Count words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs. Calculate reading time, keyword density, and Flesch readability score for any text.
Word Count & Text Analyzer
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Word Count for SEO, Writing, and Content Marketing
Word count is a key metric in SEO content strategy, academic writing, and content marketing. This tool goes beyond simple word count — it analyzes reading time, speaking time, keyword density, and sentence structure to help you optimize your content.
Ideal Word Count by Content Type
Blog post (general): 1,500–2,500 words
Pillar page / Ultimate guide: 3,000–10,000 words
Product description: 300–500 words
Landing page: 500–1,500 words (conversion-focused)
LinkedIn article: 1,000–2,000 words (sweet spot for engagement)
Email newsletter: 200–500 words (scan-friendly)
Reading Time Calculation
Average adult reading speed is 238 words per minute (WPM) for online content (slightly faster than print reading at ~200 WPM). Speaking speed averages 130 WPM. Use reading time estimates to set content expectations — blog posts under 7 minutes perform best for completion rate.
Keyword Density
Keyword density is how often a keyword appears relative to total word count. Target 1–2% density for your primary keyword — enough for relevance without appearing spammy. The keyword analysis here shows raw frequency; divide by total word count for density percentage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Word count is not a direct ranking factor — Google has confirmed this. However, longer content tends to rank better because: it covers a topic more comprehensively (matching user intent), earns more backlinks (reference material), generates more engagement, and naturally includes more keyword variations. The goal is topical depth, not arbitrary length. A 500-word page can outrank a 5,000-word page if it answers the query more precisely.
At 238 WPM (average online reading speed), a 5-minute read is approximately 1,190 words. A 10-minute read is ~2,380 words. A 1-minute read is ~240 words. Speaking at 130 WPM: a 5-minute speech = ~650 words. These are averages — technical content with complex terminology is read 20–30% slower.
1–2% for the primary keyword is a common target. For a 1,000-word article, that means mentioning the keyword 10–20 times. Above 3% starts looking spammy to both readers and search engines. Focus on natural language — Google's understanding of topics goes far beyond simple keyword counts. Include semantically related terms and synonyms rather than forcing exact-match repetition.
Google Docs: Tools → Word count (or Ctrl+Shift+C / Cmd+Shift+C). The dialog shows characters, characters without spaces, words, and pages. Check 'Display word count while typing' to show a live word count in the bottom bar. Microsoft Word: Review → Word Count, or view it in the bottom status bar. For web content, this tool handles pasted text directly.