Paste or type any text to count words, characters, sentences and paragraphs as you write. The counter also shows reading time, speaking time, average sentence length and your most-used keywords and phrases, all calculated privately in your browser.
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What the word counter measures
- Words: every word, including numbers and hyphenated terms.
- Characters, with and without spaces, useful for meta descriptions, social posts and forms with character limits.
- Sentences and paragraphs, to judge structure at a glance.
- Reading time, based on about 238 words per minute, a widely cited average for adults reading silently.
- Speaking time, based on about 150 words per minute, handy for videos, podcasts, presentations and voicemail scripts.
- Average sentence length. Long averages usually mean harder reading.
- Top keywords and two-word phrases, with their density as a share of all words, ignoring common filler words such as “the” and “and”.
Your text never leaves your device. It is processed in your browser and only saved locally so it is still there if you refresh.
How to use it
- Paste your draft into the box, or start typing.
- Read the statistics panel. Everything updates as you type.
- Check the average sentence length. If it is over about 20 words, look for long sentences to split.
- Review the top keywords. Your main topic should appear naturally; nothing should dominate the list unnaturally.
- Use Clear to start again with a new piece.
How long should content be?
There is no ideal word count for SEO. Google ranks pages that best satisfy the search, and length is only useful when it adds value. A product description can do its job in 150 words; a complete guide may need 2,000. Use the counter to make sure you have covered the topic properly and not padded it.
A practical approach is to look at the pages that already rank for your search, note what questions they answer, and make sure your page answers those questions more clearly, with your own experience and examples. Then use the word count to keep yourself honest: if you have far fewer words than every ranking page, you have probably left something out; if you have far more, check for repetition.
Common length guides for business websites:
- Meta description: about 120–155 characters.
- Social posts: check each platform’s limit; shorter posts are usually read more.
- Service pages: enough to explain the service, who it is for, prices or price factors, the process and common questions, often 600–1,200 words.
- Blog guides: whatever it takes to answer the question completely, often 1,000–2,000 words.
What keyword density tells you (and what it does not)
Keyword density is how often a word or phrase appears compared with the total number of words. Old SEO advice recommended hitting a fixed percentage. That is outdated: modern search engines understand topics, synonyms and context, and repeating a phrase unnaturally can make content read like spam. Use the density list as a sanity check. Your main topic should be present and clear. If one phrase is far above everything else, rewrite some instances using natural variations.
Worked example
A home cleaning company in Brisbane drafts a 410-word service page. The counter shows an average sentence length of 27 words and the phrase “cleaning services” in the top spot at 6% density. The writer splits the longest sentences, replaces some repetitions with specific terms such as “end-of-lease clean” and “weekly home clean”, and adds sections customers ask about: what is included, prices from, areas covered and how to book. The new version is 780 words, with an average sentence length of 15 words and a more natural keyword spread.
Tips for clearer writing
- Lead with the answer, then explain.
- Keep most sentences under 20 words and paragraphs to two or three sentences on screen.
- Use headings that match the questions readers ask.
- Prefer specific words to general ones: “same-day boiler repair” rather than “quality services”.
- Read your draft aloud; the speaking time shows how long that takes.
Tips for local businesses
Local customers in the US, UK, Canada and Australia want quick, practical answers: what you do, where you work, what it costs and how to contact you. Use the counter to keep service pages focused and scannable, and make sure your town or area appears naturally where it helps the reader, for example in the service-area section. Avoid repeating city names over and over; one clear mention in the right places reads better and works better.
Frequently asked questions
Does the word counter save or upload my text?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser. Your text is stored only in your own browser so it survives a refresh, and you can clear it at any time.
How is reading time calculated?
Words divided by about 238 words per minute, a commonly cited average for adult silent reading. Technical or unfamiliar content takes longer to read.
What is a good keyword density?
There is no target number. Write naturally for the reader. If a phrase repeats so often that it sounds forced, rewrite it.
Does word count affect Google rankings?
Not directly. Google looks for content that satisfies the search. Longer pages rank only when the extra length adds useful information.
Why does my word processor show a slightly different count?
Tools treat hyphenated words, numbers and symbols differently. Small differences are normal and do not matter for planning.
Related free tools
- Meta Title & Description Checker: check the length and keywords of your meta tags.
- SERP Snippet Preview: preview how the page appears in Google.
- llms.txt Generator: summarise your best content for AI tools.
Want content that is written to rank and to convert? See SEMRS SEO Content Writing →