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Text Load Metrics: What Each Number Means
Every website is trying to get a message across, and text carries a big part of it. Yet we usually judge copy by what it says, rarely by the numbers behind it: how long it is, how dense it feels, how hard it is to read. These factors can influence whether visitors read your message or skip it.
The free Text Load feature in the Attention Insight Chrome extension calculates them for you. This article explains metrics in the Text Load panel, so you know what each number means and what to change.
New to Text Load? Start with How to Use the Free Text Load Feature: How to Use the Free Text Load Feature in the Attention Insight Chrome Extension
1. What do the Text Load metrics mean?
You’ll find these in the Text Load panel.
Values shown in a warning color miss the default targets: 500 words of main copy, 2 minutes of reading time, 70 words per paragraph, 16 px body text, 80 characters per line and a LIX of 40.
What does “In View Now” mean?
Shows how much copy is currently visible on the screen, with the number of words and estimated reading time. A paragraph that starts on the screen counts in full.
What does “Whole Page” mean?
Shows the amount of main copy across the entire webpage, including the parts you need to scroll to see. Hidden text, such as collapsed sections, closed tabs or off-canvas menus, is not counted. Copy in the header, navigation, footer, side cart, sticky buttons and cookie pop-ups is counted separately.
What does “Reading Time” mean?
Estimates how long it takes to read the whole page, as a range from a fast to a slow reader. Use it to compare pages, not to predict how long a specific visitor will read.
What does “Reference Rate” mean?
Shows the reading speed used to calculate reading time.
What does “LIX” mean?
LIX is a readability score based on average sentence length and the share of long words (more than six letters). A higher score means the text is harder to read: under 25 is very easy, 55 and over is very difficult.
What does “Reading Ease” mean?
A readability score from 0 to 100. A higher score means the text is easier to read.
What does “Grade Level” mean?
The approximate school grade needed to understand the text. A lower number means easier text.
What does “Sentences” mean?
Shows the total number of sentences in the page copy.
What does “Average Sentence” mean?
Shows the average number of words per sentence.
What does “Longest Sentence” mean?
Shows the number of words in the longest sentence. It helps you spot sentences that may be too complex.
What does “Sentences over 25 words” mean?
Shows how many sentences have more than 25 words. Long sentences take more effort to read.
What does “Paragraphs” mean?
Shows the number of prose paragraphs on the page. Headings, buttons, links and text blocks under eight words are not counted.
What does “Median Paragraph” mean?
Shows the typical paragraph length in words.
What does “Longest Paragraph” mean?
Shows how many words are in the longest paragraph. It helps you find large blocks of text that are hard to scan.
What does “Sections” mean?
Splits the page copy into sections by heading tags and shows the word count and reading time for each. This makes the most text-heavy parts easy to find. A page without heading tags shows no sections, even if large text is used as a title.
What does “Average Viewport” mean?
Shows the average number of words visible on one screen as you scroll.
What does “Densest Viewport” mean?
Shows the highest number of words on a single screen. It points to the part of the page that feels most text-heavy.
What does the “Text Density” chart show?
Shows how text density changes from the top to the bottom of the page. The densest viewport is shown in a different color, and the outlined row moves with you as you scroll to show where you are on the page now.
What does “Median Body Size” mean?
Shows the typical font size of body copy.
What does “Smallest Body Copy” mean?
Shows the smallest body-text size on the page. The recommended minimum is 16 px.
What does “Line Height Ratio” mean?
Shows the spacing between lines relative to the text size.
What does “Median Line Length” mean?
Shows the typical number of characters in a line of text. Very long lines are harder to read.
What does “Lines over 80 characters” mean?
Shows how many lines have more than 80 characters, which can be too wide for comfortable reading.
What does “Lines failing contrast” mean?
Shows how many text lines fall below the WCAG AA contrast threshold for their size and weight. Text on images, gradients or videos can’t be measured automatically and is listed separately.
What does “Clipped Blocks” mean?
Shows text blocks where part of the content is hidden or cut off by the page layout. Check them manually, because some clipping is intentional.
2. What doesn’t Text Load measure?
Text inside images, drawn on canvas or inside embedded frames from other websites is not counted anywhere: not in Text Load and not in First-Glance Text Load. A page whose headline is a picture reads as having less copy than it has. Readability scores measure sentence and word length; they say nothing about whether the writing is clear, accurate or persuasive.
Want to know which of this copy visitors are likely to notice? Read about First-Glance Text Load: First-Glance Text Load: How Much Text Competes for Attention
