Headline Analyzer for SEO Titles and Headings
A title tag is often the first piece of a page a reader sees, so its wording carries a lot of weight. This card scores a headline on ten rules at once: length bands, character count for the snippet window, numbers, high-impact words, brackets, question form, casing, target phrase position, filler density, and word variety. Type a headline, optionally add the phrase you want to rank for, and the score updates while you edit.
Score a Headline Before You Publish
Headline and target phrase
Type or paste the title you plan to publish, then add the phrase you want it to match.
Score and check list
The badge shows the scaled score and letter grade; every row lists its own points.
How It Works
Each check awards a share of the total points. Length and keyword placement carry the largest shares because they decide whether a title stays visible and matches the query. The scorer sums the points, divides by the maximum, and rounds to a whole number from 0 to 100.
Character length is measured against the snippet window. Search engines show close to 60 characters of a title on desktop, so the checker gives full points between 45 and 65 characters, partial points between 35 and 75, and low points outside both bands.
Word choice is counted in two passes. One pass looks for high-impact and emotional words from a bundled list; the other counts filler words such as a, the, and of, and flags any headline where filler takes more than 30% of the words. Repeated words also lose points for low variety.
| Check | Full points when | Max points |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 6 to 13 words | 15 |
| Snippet window | 45 to 65 characters | 12 |
| Number | A specific number appears | 10 |
| High-impact words | Two or more found | 12 |
| Brackets | Parentheses or brackets present | 8 |
| Question | Ends with a question mark | 6 |
| Casing | Readable mixed or title case | 6 |
| Target phrase | Phrase sits in the first half | 17 |
| Filler ratio | Filler stays under 30% | 14 |
| Word variety | At least four distinct words | 6 |
Before and After
How to write better blog posts
Score: 52 / 100 Grade: D
Words: 6 Characters: 30 Read: 2 s
Phrase: "seo writing" not found10 Proven SEO Mistakes You Should Fix Today
Score: 88 / 100 Grade: B
Words: 8 Characters: 42 Read: 3 s
Phrase: "seo mistakes" found in position 3BEST SEO TOOLS EVER!!!
Score: 21 / 100 Grade: F
Casing: fail
Length: fail7 Best SEO Tools for Small Sites (2026)
Score: 81 / 100 Grade: B
Casing: pass
Number and brackets: passUse Cases
| Scenario | What to check | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Blog post title for search | Length band and phrase position | Score with the position line filled in |
| Product page heading | Number and high-impact words | Rows for number and word impact |
| Email subject line | Power words and character count | Impact points inside a short line |
| Video title review | Question form and brackets | Question and bracket rows before upload |
Common Mistakes
- Loading a title with every power word on the list. Readers read it as spam, and search engines may shorten it further.
- Writing only for people already on the site. Once the title passes about 60 characters, the end never shows in results.
- Skipping the target phrase field. The heading can rank for words you never meant to target.
- Leaving the title in full capitals. Search engines cut all-caps titles down, and readers read them as shouting.
- Rewriting the headline after publish without re-checking the title tag. The two strings drift apart and the score no longer describes what search engines see.
Best Practices
- Keep the visible title near 45 to 65 characters so the snippet is not cut short.
- Place the target phrase in the first half of the heading so it stays visible after truncation.
- Add one specific number and one or two high-impact words rather than a long string of them.
- End with a question mark only when the page answers that exact question.
- Re-run the score after every edit; the check list updates while you type.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the headline score measure?
The score adds up points from ten weighted checks, then scales the total to a number from 0 to 100. Letter grades follow the result: A at 90 or above, B at 75, C at 60, D at 45, and F below that. Each row in the check list shows its own points so you can see which rule moved the score.
Why does headline length matter in search results?
Search engines show roughly 60 characters of a title before cutting it off, and headlines near 6 to 13 words usually carry a full idea inside that window. Titles under about 35 characters lack context, while longer ones lose their ending in the result list.
How does the target phrase check work?
The checker lowercases your headline and searches for the exact phrase you entered. When the phrase appears in the first half of the string the check earns full points; later placement earns fewer, and a missing phrase earns none.
What counts as a power word?
The bundled list includes words such as proven, free, mistakes, save, best, and boost, plus emotional adjectives like shocking or painful. Two or more of them in one headline usually signal a concrete promise to the reader.
Is a question headline always the better choice?
No. Question endings match People Also Ask boxes and can win richer results, but they only earn a small slice of the points. A statement headline with a number and a target phrase can score just as high.
Do my headlines leave the browser?
No. The scorer is a plain function bundled with the page, so the text you type is scored in this tab alone. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere, and closing the tab discards it.
Should the social share text match the title tag?
Usually keep them close. Social posts tolerate longer lines than search results, so you can add a clause there while the title tag stays near 60 characters. Re-run the score after any edit so the length checks stay accurate.