How people read the Web and email

Scanning is the norm with readers keying in on individual words. A Jakob Nielsen study showed that 79 percent of Web readers always scanned a new page and only 16 percent read word-by-word.

• People don't read text thoroughly
  Most Web readers don't read word-by-word.
• The first two paragraphs are the most important
  Eye scanning studies prove that Web readers actually read the first two paragraphs of a page, but only scan the rest.
• F scanning pattern
  Eye scanning studies show that people read the Web in n "F" scanning pattern, so the first two or three words of a paragraph, subhead or bullet have to interest the reader or they stop reading.

Examples: The Web - Email

Writing for scanners

The Internet has been discribed as in information superhighway and an information firehose in the face. Users of the Web have learned that the Internet is loaded with information — usually too much — and that they have to check multiple sites to find what they want. The pattern is simple:

1. Original Scan: A reader scans pages (usually from search results) until he finds information that is on-topic.
2. Short Read: Once on-topic, the reader scan's more intensly to confirm the subject. If the subject is not really on-topic, the reader moves on.
3. Long Read: If the subject is confirmed as on-topic, the reader turns off the scan mode in their brain and begins regular reading.

Elements of scannable text

• highlighted keywords: at the beginning of bullets or as hypertext links
• meaningful sub-headings: words that carry action and weight. Examples: CNN, PC(USA) News Service, GA217 News
• bulleted lists: simple but carrying lots of information
• one idea per paragraph: users stumble over or skip additional ideas that are not in the first few words in the paragraph
• inverted pyramid style: start with the conclusion
• word count: use half or less than conventional writing