How to write for the web: an eye-tracking study

Monday, July 21, 2008

An eye-tracking study of web users has suggested some principles of good web writing:

• Put the conclusion of your article in the first paragraph
• Use bulleted lists
  
• Make the first words of each paragraph direct and descriptive
• Cut down on words.

These conclusions were made by tracking the eye movement of readers as they look at Web sites. As seen below, users read sites in an "F" pattern:


In general, we read the first and seconds sections somewhat fully, and skim the first words of everything else along the "stem" of the F. Therefore:

• Put the most important information in the first 2 paragraphs
• Put each new idea in its own paragraph
• Be direct with the first words of each paragraph
• Reduce word count

There are many more principles gleaned from this study (including linking to outside sources). The above is just an introduction.

Coming soon: the art of writing e-mails.