7 Headline Analyzers to Help You Write Stellar Headlines
When it comes to headlines, there’s a lot of pressure on your little copywriting shoulders. Your headline is THE deciding factor on whether or not a reader is gonna click on your blog. (Yikes!)
If it doesn’t immediately speak to their desires, they’re going to skip past it. And let’s be real, if one person is skipping it, you can bet so many others are too.
That’s why you want to make sure your headline is eye-catching, informative, and lets the reader know you’ve got the answer they’re searching for.
Using a headline analyzer is an efficient way to make sure your headlines hit the mark. And when they do, you’ll get the conversion rates and traffic you and your clients yearn for.
Headline analyzers are just one of the tools my team of copyeditors and I use to strengthen your copy – because we’re obsessed with making your copy top-notch. So today, I’m giving you the low-down on seven headline analyzers to help you become a better copywriter.
But first, let’s get into the why of an effective headline.
Why Good Headlines Should Matter to You (And Your Clients!)
Your headline is what’s gonna get you clicks, traffic, and shares. It’s “kind of” a big deal. (Read: It’s totally a big deal.)
With allll the content swimming around on the internet, it’s so important to stop your readers in their tracks and get them to click your link.
Fully understanding the needs of your target audience will help you write a headline that will do just that. If you can speak to what’s important to them, you can craft your headline to answer their most burning desires.
Bonus: when you get them to click, you’ll increase your website’s SEO and boost traffic.
So, what makes a headline go from skippable to clickable?
The Anatomy of a Click-Worthy Headline
The most important thing to remember is that a clear and concise headline beats a clever headline. Every time. There are no awards for the most clever pun about fibromyalgia, or the wittiest life coach’s homepage – so it’s best to keep your reader in mind and be helpful by being super clear.
But at the same time, you don’t want to be overly generic. Make it unique and original to you or your clients’ brand.
Here are some pro tips to craft an effective headline:
Use emotional words or power words. Evoke emotion and engage readers on a deeper level to make that connection right off the bat.
Be relevant and specific. “Tools to Craft a Good Headline” won’t get as many clicks as “7 Headline Analyzers to Help You Write Stellar Headlines” (see what we did there? 😉)
Make it informative and value-centric. Highlight the exact benefit your reader will gain by reading your blog.
Add intrigue. Create a sense of curiosity or urgency to get your readers to click and explore further.
Make it skimmer-friendly and easy to read. You don’t want your readers to struggle with big, fancy words – simplicity is key.
Keep it between 60-70 characters. Those headlines tend to get the most clicks and shares.
Don’t forget your main SEO keyword. And keep it towards the front of the headline for a boost in SEO.
Whoa! Now that may seem like a lot to think about when writing something that’s 60ish characters. You’re probably asking, “Ok, but how do I *actually* do all that?” Here’s where a headline analyzer comes in handy.
Use Headline Analyzers to Write Better Headlines
Headline analyzers provide valuable insights to help improve the quality and effectiveness of your headlines. Some even offer suggestions and alternatives.
On top of making sure your headline hits all of the points above, headline analyzers can:
Optimize your title for specific platforms and SEO
Save you time and enhance efficiency
Improve your headline writing skills
Sounds awesome, right? Now you’re probably wondering which one is right for your needs…
The Pros and Cons of 7 Headline Analyzers
There are a lot out there, and since you’re a busy copywriter, I’m betting you don’t have the time to try them all. Lucky for you, it’s our job to find the best tools to best help our clients.
So without further ado, here are the headline analyzers we’ve tried – plus our most favorite one.
Capitalize My Title
Capitalize My Title is famous for, well, capitalizing titles! 🤯 But it also has headline analyzer capabilities.
Pros:
It analyzes readability, SEO, sentiment, and so much more.
It identifies common and “weasel” words, warning against using them as they don’t convey useful information to your reader.
It's 100% freeeee! 🤑No account or subscription required.
Cons:
Doesn’t keep a search history so it’s difficult to compare headlines as you work to improve them.
2. Sharethrough Headline Analyzer
While this one has almost as many features as our favorite headline analyzer, it isn’t as effective for blogs. BUT it has some fun and helpful features that you might find useful based on your needs.
Pros:
Analyzes headlines based on emotional engagement and how shareable it is on social media.
Offers insights into headline sentiment, clarity, and potential performance across different platforms.
It’s free to use but requires signing up for an account to access all the features.
Cons:
It focuses more on effective headlines for social media and ad campaigns rather than blog post headlines.
3. MonsterInsights Headline Analyzer
This one is a close contender to our favorite headline analyzer, and the dashboard is well-designed. (High five for good user experience! 🖐️)
Pros:
Shows what your headline will look like on Google with their neat preview feature.
Provides insights based on emotion, headline type, word count, and character count.
Has a word bank with power words, emotion words, and uncommon words for quick reference.
Integrates seamlessly with WordPress, if that’s your thing.
Cons:
Doesn’t provide insights on readability and clarity. Boo! 👎
4. WordPress Headline Analyzer
This one is VERY similar to MonsterInsights. Probably because they’re in cahoots with each other as MonsterInsights is one of the top plugins for WordPress websites. But I digress.
Suffice it to say the pros and cons for this headline analyzer are the same as the one above.
5. AIOSEO Headline Analyzer
This one is strikingly similar to number three and four in its features as well as its dashboard.
I’m convinced that MonsterInsights, WordPress, and AIOSEO are powered by the same headline analyzer program.
Is there an echo in here?!
Either way, if the others don’t tickle your fancy, go ahead and have fun trying it out to see if you like it’s user experience any better.
6. Content Row
Content Row shares insights that hit all the key points we listed above for an effective headline.
Pros:
Analyzes headlines for engagement, clarity, and sentiment.
Provides a breakdown of headline structure and offers suggestions for improvement.
Free to use.
Cons:
You have to create an account to see the emotion breakdown tool.
While it is free, you only get 3 headlines a day.
7. CoSchedule (The Best Headline Analyzer Ever)
CoSchedule is my *favorite* headline analyzer and it’s arguably the best one on the market right now. It’s thorough, user-friendly, and it’s what my team and I use for our lovely copyediting clients.
(We swear we’re not an affiliate. Though maybe we should be! 😉)
Pros:
Comprehensive analysis of headlines including word balance, headline length, sentiment, and more.
Provides a detailed breakdown of headline structure, grammar, and readability.
Offers suggestions for improving your headline’s overall quality and engagement potential.
Free to use (with some limitations).
Cons:
It’s a premium tool with pricing starting at $40/month if you want to get ALL the good stuff.
The free version offers limited functionality.
Level up Your Copy With Irresistible Headlines
Headlines are one of the most important pieces of your blog.
You’ll want to make sure they’re compelling, that they capture your reader’s attention, and that each headline gets them to click through to your blog. Headline analyzers help you optimize your headlines for maximum effectiveness – saving you time and effort.
Let’s be real, while they are helpful, they’re still just a tool. They can’t fully capture the creativity and uniqueness of the human brain. Interpretation of the data requires critical thinking. And creative yet concise customization can only come from a real human.
That’s what we’re all about. As professional copyeditors, we interpret the data from headline analyzers, among other tools, to level-up your headlines beyond just effectiveness. We help you write captivating headlines that are on-brand with you and your client’s preferences.
The team and I use some really cool tech tools and techniques to optimize and power up our client’s copy. If you want an even deeper look into our process so you can add copyediting to your services (or just become a stronger copywriter), check out The Copy Anatomy Course.
This is my signature course built to help you level up your copy game with high-level copy concepts and techniqes from a copyeditor’s perspective.
Quick Links:
Sharethrough Headline Analyzer
MonsterInsights Headline Analyzer