Headline Analyzer
Paste a headline to get an instant 0–100 score with a transparent breakdown: length, common, uncommon, emotional and power words, sentiment, headline type and a Google preview. Your headlines never leave your browser.
Word balance
Readers skim the first and last 3 words
Google search preview
https://www.example.com › blog
Score breakdown
| Check | Your headline | Points |
|---|
Suggestions
Your headlines
The score is a heuristic based on length, word lists, headline patterns and a simple sentiment lexicon. Use it to compare variations, not as a guarantee of clicks.
How to use the Headline Analyzer
- Type or paste your headline into the box. A sample headline is analyzed on first load.
- Read the score and the breakdown table to see where points were gained or lost.
- Check the word balance bars and colored words, then swap filler words for power or emotional words.
- Look at the Google preview to make sure the important words are not cut off.
- Press Analyze headline (or Enter) to save each variation to your list and pick the best one.
How the score is built
This headline analyzer is a transparent heuristic. Every point comes from a rule you can see, so you know exactly what to change:
| Check | Max points | Full points when |
|---|---|---|
| Length in words | 15 | 6–12 words |
| Length in characters | 15 | 40–60 characters |
| Common words | 8 | 20–30% of the words (the, you, how, this…) |
| Uncommon words | 7 | 10–20% (simple, truth, mistakes, perfect…) |
| Emotional words | 8 | 10–40% (surprising, painful, effortless…) |
| Power words | 7 | At least one (proven, instantly, secret, ultimate…) |
| Headline type | 10 | List, how-to, question, guide or comparison |
| Sentiment | 10 | Clearly positive or negative rather than neutral |
| First & last 3 words | 10 | Both contain a meaningful (non-filler) word |
| Clarity & style | 10 | No ALL CAPS, repeated !!/??, very long words or clickbait phrases |
Worked example
Take "7 Simple Habits That Will Instantly Make You More Productive". It has 10 words and 60 characters, so it earns full length points and fits Google's title width. It starts with a digit followed by a plural noun, so it is detected as a List headline. "Simple" and "instantly" are power words, and "simple", "instantly" and "productive" make the sentiment positive. The weak spot is emotion: none of the words is in the emotional list, so swapping "Simple" for "Effortless" or adding a word like "Surprising" raises the score.
Compare it with "Some thoughts about productivity": 4 words, 32 characters, no list or how-to pattern, no power or emotional words and a neutral tone. It scores far lower, and the suggestions tell you why.
Headline formulas that work
- Number + adjective + noun + promise: "9 Simple Recipes You Can Cook in 15 Minutes".
- How to + result + without pain: "How to Fall Asleep Faster Without Medication".
- Question that names the reader's problem: "Why Do My Houseplants Keep Dying?"
- Mistakes and warnings: "5 Costly Mistakes First-Time Home Buyers Make".
- The complete guide: "The Complete Beginner's Guide to Sourdough".
Tips: write at least five variations before choosing; use digits instead of number words; put your main keyword in the first half for SEO; and match the promise of the headline in the article itself. For YouTube titles, check length and truncation with the YouTube Title Length Checker, and for the body text use the Readability Checker.
Frequently asked questions
How is the headline score calculated?
It adds up nine checks worth 100 points in total: length in words (15), length in characters (15), common words (8), uncommon words (7), emotional words (8), power words (7), headline type (10), sentiment (10), strong first and last three words (10) and clarity (10) as shown in the breakdown table. It is a transparent heuristic, not a prediction of clicks.
What is a good headline score?
65 or more is good and 80 or more is excellent on this scale. More useful than the absolute number is the difference between variations: write several versions of the same headline and keep the one that scores best and still sounds natural.
What is the ideal headline length?
For blog posts and articles, 6 to 12 words and about 40 to 60 characters work well. Google typically shows titles up to roughly 600 pixels on desktop, which is about 50 to 60 characters, so keep the key words at the start.
What are power words and emotional words?
Power words (proven, simple, instantly, secret, ultimate) promise value or urgency. Emotional words (surprising, painful, effortless, beautiful) trigger a feeling. A few of each make a headline more compelling, but too many make it sound like clickbait.
Which headline types work best?
Lists with a specific number ("7 Ways to…"), how-to headlines, questions and guides are consistently popular because they set a clear expectation of what the reader gets. The tool detects these patterns and gives them full points.
Is my headline sent to a server?
No. All analysis, including the word lists and the Google preview measurement, runs in your browser. Your saved list is stored only in this browser's local storage.
Does a high score guarantee more clicks or better SEO?
No. The score rewards patterns that tend to work, but relevance, your audience, the topic and search intent matter more. Use the score to spot weak spots, then test headlines with real readers where you can.