How to Make Your Pages Easier to Read

What this means

A site audit scores how easy each page's text is to read, from the length of its sentences and words. It flags pages that come out hard to read: long sentences, long words and dense paragraphs.

A readability score is a rough guide, not a judge. A technical page for experts can be hard to read and still be right for its audience. But most small business sites are read by ordinary customers, on a phone, while doing something else.

Why it matters

People skim web pages. If the first paragraph is a wall of long sentences, many visitors leave before they find what they came for. Text that is easy to read keeps people on the page longer and makes them more likely to call, book or buy.

Clear writing also helps Google understand what the page is about, and it suits voice assistants that read answers aloud.

How to make a page easier to read

Shorter sentences

Aim for an average of 15 to 20 words. If a sentence has "and" or "which" in the middle, it can often be split in two.

• Before: "We offer a comprehensive range of bespoke celebration cakes which can be tailored to your individual requirements and are available for collection or delivery throughout the region."
• After: "We make celebration cakes to order. Tell us what you'd like, and collect it or have it delivered."

Everyday words

Use the word you'd say out loud. "Use" rather than "utilise". "Help" rather than "facilitate". "Buy" rather than "purchase". Your customers search with everyday words too.

Short paragraphs

Two to four sentences is plenty on a screen. A paragraph that fills a phone screen looks like hard work.

Subheadings that say something

Break long pages into sections with headings a visitor could skim on their own: "Prices", "Delivery areas", "How to order". The guide on headings explains how to set them up properly.

Lists for steps and options

If you're describing steps, options or features, a list is easier to scan than a paragraph.

Lead with the answer

Put the most important information first: what you offer, the price, how to get it. Background and history can come lower down.

A quick test

Read the page aloud. Anywhere you run out of breath, or stumble, is a sentence to shorten. Free tools such as the Hemingway Editor highlight long sentences for you.

Checking your fix

Read the page on your phone. Can you find the main point in a few seconds?

If you use Duality, tick the page in Site Audit and choose Verify my fixes to check it again straight away.