How Word Counting Works
Words = text.trim().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean).length
Read Time = Math.ceil(words / 200) // 200 wpm average
The tool splits text on any whitespace sequence and counts non-empty tokens. Sentences are detected by terminal punctuation (. ! ?). Reading time is based on the adult average of 200 words per minute.
Ideal Word Count by Content Type
- Tweet / X post: ≤280 characters
- Instagram caption: 138–150 words (engagement peak)
- Email subject line: 6–10 words
- Blog post (SEO): 1,500–2,500 words for competitive topics
- In-depth guide / pillar post: 3,000–5,000 words
- University essay: Follows assignment spec; typically 1,000–5,000
- Short story: 1,000–7,500 words
- Novel: 70,000–100,000 words
SEO and Word Count
Google doesn't have a minimum word count. What matters is topic coverage depth. However, longer content naturally covers more related keywords and earns more backlinks. Studies show pages ranking in the top 10 average 1,447–2,200 words.
Reading Time Benchmarks
- 500 words → ~2.5 minutes
- 1,000 words → ~5 minutes
- 2,500 words → ~12.5 minutes (ideal for newsletter)
- A full novel → ~8–10 hours
Count words, characters, sentences, and estimated reading time — instantly and 100% offline.
Try the Word Counter →