How does the word counter count words?
A word is any run of letters or numbers, so hyphenated words like long-term and contractions like don't count as one word each. Punctuation, emoji and symbols on their own don't count as words.
Different editors use slightly different rules, which is why Google Docs, Microsoft Word and this tool can disagree by a few words on the same text. For any brief or limit, a difference that small doesn't matter.
How many words should a blog post be?
As many as the topic needs, and no more. Google has said word count is not a ranking factor, and there is no ideal length it rewards. A page ranks because it answers the search better than the alternatives.
In practice, length follows intent. A quick definition might be answered in 300 words. A complete how-to guide or comparison often needs 1,500 or more because it covers more questions. A useful way to decide: look at the pages already ranking for your keyword and cover what they cover, plus what they miss, without padding.
Characters with and without spaces
Characters with spaces is the total length of your text, counting every letter, number, space and punctuation mark. Characters without spaces leaves out the spaces, tabs and line breaks.
Most platform limits, such as a 280-character post on X or a meta description, count spaces. Some translation and publishing rates are quoted without spaces. Emoji and accented letters count as one character each here, the way a reader sees them.
How reading time is calculated
Reading time divides your word count by 238 words per minute, the average silent reading speed for adult non-fiction found in a 2019 review of 190 studies by Marc Brysbaert. Speaking time uses 150 words per minute, a typical pace for presentations and podcasts.
Real speeds vary a lot by reader and by how technical the text is, so treat both as estimates. Many blogs show a reading time at the top of each post to set expectations.
How long should a sentence be?
Shorter sentences are easier to read on screens. Plain-language guidelines commonly suggest an average of 15 to 20 words, and flag sentences over 25 words as candidates to split. The counter shows your average and your longest sentence so you can spot the outliers.
Variety matters too. A page of identical 12-word sentences reads flat. Mix short and medium sentences, and keep long ones for ideas that genuinely need them.
Common word count targets
Lengths people are often asked for, and what usually fits each.
- Meta description
- About 150 to 160 characters before Google may cut it off on desktop. Check it with the Meta Description Length Checker.
- Product description
- Often 50 to 300 words: enough to answer buying questions without burying the price and button.
- Blog post
- Whatever the topic needs. Look at what already ranks for the keyword rather than chasing a number.
- College essay
- Set by the application. The Common App personal essay, for example, has a 650-word limit.
What are the top keywords?
The top keywords list shows the single words you use most, leaving out common filler like the, and and of. It's a quick check that your text is about what you meant it to be about, and that you aren't repeating one word so often it reads awkwardly.
For two- and three-word phrases and a target keyword report, use the Keyword Density Checker.