If your web pages are difficult to understand, you might not make as much money as you could with your website. A simple tool can help you to check the readability of your pages.
Difficult language = fewer sales
Many websites use technical language that is very difficult to understand for the average web surfer. Some webmasters also like long and complicated sentences.
Long and complicated sentences are not a sign of professionalism. They just show that the author of the sentences doesn't care about the readers.
The more complicated the text on your web pages, the more likely it is that a visitor will leave your website.
Website visitors are impatient people. If they have to work to understand your web pages, they will go away to find an easier site than yours.
How to check the readability of your web pages
The Flesch Reading Ease test is a United States governmental standard to determine how easy a text is to read. It measures the approximate level of education necessary to understand the web page content.
Higher scores indicate that the text is easier to read, and lower numbers mark harder-to-read texts.
You can use IBP's Top 10 Optimizer to
check the readability of your web pages. In addition to many other factors, IBP calculates both the Flesch Reading Ease Score and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level.
A high Reading Easy Score means that a text is easy to understand. The Grade Level shows the number of years of education that are required to understand the text.
How to improve the readability of your pages
There are several things that you can to do improve the readability of your web pages:
- Write short sentences.
- Use many paragraphs.
- Use headings to structure the content.
- Use bullet lists.
- Avoid complicated words. Don't say "cephalalgia" when you can also say "headache".
- Use images on your pages.
Do not require too much work from your website visitors. The easier your website is to use, the more you will sell.