Why word count still matters for SEO
While Google has officially said word count is not a ranking factor, every study from Backlinko, SEMrush and Ahrefs continues to show that pages ranking on page 1 average 1,400–1,800 words. Why? Because longer content covers topics more comprehensively, earns more backlinks and answers more user questions per visit.
Ideal word counts by content type
Blog posts: 1,200–2,000 words. Pillar pages: 2,500–4,000 words. Product pages: 300–600 words. Local landing pages: 600–900 words. Homepages: 400–700 words above the fold.
Reading time and engagement
Indian readers on mobile abandon content above 8-minute reads unless it is highly visual. Aim for 4–7 minutes (800–1,400 words) for blog content targeting Indian audiences, and use subheadings every 200–300 words to maintain scrollability.
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