Go to Google and type: domain.com eg. contentamp.com into the search field. Click on ‘More Search Tools’, click on ‘All results’ and then select ‘Reading level’.
You should then see a table displaying the reading level for your webpage – here’s one we made earlier.
This is not entirely reliable, of course: for starters the formulae do not take human factors into account such as the reader’s experience and previous knowledge on the subject. However, it is a good indicator of whereabouts your webpage sits on the readability scale.
Why should I care about readability?
It is a common misconception that the more advanced the terminology and the more complex the writing, the more acknowledgement a brand will get.
Don’t fall for this.
Crucial to content creation is the ability to write to retain a reader’s interest and ensure your target audience will understand your brand’s message.
Good readability will keep hold of readers, who will not be scared off by difficult language and scuttle away in search of something easier to understand.
Readability is also important for SEO purposes. When your website’s content is clear, legible and easy to understand – as well as relevant and engaging of course – search engines will favour it over others and rank it more highly.
Why you don’t want to fail the readability test…
…in the words of renowned SEO writer and author David Amerland. It’s a great quote (not to mention very readable) so take it on board when writing/publishing/amplifying.
“If your website fails the readability test then you are creating content only for search engines and that is the surest way to fail Google’s intense focus on quality sites and drop out of the very rankings you are chasing.
“The age of ‘hard’ SEO where rankings were achieved when all the technical SEO boxes were ticked are over.
“This is the age of the semantic web where SEO success is intrinsically bound to your website’s ability to deliver true value to its visitors and the online world. Generating value is an advanced concept, which requires hard thinking and a carefully detailed content-creation plan. The road that leads to it has many steps and readability is a good place to start.”
Boost readability
The key here is to find the right balance. While locating complex words that would require a dictionary – or a specialist dictionary at that – and replacing them with simpler synonyms is a good start, you don’t want to make it too basic, as this could imply a lack of professionalism and people may not take you seriously.
But remember, content is not all about words. Headlines, images and other media all form part of your piece, and each component should be treated with equal importance.
Finding a great image and creating an attractive visual layout – so making the most of subheadings to break up chunks of text, keeping paragraphs concise and ensuring the font is readable and easy on the eye – can help boost readability.
