What Is the Flesch Reading Ease Score?
The Flesch Reading Ease score is a numerical measure of how easy a piece of text is to read, rated on a scale of 0 to 100. It was developed by Rudolf Flesch in 1948 and is calculated using average sentence length and average syllables per word. A higher score means easier to read:
- 90–100: Very easy — suitable for 11-year-olds
- 70–80: Easy — suitable for 12–13 year olds
- 60–70: Standard — suitable for 13–15 year olds
- 50–60: Fairly Difficult — suitable for college students
- 0–30: Very difficult — professional and academic writing
What Score Should Your Website Aim For?
For general web content targeting a broad audience, aim for a score of 60 or above. SEO studies consistently find that content scoring between 60 and 70 outperforms highly technical content in organic search because it has lower bounce rates and better engagement metrics.
Why Google Cares About Readability
Google does not directly use the Flesch score as a ranking signal, but it cares deeply about user experience metrics that readability influences:
- Bounce rate: Hard-to-read content drives readers away quickly
- Dwell time: Easy-to-read content keeps users on the page longer
- Return visits: Readers who found an article clear and valuable come back
How to Improve Your Readability Score
The two biggest levers are sentence length and vocabulary choice. Use these techniques:
- Break sentences over 20 words into two shorter ones
- Replace technical jargon with plain language equivalents
- Use bullet points for lists instead of long compound sentences
- Use subheadings every 200–300 words to break up the content
- Write in active voice rather than passive voice wherever possible
Test your content with our free Readability Checker before publishing to see your Flesch score, grade level, and average sentence length all in one place.