What this tool checks
Five things, all shown separately rather than folded into one opaque number: length, word balance, readability, structure, and how the headline fits into a Google search result or a social/email preview before it gets cut off.
Length
Worth 25 of the 100 points, split between character count and word count. The target range is roughly 40–60 characters and 6–12 words — short enough to read in one glance, long enough to say something specific. Headlines outside that range aren't automatically wrong, but they're working against how most readers actually scan.
Word balance
Every word in the headline gets classified into one of four categories, shown color-coded in the highlighted preview:
- Power words — words that imply urgency, value, or action (free, proven, instant, ultimate)
- Emotional words — words that trigger a feeling (shocking, heartwarming, incredible)
- Common words — the connective tissue of English (the, and, of, in) that every headline needs some of, but too much of which makes a headline forgettable
- Uncommon words — everything else, usually the specific nouns and verbs that make a headline distinctive rather than generic
A headline made entirely of common words with nothing else tends to read as vague. This tool flags it when that happens rather than just docking points silently. Worth noting: this is word-category classification against curated lists, not sentiment analysis — it doesn't determine whether a headline reads as positive or negative overall, only whether it leans on words known to trigger interest.
Readability
Computed from a Flesch-Kincaid-based grade level estimate. Unlike long-form writing, headlines are never penalized for being too simple — there's no such thing as a headline that reads too easily. The only readability penalty here is for headlines that get unusually dense or academic, which is rare but does happen with jargon-heavy titles.
Structure
Checks whether the headline leads or ends with a power or emotional word (readers weight the first and last few words of a headline more heavily than the middle), whether it includes a specific number, and whether enough of the headline is made of distinctive rather than generic words.
Search & social fit
Google truncates search result titles at roughly 60 characters; most social platforms and email clients start clipping previews somewhere in the 65–75 character range on mobile. This checks the raw character count against both thresholds and shows a live preview of each.
What this tool won't do
It doesn't predict click-through rate, run A/B tests, or know your specific audience. Two headlines can score identically and perform very differently depending on context, platform, and who's reading. Treat the score as a structural checklist — the kind of thing an editor would catch on a fast read-through — not a guarantee of performance.
Frequently asked questions
How is the headline score calculated?
Split across five categories: length (25 pts), word balance (25 pts), readability (20 pts), structure (15 pts), and search & social fit (15 pts). Every sub-score is shown, not just the total.
What counts as a power word or emotional word?
Power words imply action, urgency, or value (free, proven, instant). Emotional words trigger a feeling (shocking, heartwarming, incredible). Common words are everyday connective words (the, and, of). Everything else counts as an uncommon word — usually the specific, distinctive language that makes a headline stand out.
Why does my short, simple headline still score well?
Headlines are never penalized for being easy to read. Unlike long-form writing, there's no such thing as "too simple" — the readability score only costs points for unusually advanced or convoluted phrasing.
What is the ideal character count and word count for a headline?
Roughly 40–60 characters and 6–12 words. It's a guideline that tends to read well and fit previews cleanly, not a hard rule.
What is the maximum length for a Google search result snippet?
Roughly 60 characters, though Google's actual cutoff is based on pixel width rather than a fixed character count. The live Google preview card shows exactly how your headline would appear.
What is the ideal length for a social or email preview?
Around 71 characters before most platforms and email clients start truncating on mobile. The social preview card shows exactly where that cutoff falls for your headline.
Does complex language lower the readability score?
Yes — unusually advanced or jargon-heavy phrasing costs points. Simple, direct language never does.
Why should headlines lead or end with a strong word?
Readers weight the first and last few words more heavily than the middle when scanning. The structure score checks for this, along with a specific number and enough distinctive (non-filler) language.
What does the color-coded highlighting show?
Each word is colored by category — power, emotional, common, or uncommon — as a quick visual check for whether a headline leans too heavily on generic filler language.
Sources
The readability calculation is based on the Flesch-Kincaid grade-level formula, originally derived for the U.S. Navy:
- Kincaid, J.P., Fishburne, R.P., Rogers, R.L., & Chissom, B.S. (1975). Derivation of New Readability Formulas for Navy Enlisted Personnel. Research Branch Report 8-75, U.S. Naval Air Station, Memphis. Freely available via the Internet Archive / Defense Technical Information Center.
The ~60-character Google search result guidance is based on:
Privacy
Everything runs in your browser. Headlines you type here are never sent anywhere.