For most posts, 1,000 to 1,500 words. A direct how-to answer needs only 300 to 600. A comprehensive guide earns 2,000 or more. Word count isn't a ranking factor — length is a by-product of answering the question completely and then stopping.
This is the short version. For the reasoning, the data behind those ranges, and how to structure longer pieces, read The Perfect Length for SEO-Friendly Blog Posts.
Length by post type
| Post type | Target range | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Direct answer / how-to | 300–600 words | The reader wants steps, not context. Padding pushes the answer below the fold. |
| Standard blog post | 1,000–1,500 words | Room for context, examples and internal links without repeating yourself. |
| Comprehensive guide | 2,000–3,000 words | Only when the topic genuinely has that many distinct sub-questions. |
| Product roundup / gift guide | 1,200–2,000 words | Driven by how many products you cover, roughly 150 words each. |
| News or announcement | 300–500 words | Recency carries these, not depth. |
How to pick the number before you write
Search your target phrase, open the top five results, and note their length. That's Google's revealed preference for the query. If everything ranking is 600 words, publishing 2,500 will not beat them — it will bury the answer. If everything ranking is 2,500 words and you publish 600, you'll be missing sections readers expect.
Then ask what the reader needs to leave satisfied. Write that. Cut the rest.
Signs your post is the wrong length
Too short: you've answered the headline question but not the two obvious follow-ups. Readers bounce back to Google within seconds and Search Console shows impressions without clicks holding.
Too long: you've added a "what is X" section that nobody searching your keyword needs, or you're restating the intro in the conclusion. Both are padding, and both dilute the page.
A useful test: delete every sentence that doesn't add a fact, a step, or an example. Whatever's left is your real word count.
What actually moves rankings
Length correlates with rankings mostly because thorough posts tend to be longer, not because Google counts words. What matters more:
- Answering the query in the first 40 words, so the page can be pulled into featured snippets and AI answers.
- Structure — descriptive H2s and H3s that match the sub-questions people ask.
- Internal links to related posts and to the products or collections the post supports.
- Original detail — screenshots, numbers, your own results. That's what a competitor can't copy.
Practical mechanics of writing to that standard are in How to Create an SEO-Friendly Blog Post. Stuck on what to write about, use the free Blog Ideas Generator.
FAQ
Is 500 words too short for a blog post?
Not if 500 words fully answers the question. Short, precise how-to posts routinely rank in position one and win featured snippets. It's too short when the query implies comparison, buying decisions or multiple methods, and you've covered only one of them.
Does Google have a minimum word count?
No. Google has repeatedly confirmed word count is not a ranking factor, and pages of a few hundred words rank for plenty of queries. What Google does penalise is thin content — pages with no substantive information — which correlates with low word counts but isn't caused by them.
How long should a Shopify blog post be?
Same ranges as any blog. Shopify-specific consideration: posts that support a collection or product page work best at 800 to 1,500 words with two or three product links placed inline where they're relevant, rather than dumped at the end.
Should I expand old short posts to rank better?
Only if there are real questions you left unanswered. Padding an existing post to hit a word count usually lowers its quality. A better use of the same hour is improving the title, adding internal links from newer posts, and refreshing outdated facts.