Notes_Writing for the Web

1. Why Web Users Scan Instead of Reading
   https://www.nngroup.com/articles/why-web-users-scan-instead-reading/

2. Generally, reading speed is reduced by 25% when reading online. Even reading iPads and tablets is faster than a PC but not faster than a printed book.

• One of the main reasons that layout is important is that reading text online is quite different from reading printed text.
• Reading on screen is tiring for the eyes, so people scan rather than read
• Lots of things to ‘Click’ on so people do
• Many competing pages - maybe the next one is better, so people forage rather than fixate on a page
• People don’t want to work too hard for information
• They will make comments like ‘if it doesn't come right out at me, I give up on it’.

3. Webpage browsing behaviour

• Alternate between sites/pages
• Open pages in new windows/tabs and get distracted by the new content
• Read while scrolling (no fixation possible)
• Look at the top left first (English speakers)
• Banner and Ad blindness
• Be on the phone, talking, eating … .

4. People look at web pages in an ‘F-pattern’ (for people reading pages in English).
   

   

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5. So what do people look at the most?

• Text first (even in the presence of multimedia) - to get a quick sense of what the page is about.
• Headings first, summary text, then images - ideally headings should be bigger than the rest of the text.
• Single column rather than two column content, certainly for slow readers - not necessarily for home pages, where people are gathering a sense of what is available to them. Once they have made a decision, the content should be presented as a single column.
• Lists, menus, links and buttons - to see what functionality the page has.
• Biggest image in a group.
• Navigation at the top of the page - because the eyeballs might not look at the bottom of the page at all.
• Smaller paragraphs of a group - because they have less words than longer paragraphs.
• Numbers as numerals rather than words - because numbers are smaller, and look more 'factual' than words, unless generalising e.g. thousands is more effective than 1000s.

6. Effective layout
   Taking advantage of the F-pattern for page reading:

• use keyword-rich sub-headings (try the ‘Clear read’ test - squinting at the page to see what stands out)
• use bullet lists, number of items depending on text
• have one idea per paragraph
• one idea per sentence
• use the inverted pyramid writing style, starting with the conclusion
• Use links.

7. Effective language

• ‘Fluffy’, ‘Welcome’ text. Give it a page of its own.
• Marketese and boasts are bad for site credibility, unless you can link to something that backs it up.
• Metaphors, similes or figures of speech
• Only use Jargon, scientific words, foreign phrases, puns if it is relevant to users and says what the site is about.
• Level of education: Grade 9 to 10 or lower secondary education
• Get straight to the point with your content: no long word, cut word off if possible. Generally, you can remove 50% of the words without affecting the meaning.
• Be aware the page summary will be showed on search engine results.