Flesch Reading Ease Seven Copywriting Tips To Keep Readers Wanting More

The famous copywriter Joe Sugarman says “The purpose of the first sentence is to get the reader to read the second sentence.” Awesome email copy is all about flow and purpose.
Do people read your emails down to the bottom of the page? After you’ve picked your topic, outlined its main points, and decided what you want your reader to take away or do; the rest should be easy, right?
Not quite. Even if your headline is riveting and your layout inviting, your job is to get your email (or article, blog post, or press release) actually read by human eyes and minds. A copywriter’s writing must be readable.
So the point of good copy is to get your reader’s eyes moving down the page. And most importantly, good copy should instigate action on the part of your beloved subscriber. When your reader answers your call to action, you’ll know your copy is readable. There are also probably a lot of other things going on that are working well together — strong graphics, a desirable offer, some good credibility — but your writing plays the critical role.
Before testing your writing on your reader, why not test it yourself? Did you even know you could do that?
The Flesch Reading Ease Score and the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level both measure your writing’s readability. Developed to ensure standards in military technical training manuals, the scores can be used to easily gauge the readability of your writing too. You’ll find them within the spelling tool in Microsoft Word.
Now here’s the kicker about reading ease. Did you know that the average person reads and comprehends — and is in the sweet spot of persuasion — at about the 6th and 7th grade reading level?
If you can consistently write copy that falls somewhere around 60 – 70 (the reading ability of an average 13 – 15 year old student) then you will reach, satisfy, convince and convert the most people. Reading comprehension varies based on education level and experience (the lower the Flesch Reading Ease score, the more difficult to understand) but even college grads and other “smart”people respond to writing that is within the 60 – 70 range.
Are there tricks to this? Is there some magic formula for achieving this score when you write? While the Flesch scores take into account sentence length and word length, here are some practical ways to squeeze the most juice out of your writing, while keeping it clear and simple.
1. Use short punchy words. Don’t neglect the juicy descriptive words; just remember to jab with words that can take the place of long phrases every now and then. Remember, “Brevity is the soul of wit.”
2. Use action words to keep the reader moving along. If you are stranded in realms of possibility, or spend too much time in thoughtful rumination — verbal navel gazing — you can lose your reader really fast. Ground yourself in the real world. Think red meat, not pie in the sky. That means…
3. Stay away from “be” “is” and “are. These words form passive sentences that bore readers to sleep. Use them only when you absolutely must. Compare:
It was decided that the gymnasium be locked after the institution’s operating hours in an effort to thwart the local vandals’ destruction. (Flesch Reading Ease 38.3; Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level 12.0)
to
To stop the vandalism at the gym, Mr. Brown decided to keep it locked after school. (Flesch Reading Ease 82.2; Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level 5.7)
4. Grab your reader with descriptive verbs and adjectives. “She says.” could be “She squeals.” or “She drones.” Each sentence would contribute about the same to the reading ease score because of structure and word length…but what differences between them! In another example, a purple paint color chosen for an office could be “sickly” or “soothing” — simple descriptions that powerfully alter the reader’s perception and emotion.
5. Sentence length should vary, almost like the rhythm of an exciting tennis match. Long volleys back and forth are satisfying to watch and more leisurely — but can last forever. Rapid rallies at the net add excitement — but they don’t last as long. You should be able to write in both styles, just as a pro tennis player can play at the net and the baseline with equal efficiency. Go back and forth between short and long sentence lengths to keep your paragraphs balanced and your cadence natural.
6. Don’t be afraid to utilize white space. Certain copywriters who write in one-sentence paragraphs create some of the best emails I’ve read. The physical space between each thought works as hard as the actual text to pull the reader along. Of course in this case the writing must be spectacular.
7. One of the best methods you can use to find your most powerful voice as a writer is to write without self-editing. Force yourself to say it like it is, any way you can, and just the way you want to. Forget about spelling and grammar. Set a timer for only two minutes (if you have to) and write like mad. Then go back and cut your writing to the bone. You’ll find kernels of richness in there, as well as a lot of garbage. Don’t leave the chaff for your reader to remove; he won’t. Only after you have thrown it all up on the wall should you edit yourself. Then be ruthless. See if you can cut the length in half.
While practice is the best way to improve your writing, you can begin to hone your style with these tips. As your copy grows stronger, your Flesch Ease Score will reveal how readers will receive it.