What Is Readability?
Readability measures how easy it is to understand written content. The Flesch Reading Ease score rates text from 0 to 100. Higher scores mean easier reading.
Flesch Reading Ease Scale
| Score | Level | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| 90-100 | Very Easy | Primary school level |
| 80-89 | Easy | Conversational English |
| 70-79 | Fairly Easy | General audience |
| 60-69 | Standard | Ideal for most web content |
| 50-59 | Fairly Difficult | May lose casual readers |
| 30-49 | Difficult | Academic or technical |
| 0-29 | Very Difficult | Specialist material only |
Why Readability Matters for SEO
If your content is too complex for the audience searching for it, users bounce quickly. High bounce rates signal to Google that the page did not satisfy the searcher. Writing in clear, accessible language keeps readers engaged and improves rankings.
How RankNibbler Checks Readability
RankNibbler calculates the Flesch Reading Ease score by analysing average words per sentence and syllables per word. The Content tab shows the score, reading level, sentence count, and averages. Aim for 60+ for general web content.
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