Why count words?
📝 Academic Papers
ENEM essays require a minimum of 7-30 lines (approx. 70-300 words). TCCs usually require 10,000-20,000 words. Master's dissertations: 20,000-40,000 words. Doctoral theses: 50,000-80,000 words. Use the counter to ensure you meet the requirements.
🔍 SEO and Content Marketing
Google favors extensive and complete content. Ideal blog articles have 1500-2500 words. Authority posts (pillar content) should have 3000+ words. Landing pages: 500-800 words. Product descriptions: 150-300 words. Meta descriptions: 150-160 characters (not words!).
📱 Social Media
Twitter: 280 characters. LinkedIn: short posts (50-100 words) generate more engagement. Facebook: 40-80 characters are ideal. Instagram: captions of 138-150 characters appear complete before "more". Use our tool to optimize reach.
📚 Publications and Books
Short stories: 1,000-7,500 words. Novellas: 17,500-40,000 words. Novels: 50,000-110,000 words (variation by genre). Scientific articles: 3,000-10,000 words. Conference papers: 2,500-6,000 words. Check guidelines from publishers and journals.
Metrics explained
Words
Sequences of characters separated by spaces. Main metric for academic papers and SEO.
Characters (with spaces)
Total characters including spaces, punctuation, and line breaks. Used in tweets and some social networks.
Characters (without spaces)
Only letters, numbers, and symbols. Used in some academic papers and publishing platforms.
Paragraphs
Blocks of text separated by a blank line. Good structure: 3-5 sentences per paragraph, 50-200 words.
Sentences
Segments ending in . ! or ?. Short sentences (10-20 words) improve readability. Vary the size for rhythm.
Reading Time
Based on 225 words/minute (adult average). Useful for estimating the duration of speeches, presentations, and articles.
Content size guide
| Content Type | Ideal Words | Reading Time |
|---|---|---|
| Blog post (short) | 300-600 | 1-3 min |
| Blog post (medium) | 800-1200 | 3-5 min |
| Blog post (long/SEO) | 1500-2500 | 6-11 min |
| Authority article | 3000-5000 | 13-22 min |
| ENEM essay | 200-300 | 1 min |
| Scientific article | 3000-10000 | 13-44 min |
| TCC (undergraduate) | 10000-20000 | 44-89 min |
| Dissertation (master's) | 20000-40000 | 89-178 min |
| Short novel | 50000-80000 | 3.7-5.9 hours |
Tips for optimizing your text
✓ For SEO
Articles of 1500-2500 words rank better. Use subheadings (H2, H3) every 300-400 words. Short paragraphs (3-5 sentences) improve readability on mobile. Include keywords naturally (density 1-2%).
✓ For Academic Papers
Always check specific requirements (min/max words). Use revision tools to eliminate unnecessary words. Direct citations count towards the total word count. Bibliographic references generally DO NOT count.
✓ For Social Media
Less is more. LinkedIn: 50-100 words. Facebook: 40-80 characters for maximum reach. Twitter: use 280 characters wisely. Instagram: first 125 characters appear without "more".
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does the word counter work?
The counter analyzes your text in real time and identifies words separated by spaces. In addition to counting words, it also calculates characters (with and without spaces), paragraphs, sentences, and estimates the average reading time based on a standard speed of 200-250 words per minute.
What is the purpose of counting words?
Counting words is essential for: • Essays and TCCs: to meet minimum/maximum word limits • SEO and blogs: to optimize article size (800-2000 words ideal) • Social media: to respect post limits • Academic papers: dissertations, theses, scientific papers • Copywriting: to adapt advertising texts to limited spaces
What is the ideal size of an article for SEO?
For SEO, articles between 800-2000 words generally perform better. Longer content (1500+ words) tends to rank better on Google, as it provides more complete information. However, quality is more important than quantity - short, well-written texts can outperform long, empty articles.
How to calculate reading time?
Reading time is estimated based on an average speed of 200-250 words per minute for silent reading in Portuguese. For reading aloud (narration), the speed drops to 150-180 words/min. Our tool uses 225 words/min as standard, providing a realistic estimate for most readers.
Difference between characters with and without spaces?
With spaces: counts all characters including spaces, line breaks, and tabs. Without spaces: counts only letters, numbers, and symbols, excluding blank spaces. Some editors and platforms specify which to use - always check the instructions of the work or publication.