Readers on the web

Apr 11, 2004

Most web readers do not read complete sentences and paragraphs, unless they are reading a white paper or a piece of literature. They generally scan the headlines, or the words and expressions that grab their attention. Web readers tend to scan text online and read text offline. They typically do not read a page from start to end.

One primary reason is that there is so much to see on the web. Unlike a magazine or a newspaper, the pages are not limited by their numbers. There is no limit. At any time one can go to any website. So you are not only competing with competing websites, you are also competing with myriad distractions that a typical web reader comes across.

Write to grab attention.

Use a style that keeps the reader from clicking away.