Tips & How-to's to Expand Your Horizons
Content Is King However Content Layout Is Key
Posted 01-31-2009 at 07:21 PM by Virtual Horizons
It has been proven by Jakob Nielsen that the most most common web reading pattern used by visitors looks like an F. This means that when a visitor first gets to your site they read across the top content area in a straight line (__). Then on they move to read the middle section, again in a straight line (__), but not for long. Finally your visitor will then scan the left side of your website page which forms the branch of the F (|).
So how is that important you ask? Well as you may know most web surfers don't actually read content - they scan it. So how you have your website content laid out will greatly affect the information a vistor actually scans.
So to get your great content read, your first two paragraphs in your content must articulate exactly what it is you want your visitor to know. They may read more but if what is important is already stated...then if they don't read more than they still have the pertient information you are trying to relay!
Secondly, you need to start any of your headings, paragraphs or bullets with words that strongly convey your information. Our eyes are more drawn to bolded or highlighted information which can also help content viewing however use bolding and highlighting wisely as too much can actually will be distracting.
So how is your content written? Maybe it can use a little tweaking to improve visitor readership
Until next time...
So how is that important you ask? Well as you may know most web surfers don't actually read content - they scan it. So how you have your website content laid out will greatly affect the information a vistor actually scans.
So to get your great content read, your first two paragraphs in your content must articulate exactly what it is you want your visitor to know. They may read more but if what is important is already stated...then if they don't read more than they still have the pertient information you are trying to relay!
Secondly, you need to start any of your headings, paragraphs or bullets with words that strongly convey your information. Our eyes are more drawn to bolded or highlighted information which can also help content viewing however use bolding and highlighting wisely as too much can actually will be distracting.
So how is your content written? Maybe it can use a little tweaking to improve visitor readership
Until next time...
Total Comments 3
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Tammy this was very interesting. I hadn't heard of the F scanning pattern. Good to know. Thanks.
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This is so true and so so important but is often overlooked when laying out a web page.
Giving your users a place to focus and fitting in an appropriate call to action in those first ten seconds of their visit can mean the difference between losing the visitor altogether or getting them to click into the site to read more. |
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It's the first time I've heard about the F scanning pattern. I started recalling if I did that and I found out that I really do that unintentionally. Thanks, I'll keep that in mind when creating sites..n_n
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