How Long Should a Blog Post Be in 2025?

In 2024, the average blog post reached around 1,400 words, up 77% from where it stood a decade ago.

That stat alone raises a big question for content teams and solo bloggers alike: How long should a blog post be today?

I get asked this constantly when pitching our content production services. But after working with dozens of brands through this agency, I’ve learned that word count isn’t a magic number.

What matters most is usefulness. The right length depends on what your audience needs and how well you meet that need.

I figured it would be worth putting together a quick guide to walk you through the simple framework and thought process I use to determine the length of content we produce.

How Long Should a Blog Post Be?

There’s no perfect word count for every blog. Many marketers see posts between 1,000 and 2,000 words do well because that range usually offers enough depth for readers and search engines.

Still, a shorter post of around 600 words can work when you only need to share quick updates or bite-sized insights.

On the other hand, you might go beyond 2,000 words if you want to create an in-depth evergreen guides that stands the test of time.

Above all, make your content goals the deciding factor.

Longer pieces between 2,100 and 2,400 words can help with SEO in competitive fields, while articles can be fantastic when you need to get straight to the point.

Whatever you do, keep your audience’s needs in focus and make it genuinely helpful.

A Quick Look Back

It took years of algorithm tweaks and shifting reader habits to get where we are today.

Early on, most bloggers stuck with short, 300 to 500-word pieces. That worked fine when competition was low and attention spans seemed even shorter.

Google’s Panda algorithm update turned everything on its head. Blogs stuffed with keywords but lacking depth were hit hard.

Then in 2014, data from Backlinko revealed that first-page search results often contained around 1,400 words or more. That convinced a lot of folks to go long whenever possible.

By 2022, Google's Helpful Content update reminded us that fluff doesn’t help. Writing longer just to meet a word count could backfire if it didn’t provide substance.

As of 2025, it’s clear that going long only works if you’re truly serving the reader. Sometimes 300 words isn't enough, but other times, 3,000 words is exactly what you need.

Why Blog Length Still Matters (But Isn’t a Ranking Factor)

Length isn’t a direct ranking factor, but it still matters in a roundabout way.

Longer posts naturally let you cover more ground, which can help you rank for different queries, earn shares, and pick up backlinks. That’s why so many studies still show a correlation between longer posts and better performance.

However, Google doesn’t give you a bonus just for passing a certain word count. They care about quality and relevance.

John Mueller has mentioned that word count isn’t a ranking factor at all. I’ve even seen a 63-word page rank first because it fully answered a specific question.

So length can work in your favor if it helps you address everything your audience wants to know. The real key is usefulness.

Take HubSpot’s analysis of high-performing evergreen content. Their top posts often land in the 2,100 to 2,400 word range—not because there’s magic in that number, but because those posts answer every part of the search intent in one go.

If you’re still clinging to “minimum word count” targets, especially those rooted in the Panda-era SEO mindset, it’s time to let that go.

Google’s algorithm has matured. It’s not hunting for posts that cross a threshold—it’s evaluating how well your content serves the user. Long posts don’t win by default. Useful ones do.

How to Determine the Ideal Length of a Blog Post

Figuring out the right blog post length isn’t about hitting a target number. It’s about making intentional decisions before you write.

At Trendline SEO, we use a five-step process that helps our clients choose the right length every time. We base this on purpose, format, and what the reader actually needs.

Step 1: Define the Goal and Audience

Before you worry about word count, figure out what you’re trying to accomplish. Are you aiming to rank for a competitive keyword? Drive leads? Build authority? That goal shapes how detailed you need to be.

For example, if you're writing a thought leadership piece, you probably need 1,200 to 1,800 words to unpack an idea in a way that feels complete.

But if you're announcing a product update or sharing company news, a shorter post of only 300 to 600 words might be perfect.

The same goes for audience. Beginners don’t want to read a 2,000-word lecture. Experts who are reading white papers for research, on the other hand, expect detail, citations, and nuance.

What I’ve learned the hard way is that treating every blog post like it needs to hit the same length is a mistake. Let your goal and audience dictate the scale.

E-E-A-T Tip: Align your tone and depth to reader expectations. Showing you understand who you're talking to is one of the clearest signals of first-hand experience and expertise.

Step 2: Analyze Search Intent and Top-Ranking Content

Next, look at what’s already ranking. This is where competitive analysis meets common sense.

I like to search for my main keyword and review the top five results. How long are they? What format do they use? A quick scan with a word counter or browser extension will give you a rough range.

You might find all five are over 2,000 words and include visuals, which tells you that comprehensive content is expected. Other times, you’ll find a 400-word Reddit thread at the top that nails the answer with brutal clarity.

Once you have a rough range, you can then do some napkin math and back into a rough estimate of how long your post should be and what to include within the outline for your post.

A Practical Example

For example, let's run a search for the keyword "how to make a cold brew", a popular search term that I recently uncovered for a client.

The top results are each around 1,500 words long. But it is important to understand what makes up that text.

Digging into the top-ranking result from Food Network, which is 1,200 words long, we see that it is a helpful tutorial packed with step-by-step guidance and real-world experience.

While this does appear to be faked to me using stock images, you can see what Google is attempting to reward. It is clear that Google is favoring completeness here.

As a general rule of thumb, if you see a lot of Google’s People also ask questions displayed for a keyword, the topic likely requires a longer post to fully satisfy intent.

However, don't fixate on word count alone - look for quality and intent fit, too. A competitor may rank with 800 words not because they said less, but because they said what mattered.

Step 3: Choose the Right Content Format and Depth

Now that you know your goal and what users are searching for, it’s time to decide how to deliver the information.

The format you choose will have a major impact on how long the post should be. Some formats naturally require more depth, while others are meant to be skimmed quickly.

Going back to the usefulness point I made previously, I advice you always choose your format based on how your audience prefers to consume the topic.

If your topic feels too big to cover in a single post, that’s a sign it might work better as a “pillar and cluster” series—one long, comprehensive article supported by shorter, related posts.

This is the same structure we use for our courses that cover broad topics like SEO, content marketing, and automation.

This helps to ensure that each individual item you produce remains helpful and doesn't become too bloated with length.

Step 4: Build an Outline Before You Write

A strong outline brings structure and clarity to the writing process, and it helps you get the length right before you even start. This is the step that saves you from overthinking later.

I always use questions as the foundation for my outline. I've found that headings like What is it?, Why does it matter?, and How do you do it? work especially well. These reflect how real people think when they search.

Content strategist Andy Crestodina recommends outlining based on questions, then turning each of these into a section of the post that is packed with answers.

You can also consider going beyond just bullet points in the outline to add in supporting content too.

I like to add additional E-E-A-T elements into my outlines like “Insert case study here” or “Add image walkthrough”. These callouts give you a sense of what will expand the post and where to be concise.

By the time your outline is done, you should already have a rough feel for how long the post will need to be, and how much content each section deserves.

Step 5: Write to Satisfy the Query

Once you have your outline done, it is time to write the post. But don't just write to hit a number, write until the reader’s question is fully answered.

That may include:

• A clear step-by-step walkthrough
• Graphs or charts
• Quotes from sources
• Common mistakes or FAQs

Focus on structure and clarity. Use short paragraphs, break the piece with H2s every 200 to 300 words, and sprinkle in lists or visuals when the content calls for it.

By the time you finish, you’ll have a post that’s the right length because it’s the right answer—not because you wrote to hit a quota.

I have said it before and I'll say it again... write to satisfy the user, not to fulfill a word count. If your content is useful, Google will reward it.

A great example of this is from Search Engine Journal, who found that some content ranks in position 1 despite being only 63 words in length. Simply because it gives a complete answer to a narrow query.

How to Edit A Blog Post for the Right Length

Editing is where the real decisions about length get made. Even if you write with intention, your first draft probably includes a few detours, tangents, or padded transitions.

This is your chance to tighten the content and make sure every sentence earns its place.

Shorten Text if Possible

Here’s the editing checklist I use after every post draft:

• Trim off-topic sections that don’t serve the core idea
• Cut any repeated or reworded points
• Break up dense sections into bullets, visuals, or shorter paragraphs
• Add examples or case studies where needed
• Make sure the content fully satisfies the reader’s intent

The goal is to keep what’s useful and cut what isn’t. A 2,400-word post can often become a sharper 1,900-word piece just by removing repetition and narrowing the focus.

On the flip side, you might find spots that need expansion, like a skipped step in a process or a missed follow-up question.

Is Your Structure Too Long?

Now, let’s talk about structure. If your blog post ends up pushing 3,000 words or more, you need to ask whether it’s doing too much.

If your post covers multiple major subtopics, it might be more effective as a series. For example, instead of a massive guide called Complete Guide to SEO, you could split it into Part 1: Basics and Part 2: Advanced Techniques. Not only does that make it easier to read, but it gives you more opportunities to rank and interlink.

That said, don’t split for the sake of it. Each post should stand on its own and provide full value. A five-part series that forces readers to click through just to find one answer will frustrate them and can hurt your performance.

On the other end of the spectrum, you might find that a short post feels incomplete. That’s your signal to expand. Try:

• Adding a FAQ section with follow-up questions
• Including a simple step-by-step guide
• Citing a real-world example or customer story

Sometimes, even a single paragraph can turn a so-so article into one that hits the mark.

If you’re not sure whether your long post is holding attention, use scroll-depth or engagement analytics. If readers are bouncing halfway through, that’s a sign your post might need to be tightened or broken into more digestible pieces.

In the end, editing is less about word count and more about clarity. When in doubt, cut the clutter and elevate the core.

Industry Nuances, Algorithm Shifts, and E-E-A-T

Once you’ve got the basics of blog length down, this is where things start to get strategic.

Not every post needs to be long. But in the right context, long-form content can give you a serious edge if you know when and how to use it.

Use Length to Outperform, Not Overwhelm

Let’s start with a tactic that’s become a go-to in competitive spaces: the Skyscraper Technique.

Originally developed by Brian Dean of Backlinko, the idea is simple. You find a high-ranking post on a given topic, then create something better.

That usually means going deeper, adding case studies, updating stats, and making the whole experience easier to navigate.

In many cases, that turns into a 3,000-word piece or more. However, this length only works if every section truly adds value like his does.

What I’ve learned from applying this method across multiple industries is that word count alone never wins.

The only reason these long posts perform is because they deliver more utility, more clarity, and more insight than the competition.

It is also worth understanding Google Passage Ranking.

This update allows Google to surface specific sections from within longer articles. So even if your post covers a broad topic, a well-structured sub-section can rank for a highly focused query.

I’ve seen this play out firsthand with guides we’ve published that answer multiple related questions under one roof. As long as your H2s are clear and your content flows logically, you can hit multiple rankings with one post.

Beware of “Empty Calories” in Long Posts

But length still comes with risk. The Helpful Content Update was a wake-up call for anyone writing to hit a word count instead of a purpose.

Google started penalizing bloated posts that try to sound authoritative by cramming in low-value tangents or fluff content

Their advice couldn’t be clearer: serve the reader first. That means cutting anything that doesn’t directly answer their question or support the goal of the page.

So how do you know what the right length is for your space? That depends on your industry. Every niche has its own standards and expectations.

These are general guidelines, not hard rules.

In SaaS, long-form often converts better because it gives room for use cases and proof. In tech news, readers just want to know what happened and why it matters.

And in health or financial content (what Google calls Your Money or Your Life) depth and credibility are non-negotiable. You need to demonstrate not just expertise, but also first-hand experience and trustworthiness​.

At this level, length becomes a byproduct of quality. Long content only works when it actually helps someone more than a short one could. And when that’s true, Google usually rewards it.

Final Thoughts

There’s no magic number when it comes to blog length. The right post is the one that clearly answers the question, delivers real value, and fits the reader’s intent.

If you’ve been writing to hit a word count, it might be time to rethink that habit. Start with a clear goal, choose the right format, and write until the content feels complete.

That’s what works in 2025.

And if you’re not sure where to begin, audit your last few posts. Ask yourself: did I choose their length on purpose? Or just out of routine?