The Sample Blog Post
The text loaded above is a 450-word blog post about media server codecs and compatibility. It scores in the 60-70 range on the Flesch Reading Ease scale, which is appropriate for a general technical audience. The deep analysis shows word frequency, syllable count, and highlights the longest sentences that could be simplified.
What the Flesch Score Measures
The Flesch Reading Ease formula uses two inputs:
Average sentence length in words and average syllables per word. Short sentences with short words produce high scores. Long sentences with multi-syllable words produce low scores.
The output is a number from 0 to 100 where higher means easier to read. A score of 60 to 70 is standard English that an 8th or 9th grade student can read. That is the level of most consumer magazines, general news articles, and well-written blog content.
Readability Benchmarks by Content Type
| Content type | Target Flesch score | Average sentence length |
|---|---|---|
| Social media posts | 70-85 | 10-15 words |
| Blog posts | 60-80 | 15-20 words |
| News articles | 60-70 | 20-25 words |
| Technical documentation | 30-50 | 20-30 words |
| Academic papers | 15-40 | 25-35 words |
| Legal documents | 0-30 | 30-50 words |
How to Use Deep Analysis for Readability
The deep analysis panel in the tool shows three metrics that help you diagnose readability problems.
Word frequency shows which words you use most often. If your top words are all jargon or abstract nouns, consider adding concrete examples.
Longest word reveals vocabulary outliers. If your longest word is a compound term like antiestablishmentarianism, consider whether a simpler alternative exists.
Longest sentence is the most actionable metric. Every sentence longer than 30 words in a blog post should be reviewed. The tool shows the actual sentence so you can decide whether to split it.
Practical Tips for Higher Readability Scores
Write short sentences. One idea per sentence. If a sentence has two ideas connected by and, split it. If it has a parenthetical aside, move the aside to its own sentence or cut it.
Replace multi-syllable words with shorter alternatives when the meaning is identical. Use instead of utilize, help instead of facilitate, end instead of terminate. Technical terms are fine when they are necessary. Academic padding is not.
Read your text aloud. If you run out of breath before finishing a sentence, the sentence is too long. If you stumble over a word, replace it. Your ears catch problems that your eyes skip.