{
  "schema_version": "1.1",
  "id": "first-page-google-result-1447-words-backlinko",
  "slug": "first-page-google-result-1447-words-backlinko",
  "url": "https://groundedkit.com/claims/first-page-google-result-1447-words-backlinko/",
  "api_url": "https://groundedkit.com/api/claims/first-page-google-result-1447-words-backlinko.json",
  "claim": "Long content ranks better: the average first-page Google result has 1,447 words (Backlinko)",
  "commonly_cited_as": "\"The ideal blog post length is 1,447 words\" / \"Longer content ranks higher\"",
  "verdict": "misquoted",
  "verdict_definition": "Primary source found, but the way it is quoted changes the subject, metric, population or precision.",
  "confidence": "high",
  "rating": {
    "value": 2,
    "best": 5,
    "worst": 1
  },
  "origin": {
    "publisher": "Backlinko (Brian Dean)",
    "title": "We Analyzed 11.8 Million Google Search Results (last updated Apr. 14, 2025)",
    "year": "Page last updated 2025 (study date not stated on the page)"
  },
  "quote": "We discovered that word count was evenly distributed among the top 10 results. The average Google first page result contains 1,447 words.",
  "method": "Correlation study of 11.8 million Google search results; correlation, not causation.",
  "drift": [
    "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": [
    {
      "title": "Backlinko — We Analyzed 11.8 Million Google Search Results",
      "url": "https://backlinko.com/search-engine-ranking",
      "primary": true
    }
  ],
  "kind": "stat_check",
  "as_of": "Analysis of 11.8 million results; page last updated Apr. 14, 2025",
  "last_checked": "2026-10-16",
  "stale": false,
  "date_reviewed": "2026-10-16",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}