After you generate an article and open it in the editor, you'll see a live SEO Score in the top-right corner. It shows how well the content follows SEO best practices and offers quick tips for improvement if you choose to use them. You don't need to act on everything; the score is primarily there to help you understand the optimization factors at play.
Why the SEO Score Exists
We created the Article Score to:
- Show you how your content aligns with real SEO signals.
- Help you decide what's worth improving (if anything).
- Be transparent – we prefer showing real data over inflated "perfect" scores.
How the SEO Score Is Calculated
Your article is scored based on key on-page SEO elements – the same ones that influence whether content gets indexed, ranks well, or gets ignored.
Here's what we evaluate:
- Keyword usage: Placement and density.
- Internal links: Connections to other pages on your site.
- External links: References to trusted sources.
- Headings and structure: Use of H2/H3, formatting.
- Images and visuals: Support for readability.
- Media enrichment: Inclusion of videos, quotes, tables.
- Overall readability and length.
Any time you edit your article – for example, adding a new image or section – the score will update automatically in real time.
Why Your SEO Score Might Not Be 100
Not every article needs to hit 100, and many can't without compromising quality. A score between 75–95 is already a great starting point for publishing.
Here's why you might see a score below 100:
- You're targeting a long-tail keyword that's difficult to incorporate naturally multiple times.
- You haven't published other blog posts yet, limiting internal linking opportunities.
- The article's topic doesn't inherently require many images or videos.
- We avoid forcing formatting tricks that could appear spammy.
Some tools inflate scores or skip this feedback entirely. We prioritize showing you the real optimization status, even if it results in a score like 80.
When to Improve vs. When to Ignore
Consider these guidelines, but trust your judgment:
- Internal Links: Improve if you have multiple published blog posts; ignore if your site is new.
- External Links: Improve if you have stronger or preferred sources; ignore if you trust RankPill's selections.
- Images: Improve if you have visuals that offer better explanations; ignore if the provided screenshots are suitable.
- Keyword Density: Improve if it's under 0.5% and easily adjusted; ignore if the keyword is long/awkward or density is already sufficient.
- Headings: Improve if the article feels flat or hard to scan; ignore if it already flows well.
What Each Element Means (and Why It Matters)
Internal Links: Help Google crawl your site, understand topic relationships, and keep readers engaged longer. We automatically check your Sitemap URL for internal blog links. If you only have a homepage or landing pages, internal linking isn't possible yet, which is fine. As you publish more, RankPill will leverage those pages for smarter linking. Tip: Add more blog content and connect your sitemap for higher scores here.
External Links: Links to trusted outside sources boost credibility and signal authority to Google. RankPill includes relevant external links where appropriate, but you can always add or swap in your preferred sources. Tip: Link to studies, high-quality blogs, or well-known sites in your industry.
Images: Visuals make articles more engaging and scannable, factors Google rewards. RankPill adds relevant screenshots automatically. You can also insert images manually or choose from Unsplash in the editor. Tip: Always check or customize the alt text (the grey label under the image) to include relevant context or keywords.
Keyword Density: Too low, and Google might not grasp the topic. Too high, and it feels unnatural or spammy. Long-tail keywords are naturally harder to repeat. We prioritize readability first and avoid keyword stuffing. Tip: Lightly increase mentions if they fit naturally. A density near 1-2% is generally good.
Headings: Google uses headings (H2, H3, etc.) to understand content structure. RankPill creates articles with clear headings. More relevant, keyword-rich headings can help, but only when used naturally. Tip: Use headings to break down ideas into clear sections for both humans and search engines.
When You Should Act (and When You Shouldn't)
Most of the time, you can publish confidently, especially with a score above 75.
If you consistently see scores below 50 across multiple articles, it might signal an issue worth investigating. Reach out, and we can review your setup (sitemap, keyword choices, etc.). If you're aiming for scores of 95–100, we can provide specific guidance.
Final Thoughts
The Article Score is a helpful guide, not a strict requirement. A score above 75 indicates a solid foundation for publishing. Feel free to fine-tune based on the suggestions, but know that every RankPill article is designed to be effective out of the box. You can always refine it later.