The myth sounds data-driven: Studies show top-ranking pages average 2000+ words, so every page needs lengthy content. Businesses start padding service pages and product descriptions to meet imaginary minimums.
Before analysis, an HVAC company created a 2400-word page about "emergency furnace repair" that included the history of heating systems, detailed explanations of every furnace component, maintenance tips, and energy efficiency statistics. Comprehensive by word count, but unfocused.
What the data actually reveals: Those correlation studies confuse cause and effect. Pages don't rank because they're long. Complex topics requiring thorough explanation tend to need more words and also tend to satisfy search intent better. The word count is a byproduct, not the goal.
After understanding intent, that HVAC company restructured their page around what someone with a broken furnace actually needs: service area coverage, response time commitments, diagnostic process explanation, and transparent pricing indicators. The page dropped to 600 words but conversion improved.
The analytical perspective: A page about "what is HTTPS" might legitimately need 1800 words to cover certificates, encryption, implementation, and troubleshooting. A page about "emergency plumber contact" needs 300 words maximum. Intent determines necessary depth.
Match your content length to the complexity of the question being asked, not to benchmark averages from unrelated queries.