Why count words and characters?
- Writers — Hit article length targets (1000 words, 280 chars for tweets)
- Students — Check essay length against assignment requirements
- SEO content — Meta descriptions need ~155–160 characters
- Public speakers — Estimate talk duration from script length
Reading & speaking time formulas
- Reading: 200 words per minute (average adult)
- Speaking: 130 words per minute (presentation pace)