What Is the Ideal Word Count for Landing Pages Emails and Ads

There's no single ideal word count. The right length is however many words a reader needs to take the next step, and no more. Some formats do have hard limits, though, and some lengths reliably work better.

Ads: the limits are fixed

• Google search ads: responsive search ads take headlines of up to 30 characters and descriptions of up to 90 characters. Google mixes and matches them.
• Meta (Facebook and Instagram) ads: Meta suggests keeping primary text to about 125 characters, because longer text is cut off with "See more".
• General rule: lead with the benefit, then the offer, then the call to action. Every word has to earn its place.

Emails

• Subject lines: phones show only the first few words, so put the point first and keep it short.
• Preview text: the line shown after the subject. Write it on purpose, or the email's first line appears.
• Body: one main message and one call to action. A short note can work as well as a long newsletter; it depends on what readers signed up for.

Landing pages

Length should match how big the decision is:

• Short pages suit simple, low-cost or free offers: a download, a newsletter, a free trial. A headline, a few benefits and a form can be enough.
• Long pages suit expensive, complex or unfamiliar offers. Readers need details, proof, answers to objections and pricing before they act.
• Either way: put the key message and call to action near the top, so people who are ready don't have to scroll.

Write for scanners

Long or short, most readers skim. Clear headings, short paragraphs and lists matter more than the total. See writing scannable content.

How to find your right length

1. List the questions a buyer asks before deciding, and answer each one.
2. Cut anything that doesn't answer a question or build trust.
3. Test two versions of different lengths with real traffic, and keep the winner.

Counting words

The word counter checks drafts, and Word Counter counts the words, sentences and paragraphs on any live page or selection, handy for comparing your page with competitors'. For blog posts, see how long a blog post should be.

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