Readability
**Content readability affects user engagement, page views and search performance. Use the following tips to help guide you as you create content.
Tip #1: Keep in mind your audience
Generally, writing for an eighth-grade reading level will make your content easy to absorb and understand by readers.
Tip #2: Easy to read and scan
For easier understanding by readers and/or search crawlers:
- Write short and clear paragraphs – recommend using fewer than seven sentences per paragraph
- Write short sentences – average sentence length should be 18-20 words
- Include bullets – easy to scan content
- Use bolded fonts – easy to scan and highlight
Tip #3: Limit use of difficult words
Use natural, clear and simple language with easy to understand words.
Tip #4: Avoid using passive voice.
Readers stay engaged when active voice is used.
TIP: Take advantage of online tools that test the readability of your content and check for grammatical errors. You can paste in your text, and the app will tell you where you can make improvements.