WordPress And Content Length For Different Purposes

Content length isn't an SEO target by itself. Different content types warrant different lengths.

The news article

News should be timely. Length: 400-800 words typically.

The news is what happened; brief and direct.

The how-to tutorial

How-to needs enough detail to follow. Length: 800-2,500 words depending on complexity.

Simple how-tos (3-step process) are shorter; complex how-tos (setup with many steps and considerations) are longer.

The comprehensive guide

Comprehensive guides cover topics thoroughly. Length: 2,500-8,000 words.

Cornerstone content where the goal is being the definitive resource.

The opinion or analysis

Opinion pieces argue a position. Length: 800-2,000 words.

Enough to develop the argument; not so much that the argument gets lost.

The product or service description

Product descriptions in e-commerce: 200-500 words typically.

Service descriptions on business sites: 500-1,500 words.

Enough to inform the buying decision; not so much that users skip.

The landing page

Marketing landing pages vary widely. Some converting pages are 200 words (clear value proposition, prominent CTA); some are 2,500+ words (comprehensive offer with extensive support).

The length should match the offer's complexity and price.

The FAQ entry

Each FAQ answer: 50-200 words.

Clear, direct answer to the specific question.

The honest framing

Content length follows from purpose. Don't target arbitrary word counts; write what the topic needs.

The trap of length targets: padded content that hits the word count but lacks substance. Search engines and readers detect the pattern.