Type any headline and get an instant A–F grade across five dimensions: length, word count, power words, emotion, and clarity. No sign-up, nothing sent to any server.
Type a headline above, then click Analyse
The headline analyser scores each headline across five dimensions totalling 100 points. Each dimension targets a specific aspect of headline effectiveness that research has shown to correlate with higher click-through rates and reader engagement.
The optimal headline length for most online content is 50–70 characters. Headlines in this range are long enough to include a keyword and convey clear value, but short enough to display fully in Google search results without being cut off. Headlines under 40 characters often lack context and specificity. Headlines over 90 characters frequently get truncated in search snippets, reducing click-through rates significantly.
Research across millions of articles consistently shows that headlines of 6–9 words perform best for click-through rates. Headlines in this range are specific enough to set expectations without becoming unwieldy. Very short headlines (under 4 words) lack specificity. Very long headlines (over 12 words) become hard to scan quickly — and scanning is how most readers process headlines.
Power words are specific verbs, adjectives and nouns that trigger an immediate psychological response — curiosity, urgency, desire, or trust. Words like "proven", "ultimate", "discover", "essential", "transform" and "secret" consistently increase engagement. The analyser checks your headline against a curated list of 60 power words across four categories: action, value, curiosity and exclusivity.
Headlines with emotional content — positive (inspiring, exciting) or tension-creating (avoid, fail, warning) — outperform neutral factual headlines. The analyser detects both positive emotional words and negative tension words, rewarding headlines that create an emotional response without being manipulative.
The clarity check penalises patterns that reduce trustworthiness: excessive ALL CAPS words, multiple exclamation marks, and known clickbait phrases like "you won't believe" or "doctors hate this". These patterns can inflate engagement short-term but damage credibility and repeat visit rates.
Most first-draft headlines score in the C range. This is normal — first-draft headlines are usually written to capture the idea, not to maximise engagement. The headline analyser turns improvement from guesswork into a targeted set of changes.
Too short: "How to Write Better" is 4 words and 21 characters — not enough to rank for anything specific or set clear expectations. Add a specific benefit or audience: "How to Write Better Headlines for Your Blog" scores significantly higher because it adds both specificity and length.
No power words: "Tips for Email Marketing" is factual but flat. "10 Proven Email Marketing Techniques That Drive Sales" includes "proven" and "drive" — both power words — and scores in the B range immediately.
No emotional trigger: Neutral headlines get lower engagement than headlines that create a feeling, even a mild one. "Writing Tips for Beginners" is neutral. "The Writing Mistakes Most Beginners Make (And How to Fix Them)" creates mild tension with "mistakes" and scores higher on emotion without being manipulative.
Excessive capitalisation or punctuation: SHOCKING TIPS YOU WON'T BELIEVE!!! scores poorly on clarity regardless of other factors. Credibility matters more than shock value for long-term organic traffic.
Focus on the lowest-scoring dimension first. If the analyser shows a low power word score, add one strong verb or adjective. If emotion is low, consider whether the headline can hint at a benefit or risk. If length is too short, add a specific qualifier — an audience, a number, or a timeframe.
Run the analyser again after each change. You will often find that fixing one dimension improves others — adding a power word often adds emotional weight too. The target is a B grade (65+) as a minimum, with A (80+) achievable on most topics with one or two targeted iterations.
Certain headline structures reliably score in the B–A range. How-to headlines ("How to [Achieve Result] Without [Pain Point]") score well because "how" is a power word and the structure naturally hits the 6–9 word sweet spot. List headlines ("7 Proven Ways to [Achieve Result]") combine a number (which adds specificity) with a power word. Question headlines ("Are You Making These [Topic] Mistakes?") create tension and curiosity simultaneously.
The strongest headlines combine multiple scoring dimensions. "How to Write Headlines That Get 3× More Clicks" hits length (50 chars), word count (9 words), power word ("write"), and emotion ("more") in a single headline — scoring well across all four positive dimensions.
What is a good headline score? A score of 65 or above (B grade) is a solid benchmark for most online content. At this level, the headline has adequate length, a reasonable word count, at least one power word, and some emotional trigger. Scores of 80+ (A grade) are achievable with targeted iteration — adding specific numbers, strong verbs, and emotional triggers while avoiding clickbait patterns. Most first-draft headlines score in the 50–64 range (C grade), which is normal and means one or two specific improvements will lift the score significantly.
Can I use the same headline for SEO and social media? Usually not. SEO headlines need to include target keywords and stay within character limits for search snippets (50–70 characters recommended). Social media headlines can be shorter, more provocative, and less keyword-focused because they compete in a feed rather than a search results page. A common approach is to write an SEO-optimised title tag for search and a shorter, more engaging version for social media — different contexts, different jobs.
Why does my headline score low on clarity? The clarity dimension deducts points for patterns that reduce trustworthiness: excessive ALL CAPS words, multiple exclamation marks, and known clickbait phrases like "you won't believe" or "doctors hate this". Even if these patterns increase short-term clicks, they damage credibility with repeat readers and can trigger algorithmic demotion. If your clarity score is low, remove the ALL CAPS words and exclamation marks first, then rerun the analysis — the score usually improves dramatically.
Does headline length affect click-through rates? Yes. Multiple large-scale studies have found that headlines between 50 and 70 characters receive the highest click-through rates from search results. Headlines under 40 characters lack the specificity to convey value and often omit keywords that help the page rank. Headlines over 90 characters are frequently truncated in search snippets, hiding the most compelling part of the headline behind an ellipsis.
For detailed walkthroughs with more examples, see our guides Headline Analyser Free and How to Write a Good Headline.