Would you like to know whether your post title will actually earn clicks before you publish? The Headline Analyzer scores your headline out of 100 and shows you what's holding the score back.
In this guide, we'll walk you through finding your headline score, trying a different headline, and reading the breakdown behind the score.
Before you get started, make sure All in One SEO is installed and activated on your WordPress site.
In This Article
Finding Your Headline Score
To get started, open the post you want to work on in the WordPress editor. Scroll below your content to the AIOSEO Settings section. From here, select the Optimization tab and then the Headline tab.
The number beside Headline is your score out of 100.
Aim for 70 or above. A score between 40 and 69 has room to improve. Anything below 40 needs work.
Trying a Different Headline
Your current headline sits in the Headline field with its score next to it.
To test an alternative, type it into that field. The score updates as you type. This lets you compare wordings before you commit to one.
Typing here only previews a score. Your post title stays as it is, and the post isn't marked as having unsaved changes. That means you're free to try as many wordings as you like before deciding.
Once your typed headline differs from the current one, a Reset and an Apply button appear beneath the field. The score shows how much your version gains or loses against the original, and a note tells you what you edited it from.
To use your new wording as the post title, click the Apply button. Your new headline then replaces the post title in the editor, exactly as if you had typed it into the title field yourself.
To go back to the original, click the Reset button.
Reading the Word Balance
Under Breakdown, the Word balance section sorts your headline's words into four groups and gives each group a goal to aim for.
- Common Words: the everyday words that hold a headline together. Aim for 20 to 30 percent.
- Uncommon Words: the words that make your headline specific to your topic. Aim for 10 to 20 percent.
- Emotional Words: the words that give readers a reason to care. Aim for 10 to 15 percent.
- Power Words: the strong words that prompt a click. Aim for at least one.
Each group shows the percentage of your headline it accounts for, alongside its goal, and lists any words it matched. You can find our Word Bank with lists of words here.
Underneath, Beginning & Ending Words shows the words your headline opens and closes with, which are the parts readers notice most.
A group counts as met once it reaches its goal. Going above the range doesn't count against you, so the groups with the most room to move are the ones still short of their goal. Of the four word types, Power Words moves the score the most, so that group is worth your first look.
Checking Length, Sentiment, and Type
Further down the Headline tab, at the end of the breakdown, the last four checks cover the length, tone, and format of your headline.
- Character Count: how long your headline is, measured against a target of about 55 characters so it fits in search results.
- Word Count: how many words your headline uses. Aim for five to nine words, with about six working best. Long headlines get cut off in search results and earn fewer clicks.
- Sentiment: whether your headline reads as positive, neutral, or negative. Positive headlines tend to get better engagement than neutral or negative ones.
- Headline Type: whether AIOSEO reads your headline as a How-To, a List, a Question, or General. Headlines that are lists and how-tos get more engagement on average than other types.
Together, the breakdown tells you what your headline is missing. Once you know which checks fall short, you can try a different headline and watch the score move before you commit to the new wording.
That's it! You now know how to read your headline score and use the breakdown and recommendations to improve it.
Further Reading / Next Steps
The Headline Analyzer is one part of AIOSEO's content analysis. To keep improving your posts, browse all of our TruSEO content analysis documentation. Our guide on using TruSEO content analysis covers the other tabs on the same screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, we've answered some of the most common questions about the Headline Analyzer:
What is a good headline score?
Aim for 70 or above. If your score is lower, the breakdown flags which checks need work.
See Finding Your Headline Score above.
Does editing the Headline field change my post title?
Not until you choose to. Typing in the field only previews a score, and your post title stays as it is. Clicking the Apply button is what puts your new wording into the post title.
See Trying a Different Headline above.
Does the Headline Analyzer work in the Classic Editor?
Yes. The Headline Analyzer is part of the AIOSEO Settings section below your content. That means it works in both the Classic Editor and the block editor.
Why is my score low when my headline reads well?
A headline can read well and still miss what the score measures. Start with the Word balance section, since each group has a goal your headline can miss even when the wording is clear.
See Reading the Word Balance above.
Where do I turn the Headline Analyzer off?
The Headline Analyzer is on by default. From your WordPress admin sidebar, go to All in One SEO » General Settings. From here, select the Content Optimization tab, where the Headline Analyzer has its own toggle.
See how to disable TruSEO content analysis for more on those settings.