{"id":34979,"date":"2013-08-27T23:47:32","date_gmt":"2013-08-27T18:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=34979"},"modified":"2026-10-13T13:42:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:12:26","slug":"check-website-reading-level","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Check Your Website Reading Level (and Improve It) in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Is your website easy to read? In 2013 we checked our <strong>website reading level<\/strong> with a Google search filter that sorted results into Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. Google removed that filter years ago, but reading level still matters: most people skim on phones, and simple, clear writing keeps them reading. Here is how to check your website reading level in 2026, and how to improve it.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-63963\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/website-reading-level-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"Check website reading level\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/website-reading-level-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/website-reading-level-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/website-reading-level-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/website-reading-level-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/website-reading-level.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> Paste your page URL or text into a free readability checker such as the WebFX Readability Test, Hemingway Editor or Readable. Look at the Flesch Reading Ease score (60 to 70 is plain English) and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (aim for grade 7 to 9 for most websites). Then shorten long sentences, use common words and break up long paragraphs.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad791b7706ef\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad791b7706ef\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/#What_happened_to_Googles_reading_level_filter\" >What happened to Google&#8217;s reading level filter?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/#How_to_check_your_website_reading_level\" >How to check your website reading level<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/#Understanding_readability_scores\" >Understanding readability scores<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/#How_to_improve_your_website_reading_level\" >How to improve your website reading level<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/#Does_reading_level_affect_SEO\" >Does reading level affect SEO?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/#What_is_a_good_reading_level_for_a_website\" >What is a good reading level for a website?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/#Can_I_check_the_reading_level_of_a_competitors_site\" >Can I check the reading level of a competitor&#8217;s site?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2013\/08\/check-website-reading-level\/#Is_there_a_free_reading_level_checker\" >Is there a free reading level checker?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_to_Googles_reading_level_filter\"><\/span>What happened to Google&#8217;s reading level filter?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google once let you add &#8220;Reading level&#8221; to search tools and see how much of a site was Basic, Intermediate or Advanced. Back then QuickOnlineTips came out mostly Intermediate, Reddit was mostly Basic and Stack Overflow was more Advanced. Google quietly removed the feature around 2015, so you now need a readability tool to measure it.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_check_your_website_reading_level\"><\/span>How to check your website reading level<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.webfx.com\/tools\/read-able\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WebFX Readability Test<\/a>:<\/strong> enter a URL or paste text to get Flesch Reading Ease, Flesch-Kincaid grade, Gunning Fog and other scores.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/hemingwayapp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hemingway Editor<\/a>:<\/strong> highlights long, hard-to-read sentences, passive voice and complex words, and shows a grade level as you edit.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/readable.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Readable<\/a>:<\/strong> detailed readability scores and keyword checks, with a free trial.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Microsoft Word:<\/strong> turn on &#8220;Show readability statistics&#8221; in Options &gt; Proofing to see Flesch scores after a spelling check.<\/li>\n<li><strong>WordPress SEO plugins:<\/strong> Yoast SEO includes a readability analysis, and Rank Math flags long paragraphs and sentences while you write.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Understanding_readability_scores\"><\/span>Understanding readability scores<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Flesch Reading Ease:<\/strong> 0 to 100. Higher is easier. 60 to 70 is plain English that most adults read easily. Below 30 is very difficult.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level:<\/strong> the US school grade needed to understand the text. Most popular websites aim for grade 7 to 9.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gunning Fog Index:<\/strong> estimates years of education needed. Under 12 is good for a general audience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Technical topics will score harder, and that is fine. The goal is to remove unnecessary difficulty, not to dumb down expert content.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_improve_your_website_reading_level\"><\/span>How to improve your website reading level<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Keep most sentences under 20 words.<\/li>\n<li>Use short paragraphs of two to four sentences.<\/li>\n<li>Choose everyday words: &#8220;use&#8221; instead of &#8220;utilise&#8221;, &#8220;help&#8221; instead of &#8220;facilitate&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li>Write in active voice: &#8220;We tested the app&#8221; instead of &#8220;The app was tested&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li>Add headings, lists and tables so readers can scan.<\/li>\n<li>Explain jargon the first time you use it.<\/li>\n<li>Make text easy to see as well as read. See how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2014\/07\/optimize-legibility-to-increase-readability\/\">optimize legibility<\/a> with CSS.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Does_reading_level_affect_SEO\"><\/span>Does reading level affect SEO?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Readability scores are not a Google ranking factor. But clear writing helps readers understand and stay on your page, earns more shares and links, and makes it easier for search engines and AI answers to pick out your main points.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_good_reading_level_for_a_website\"><\/span>What is a good reading level for a website?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Around grade 7 to 9, or a Flesch Reading Ease score of 60 or higher, suits most general audiences.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_check_the_reading_level_of_a_competitors_site\"><\/span>Can I check the reading level of a competitor&#8217;s site?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes. Tools like the WebFX Readability Test accept any public URL.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_there_a_free_reading_level_checker\"><\/span>Is there a free reading level checker?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes. The WebFX tool and the Hemingway Editor website are free to use. For more help, see these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2011\/09\/better-writing-resources\/\">online resources for better writing<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>What reading level does your site score? Share it in the comments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is your website easy to read? In 2013 we checked our website reading level with a Google search filter that&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":63963,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging","category-google"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34979"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65495,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34979\/revisions\/65495"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}