Harsh Reality: Online Content is Rarely Read

Over the past decade, several usability and eye-tracking studies have had significant implications for writers. According to Jakob Nielsen and others, we know that users typically scan web pages in an “f”-shaped pattern and they have little tolerance for long blocks of copy.

A recent Alertbox column from Nielsen provides new insights into online reading behaviors. A couple of the findings aren’t encouraging for writers:

• At most, users read 28% of the words during an average site visit. And that’s being optimistic: 20% is more likely.
• Users will read roughly half of the information *only* on pages with 111 words or less. As pages get longer, the time spent reading drops dramatically.

But as the new Nielsen column illustrates, volume cannot be the only consideration. Quality content doesn’t necessarily mean long content – and online reading tendencies must always be considered.