How long should a blog post be: the real framework

Instead of fixed numbers, use this framework.

Match the depth the topic requires

Some topics are simple. "What is keyword density?" can be answered well in 400-600 words. Padding to 2,000 words would just add noise.

Other topics are complex. "How to build a content marketing strategy" might genuinely need 2,500+ words to cover properly. Going shorter would leave gaps.

Ask: what does someone searching this topic need to know? Cover that completely. Stop when you've answered it.

Check what's ranking

The SERP tells you what Google thinks the query requires.

Search your target keyword and look at the top 5 results. How long are they? What do they cover?

If everyone ranking well has 2,000-word comprehensive guides, your 500-word overview probably won't compete. If top results are concise 800-word answers, a 3,000-word essay might be overkill.

Match the search intent and depth that's already working.

Consider your competitive position

Smaller sites with less topical authority often need to go deeper to compete. If you can't win on authority, you can win on comprehensiveness.

Larger sites can sometimes rank with shorter content because they have the authority to back it up. If you don't have that advantage, compensate with depth.

General length guidelines

While there's no universal answer, these ranges work for most content types:

• Simple definition or answer: 400-800 words
• Focused how-to: 1,000-1,500 words
• Comprehensive guide: 1,800-2,500 words
• Ultimate/pillar content: 2,500-4,000+ words

These aren't rules - they're starting points. Adjust based on what your specific topic and competition require.

Signs your post is too long or too short

Length becomes a problem when you're padding rather than adding value. Warning signs you're too long: you're repeating the same point multiple ways, sections exist only to hit a word count, dwell time is low relative to length, or you can't explain why a section is necessary. If a section exists only to add words, cut it. See our post on why most blog posts are too long for more.

Signs you're too short: readers would immediately have follow-up questions, competitors cover topics you skipped, or you explain what but not how. Brevity is good, but incompleteness isn't. Readers want to be able to do something after reading, not just understand a concept.

Editing and content types

Many posts should get shorter in editing, not longer. First drafts often include warm-up paragraphs that don't add value, repetitive explanations, qualifications that don't change meaning, and sections that seemed important but aren't. Cutting these improves the post. A tight 1,200-word post outperforms a bloated 2,000-word post.

Different content deserves different lengths. Pillar content meant to be the definitive guide can run 2,500+ words. Regular blog posts with narrower scope typically need 1,000-1,500 words. News and updates can be short at 500-800 words. Glossary entries are typically 400-700 words covering the concept, context, and practical application.

The right length

The right length is enough to fully answer the question, not more.

Write first, then evaluate. If your post is 800 words and complete, don't pad it. If it's 2,500 words and every section earns its place, don't cut arbitrarily.

Focus on value per word rather than total words. Dense, useful content beats sparse, padded content at any length.

For more on writing effective content, see our guides on blog post structure and posts that get read.

Don't ask "how long should my post be?" Ask "have I answered the question completely?" That's the only length that matters.