Long content ranks better: the average first-page Google result has 1,447 words (Backlinko)
Misquoted Confidence: high
Primary source found, but the way it is quoted changes the subject, metric, population or precision.
- Commonly cited as
- "The ideal blog post length is 1,447 words" / "Longer content ranks higher"
- True origin
- Backlinko (Brian Dean) — We Analyzed 11.8 Million Google Search Results (last updated Apr. 14, 2025)
- Type
- Stat check: A widely repeated statistic traced back to its origin.
- Year
- Page last updated 2025 (study date not stated on the page)
- Data as of
- Analysis of 11.8 million results; page last updated Apr. 14, 2025
- Last checked
- What the source says
We discovered that word count was evenly distributed among the top 10 results. The average Google first page result contains 1,447 words.
- Method & sample
- Correlation study of 11.8 million Google search results; correlation, not causation.
- Drift between quote and source
- Meaning: the same sentence says word count was evenly distributed, i.e. no ranking advantage for longer pages
- Type: an average turned into a target length
- Interest
- Backlinko promotes Semrush SEO software (the page carries a Semrush trial offer).
Safe rephrasing
Backlinko's analysis of 11.8 million results found the average first-page result had 1,447 words, but word count was evenly distributed across positions 1–10, so it doesn't show longer content ranks higher.
Sources we opened
Machine-readable: /api/claims/first-page-google-result-1447-words-backlinko.json · Last checked 2026-10-16