How Many Words Should A Website Page Have?
If you've ever wondered whether your website pages are too short (or way too long), this one's for you.
We all want websites that both our visitors and the search engines love, but how much content is just right? Let's cut through the confusion with some practical guidance based on best practices.
What is the Ideal Word Count for Better Google Rankings?
Search engines are like curious friends trying to figure out what your website is all about! But they don't need a novel. Quality trumps quantity every time, according to Google's own search quality evaluator guidelines.
The first thing to keep in mind is that pages with less than 300 words are seen as "thin content" by search engines and usually won’t rank well. A best practice is to aim for at least 300-500 words. This gives search engines enough information to figure out what your page is about without overwhelming your visitors. Blog posts and in-depth guides naturally run longer (1,000-1,500+ words) because they answer specific questions in detail, which aligns with Google's helpful content system, which prioritizes people-first content.
Remember: One well-written, helpful page will outperform five thin, rushed pages every time. Focus on answering your visitors' questions completely rather than hitting an arbitrary word count. This strategy lines up with Google's focus on E-E-A-T principles—experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness—making sure your content is top quality and credible.
Ideal Word Counts for Different Types of Web Pages
Different pages serve different purposes, with varying word count requirements based on user intent. Here's a guide based on best practices I recently researched.
Home Page: 400-600 words work well according to Seo.co. Focus on who you are, who you help, and how you solve their problems. You want just enough content to be compelling without overwhelming first-time visitors. Visitors spend less than 15 seconds evaluating your website, so be sure to include the key information they seek on your home page, but in an abbreviated amount. You will use your individual pages to expand upon the details.
About Page: 400-600 words strike a good balance. Share your story, values, education, credentials as it related to your clients. Also, highlight what makes your approach unique. This isn't just your business history—it's about connecting with potential clients on a human level. This builds the "experience" and “authority” component of E-E-A-T by demonstrating real-world credentials and background.
Services Pages: 500-800 words per service gives you room to explain what you offer, who it's for, what problems it solves, and what makes your approach special. Include anticipated transformations and add client testimonials if your industry permits. Testimonials increase the trustworthiness signals that both users and search engines look for, demonstrating the “trust” aspect of E-E-A-T.
Blog Posts: 1,000-2,000 words is the sweet spot for most topics according to Backlink.co. This gives you enough space to provide real value while keeping reader engagement. For complex subjects or comprehensive guides, 2,000+ words may be appropriate. Data from content research firms consistently shows that longer, in-depth articles tend to rank better for informational queries, demonstrating the "expertise" aspect of E-E-A-T.
FAQ Pages: 800-1,200 words total is ideal if you choose to have a single page to address all FAQs related to your services. Structure with 8-12 questions that your clients actually ask (not ones you wish they'd ask). Keep the answers concise—about 75-150 words each. This page pulls double duty: it saves your clients time while showing search engines you understand your audience's needs.
Contact Pages: Keep it lean at 150-250 words. You want to rank your primary pages for SEO, not your contact page, so less is fine here, but enough to help visitors feel comfortable reaching out. Provide your contact information, a simple form, and clear expectations about response times. A brief paragraph about why someone should reach out and what happens next adds just the right amount of reassurance without creating friction. Including your physical address (if applicable) enhances local SEO and adds to trustworthiness.
Tips for Creating Clear, Engaging Content Without Overwhelming Visitors
Your website should feel like a helpful conversation, not an information dump. Here's how to keep things balanced according to user experience research:
Break content into scannable chunks with clear headings (helping search engines get a better idea of your content hierarchy)
Use bullet points for quick takeaways (like we're doing here!)
Include plenty of white space so readers' eyes can rest (reducing bounce rates, which is a positive signal to search engines)
Cut unnecessary words and phrases that don't add value (improving content quality scores)
The goal is to make information easy to find and digest. Think about how you read online—probably by scanning first and then diving deeper into sections that interest you. Design your content with this behavior in mind, as confirmed by numerous eye-tracking studies and web usability research.
How to Know If Your Website Needs a Content Update
Ask yourself these evidence-based questions derived from web usability studies:
Can a first-time visitor understand what you do within 5 seconds?
Are your most important services or products easy to find?
Does your content answer the questions your customers commonly ask?
Is there a clear next step on every page?
If you answered "no" to any of these, your content probably needs attention. The good news? You don't have to rewrite everything at once. Start with your most visited pages (check your analytics data) and gradually work through the rest. This step-by-step approach is recommended by SEO experts as the most efficient way to improve site performance.
Turn Your Website Into a Professional, High-Performing Site That Delivers Results
Finding the right amount of content for your website doesn't have to be complicated. Remember the essentials backed by search engine guidelines and user research:
Aim for at least 500 words on standard pages
Create thorough but scannable content
Adjust your word count based on each page's purpose
Regularly check that visitors can quickly understand what you offer and what to do next
Your website should be your hardest-working marketing tool. Let's make sure the words on it are doing their job.
About Dreamtime Marketing
Dreamtime Marketing specializes in website design, branding, and blog copywriting for health and wellness professionals, counselors, and coaches. Founded by Hope Himel-Benson, a certified digital marketing strategist with over 20 years of experience and a background in clinical social work, mental health, senior care, and healthcare communications, Dreamtime Marketing helps solo and small group practices to create a professional online presence that attracts the right clients.
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