How Long Should Your Case Study Be? (Hint: It’s not “It Depends”)

If I had a dollar every time someone answered, "How long should a case study be?" with "It depends," I could probably afford to buy eggs. Probably.

Putting aside the salty vibes, let’s skip past the vagueness and get straight to a clearer answer. Your case study needs to be as long as it takes to tell the story clearly—and not one sentence more. But since some may still find that response to be annoyingly vague, here’s a practical breakdown that might help you decide.

1. Lose the Word Count Mentality 🔢

Decision-makers are busy folks. Sure, they don’t want a novel, but they also don’t want a LinkedIn caption pretending to be a case study. At this point, stop thinking about word count, and think instead about what they need and what you're giving them. Go into enough detail for your reader to feel confident in the study without mentally wandering off and thinking about what’s for supper.

How?

• Use enough room in your case study to set the scene—cover the challenge, detail the solution, and explain the results clearly

• Easy to read or skim with the right structure—think bold headers, short paragraphs, and juicy bullet points

• Fits neatly onto two pages or less—great for PDFs, website content, and pitch decks

A case study should feel complete but digestible—so don’t get hung up on the word count (unless you’re paid by the word to write).

If you’re truly stuck on needing a word count for billing, selling, or OCD, try looking at previous examples of work, either yours or another writer's. Make sure the industry and subject matter are similar to yours for better accuracy.

2. Be brief, be bright, be gone ✨

Sometimes, less truly is more. Short-form case studies (if you must have a number, look at less than 1000 words) can absolutely do the job—if you use them wisely.

Best for:

Focus on the usual points, but trim the fat:

• A clear, relatable challenge

• The clients' solution

• One or two measurable but high-level results

These are teaser stories—snackable proof points that spark curiosity without diving into the weeds.

3. Don’t Skimp On The Details 🔎

Conversely, there are times when the story needs more room to breathe. Longer case studies (1000+ words) are great when:

• The buying decision involves high stakes, big budgets, or cross-functional teams

• There are multiple moving parts in the solution that need unpacking

• The audience is analytical or risk-averse—think enterprise software, financial services, healthcare tech

But longer doesn’t mean rambling on until their eyes glaze over; remember, glaze is only good for doughnuts 🍩

Use structure to keep it readable:

• Break it up with clear headings

• Highlight key takeaways with bold text or callout boxes

• Use pull quotes, mini client testimonials, and bulleted benefits

These longer formats can also double as gated content or assets for enterprise account-based marketing, where the extra detail helps build trust through the pipeline.

4. Quick Tips for Nailing Length 🎯

Whatever length you run with, the golden rule is this: don’t waste your reader’s time!

• Cut the fluff: If the sentence doesn’t move the story or decision along, cut it

• Bulletpoints are your friend: Help readers (and skimmers) find key points at a glance

• Edit ruthlessly: Also known as “k!ll your darlings,” it’s where clarity > cleverness

• Test the scroll: If you’re bored reading it, think how your reader will feel 💤

It’s a Wrap!

The perfect length for a case study isn’t a mystery—just aim to respect your readers’ time and deliver clarity fast. After all, your case study is there to build confidence and proof, not to cure insomnia.

Anyway, the next time someone gives you the answer, “It depends,” feel free to send them this article—and save everyone from another vague non-answer.

Or better yet, start writing case studies that are exactly the length they need to be, no more, no less.