Why FreshRank's Word Count May Differ from WordPress

You may notice that FreshRank's word count doesn't always match the word count shown in WordPress's Gutenberg editor. This is expected behavior due to how FreshRank processes content.

Common Reasons for Differences

1. Shortcodes Are Removed - FreshRank removes all shortcodes before counting words.

2. HTML and Formatting Are Stripped - FreshRank removes HTML tags and formatting elements.

3. Special Characters in Non-English Languages - For languages with special characters or non-Latin scripts, tokenization may differ.

4. Complex Formatting and Blocks - Gutenberg blocks with complex formatting may count differently.

When Word Count Matters

For Analysis:

• Content length issues are identified based on FreshRank's count
• Recommendations for content expansion use FreshRank's baseline

For Your Own Tracking:

• Use WordPress's count if you track word counts externally
• FreshRank's count is for analysis purposes only
• Differences typically minor (±5-10% in most cases)

What to Do About It

Generally: Nothing

• Different counting methods are normal
• Both counts are "correct" for their purposes
• FreshRank's analysis remains accurate regardless

If concerned:

• Check if shortcodes or HTML are inflating WordPress word count
• Review actual readable content length
• Focus on quality over exact word count