Have you ever landed on a website and been hit with a wall of text? One where the paragraphs cram together, have impossibly long sentences, and use words you need a dictionary to understand? It’s overwhelming, and, let’s be real, you probably clicked away within seconds.
Your audience undoubtedly feels the same way. Nowadays, people are busy. They’re constantly bombarded with information and don’t have time to decipher complex messages. They want content that’s easy to read and gets straight to the point. If you don’t deliver, your audience will leave your website, ignore your email, or scroll past your social media posts without a second thought.
Fortunately, there’s a solution: the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease and Grade Level tests. With a quick scan, these tools assess how readable your content is and show you where to improve. It’s the secret to creating content that connects with your audience and gets you excellent results. Here’s how it works.
Understanding Flesch-Kincaid readability tests
The Flesch-Kincaid readability tests are 2 tests that help you figure out how easy your content is to read and understand. They look at how long your sentences are, how simple your word choices are, and how your ideas flow. The result? A quick score that shows whether your writing makes sense to your audience.
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level vs. Reading Ease
There are 2 types of Flesch-Kincaid tests, and each one looks at readability a little differently.
- The Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease test gives you a score from 0 to 100, with higher numbers meaning your content is easier to read. A score of 80 or more means your writing is simple and clear, while a lower score might mean it’s harder to follow.
- The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level test tells you the school grade level someone needs to understand your content. For example, if it scores a 7, your writing should be easy for someone with a 7th-grade education to follow.
Both tests are useful on their own, but together they give you a bigger picture of how easy your content is to read. With this information, you can make changes that keep your content accessible and engaging for your target audience.
Why readability is the key to better marketing messaging
Poor readability creates barriers. When readers struggle to understand your content, they leave, taking potential opportunities with them. Even the best ideas can’t make an impact if your audience gives up before they get the message.
Good readability does the opposite. Clear, concise writing shows you respect your audience’s time and understand their needs. It draws people in, keeps them engaged, and helps your message do its job, whether informing, selling, or entertaining.
But what reading level should you aim for? It depends on your audience. For general audiences, aim for a 6th- to 8th-grade level. Research shows about half of United States adults read at or below this level, so it’s a safe choice for reaching more people. If your audience is more specialized, you can adjust the complexity to fit their knowledge.
When to use Flesch-Kincaid readability scores
Readability checks can improve almost any marketing content you create. Here are some examples of where a Flesch-Kincaid scan can make a big difference:
- Website copy: Check every page on your site, from the homepage to product descriptions. Pay special attention to landing page copy and call-to-action (CTA) sections.
- Blog posts: Run scans on your headers and body content. If applicable, test the readability before and after adding technical terms or industry jargon.
- Whitepapers: Simplify complex topics by breaking them into easy-to-read sections and scan each part separately. Use visuals like charts to help explain complex data and concepts.
- Case studies: Test the readability of your success stories from start to finish. Focus on easy-to-follow problem-solving and results, with statistics and testimonials to add credibility.
- Email campaigns: Separately check subject lines, preview text, and body copy. For segmented audiences, adjust readability levels based on their needs.
- Social media posts: Keep your messages clear for fast scrolling speeds. Test organic posts and paid ad copy to ensure they’re easy to understand at a glance.
Check your Flesch-Kincaid test scores during your initial content review, when updating existing pieces, and before A/B testing different versions. Make it a regular part of your content optimization process, just like you’d check for spelling and grammar.
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How to check Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease and Grade Level
Checking your Flesch-Kincaid score is surprisingly simple. You don’t need to pull out a calculator or deal with complex formulas. Many everyday tools can help.
Most word processors have readability checkers that can score your content with just a few clicks. In Microsoft Word, you just have to turn this tool on in the settings. Google Docs users can find add-ons that provide this functionality, too.
Do you prefer to work online? No problem. There are plenty of free online tools and apps that can generate your Flesch-Kincaid score in seconds. Popular options, like Grammarly and Hemingway Editor, even offer helpful suggestions for improving your readability.
Once you’ve selected a program, just paste in your text and let the tool do the work. The Flesch-Kincaid test results will show if your content needs improvement. If the tool offers suggestions, it will highlight complex words and sentences so you can quickly fix them.
Quick tips to improve your Flesch-Kincaid test scores
If your Flesch-Kincaid scores aren’t hitting the mark, that’s OK. Small adjustments can result in a lower grade level score and significantly improve readability, such as:
- Use common words: Replace complex words with simpler ones, like use instead of utilize.
- Avoid jargon: Skip technical terms or explain them clearly if necessary.
- Shorten sentences: Break up any sentences longer than 20 words.
- Trim dense paragraphs: Keep paragraphs around 2 to 4 sentences long.
- Focus on clarity: Make sure each sentence delivers a single idea clearly and directly.
After adjusting your content, run another readability scan. You might be surprised at how much your score improves with just a few tweaks. Keep refining your content until you reach your desired readability level.
Limitations to consider with readability formulas
While readability formulas like Flesch-Kincaid are helpful, they’re not perfect. Here are some limitations to keep in mind.
- Ignores writing style: Readability scores don’t measure how well your voice and tone match your audience or how engaging your content is.
- Misses meaning: Chasing a better score can sometimes strip content of important details or make it sound unnatural.
- Skips visuals: These tools don’t factor in charts, images, or bullet points, which can significantly improve understanding.
Knowing your audience’s needs can help you balance readability scores with meaningful content. Use these formulas as a guide, but pair them with audience insights and a focus on clarity to create the best content possible.
Key takeaways
- Clear content gets better results: Simple, easy-to-read writing keeps your audience interested and makes your message more effective.
- Flesch-Kincaid tests are easy to use: These tools quickly show how easy your content is to understand, helping you spot and fix areas that might confuse your audience.
- Aim for a 6th- to 8th-grade level: Around half of US adults are at or below reading grade level 8, so it’s a great choice for most audiences.
- Check all your content: From websites to emails and social posts, readability checks improve clarity across all your marketing.
Use your scores as a guide: Use readability scores along with your own understanding of what works best for your audience.