Headline Analyzer
Paste a blog title, article headline or email subject line. We score it instantly on length, word balance, type and readability — nothing is uploaded.
What makes a good headline?
A good headline does three jobs in under a second: it tells the reader what they will get, gives them a reason to care right now, and fits the space it will appear in — a Google result, an inbox preview, a social card. The headlines that consistently earn clicks are specific rather than clever ("7 Budget Mistakes First-Time Landlords Make" beats "Money Matters"), promise a concrete outcome, and read effortlessly on the first pass. Vague, over-hyped or truncated headlines lose the click before the article gets a chance.
How the headline score works
The score blends the signals editors and copywriters actually check, weighted into a single 0–100 number. It runs entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded.
- Length. About 6–12 words and 40–60 characters is the sweet spot: long enough to be specific, short enough that Google (~60 characters) and most email clients (~40–70 characters visible) won't cut it off. Very short headlines lose points for vagueness; very long ones for truncation risk.
- Power words. Words like proven, ultimate, instantly and step-by-step add urgency and credibility. One or two lift the score; three or more start to read as clickbait and are penalized.
- Emotional words. Words like surprising, painful or remarkable trigger curiosity and feeling. At least one usually helps — but the base of your headline should stay plain, readable common words so the emotional word stands out.
- Headline type. How-to, list ("7 Ways…") and question headlines set a clear expectation of format, and historically outperform flat statements, so they earn a bonus.
- Word balance. A mix of common words (easy to scan) and uncommon words (specific, memorable) beats a headline built from either alone.
Before and after: real headline rewrites
The fastest way to internalize the scoring is to watch weak headlines get fixed. Paste each pair into the analyzer above and compare:
| Before (weak) | After (stronger) | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Some Thoughts on Productivity | 7 Proven Productivity Habits You Can Start Today | Added a number, a power word and a concrete promise |
| Email Marketing Information | How to Write Email Subject Lines People Actually Open | How-to format plus a specific, desirable outcome |
| Our New Product Is Here and We Are Very Excited to Share It | Meet the 2-Minute Tool That Ends Formatting Errors | Cut to 9 words, led with the benefit, removed filler |
| Why You Should Save Money | The Surprising Reason Most Budgets Fail in Month Two | Emotional word plus curiosity gap and specificity |
Tips for a stronger headline
- Lead with a number or "How to" when it fits — readers scan for them.
- Add one or two power words (proven, instantly, ultimate) — but don't overdo it; stacking them reads as spam.
- Keep it under ~60 characters so it isn't cut off in Google search results or email preview panes.
- Be specific: numbers, timeframes and named audiences ("for freelancers") beat generic claims.
- Write 5–10 variants, score them all here, then shortlist the top two and A/B test if your platform allows it.
- Run the winner through the Title Case Converter for correct capitalization, and check its length in the Character Counter.
FAQ
What's the ideal headline length?
Roughly 6–12 words and 50–60 characters — specific enough to inform, short enough to survive truncation in search results and inboxes.
What are power words and emotional words?
Power words (proven, instantly, secret, ultimate) add urgency and authority; emotional words (amazing, surprising, painful) provoke a feeling. Use one or two of each at most — a headline made entirely of hype words scores lower and reads as clickbait.
Is a high score a guarantee of clicks?
No. The score measures structural best practices — length, balance, format. It can't judge whether the promise is relevant to your audience, which matters more. Use it to filter out weak drafts, then test the finalists on real readers.
Does the analyzer work for email subject lines and YouTube titles?
Yes — the same length and word-balance principles apply. For email, aim at the shorter end (under ~50 characters) so the subject survives mobile preview panes; see our email subject line guide.
Is my headline sent anywhere?
No. Everything is analyzed locally in your browser — nothing you type is uploaded, logged or stored.