Web Reading Styles

Skimming the page or reading.

[Perplexed]

I have seen many comments in this forum about people only skimming through web pages and the need to write them specifically for this type of reading.

Is it really true? How do we know that it is true? Doesn't it depend on the type of site?

I always assumed people were coming to my site to read the specific information it contained and it usually takes the form of 1000 word articles ( average )and I get frequent emails complimenting me on the site's content.

I am not sure that I could really boil it down into easy to read snippets and bulletted lists etc but perhaps I should be finding a way to do this.

I cannot help thinking though that this is an age thing. The web isn't only about youngsters speed reading to get it quick or not at all.! My site is geared towards a more elderly readership simply because it is usually the more mature person whio is interested in this topic. I THINK they are more prepared to take their time and read book or magazine style.

Any thoughts?

[fathom]

Software Usability Research Lab [psychology.wichita.edu] Dept of Psychology, Wichita State University

The newsletters have a vast amount of info regarding readibility and scanability.

[Jenstar]

I think audience plays a big part of scanners versus readers. You mention you are targeting mature people - if many are retired, it could mean they have more time to read in depth articles versus a person who is always busy and on the go.

Age doesn't play as much of a factor, except as it relates to the time they have available to be online, and what they need to do during that time.

The subject makes a difference. If the subject is more technical, a 1,000 word article makes perfect sense. But a fluff piece might be only half or one-third the length.

I have a content site where articles fall primarily in the 300-500 word range, but I also get plenty of compliments on the content. But my audience is completely different from yours, and who generally have less free time. So they way you write your content may have more to do with the compliments than the actual content length.

You can always try some usability testing on your own site. Perhaps offer some shorter length articles, or an overview version as well as a full-length version, and a scanner would likely choose the overview while a reader would choose the full length. Seeing which option readers select will tell you a lot about the length of articles they would prefer to see on your site. But don't forget the theory that if it isn't broken, don't fix it ;) There are many factors at play, and perhaps all of them point to the fact that longer articles are preferred by your visitors.

Here are some additional discussions on page length:
[webmasterworld.com...]
[webmasterworld.com...]

And do check out fathom's link. There is a lot of great information there and I have referred to it while designing for usability.

[fathom]

Actually Jenstar got me thinking again after reading her post.

In a nutshell > webpages should be highlights of related content, and if at all possible a linked PDF for download, printing, future reference and reading convenience.

Word and WordPerfect can also be used but PDF is much more web friendly with zero compatibility issues.

In all cases, download and print is far better than web page printing since the length is much more manageable, and print friendly.

[WibbleWobble]

Properly structure the markup and content and the question about skimmers and depth readers should become much less of an issue. Chances are, if you're getting compliments rather than complaints, you're doing it right.

All content for the web ought to have some sort of heading structure, so that the skimmers can cycle through to what interests them. Its also worth providing these headings at the beginning of the document, perhaps with links to the relevent sections. Bolding key phrases of paragraphs can also help cater to the skimmers, who are the problematic ones (no-one minds if the depth reader reads all the way through, do they?).

Thanks to fathom for the link, thats getting bookmarked double quick.

[golly_molly]

Yes, I think it has everything to do with the type of site you are writing for and the goals/aims of your content.

If the goal is to convey information about a business offering or service, my rule of thumb is to keep things short and relevant with the intent of inspiring the user to contact us for more information. (My own site is a terrible example of this and I am working to make changes in this area!)

If the goal is to educate or entertain, I think longer articles are appropriate.

For both, I think it's a good idea to:
-Use subheads
-Keep paragraphs and sentences direct and short
-Use the right language for the audience
-Paginate content to minimize scrolling
-Offer a printable version of the page

Hope this helps,

Molly, who is new here and thinks it's pretty cool!

[engine]

golly_molly,
Welcome to WebmasterWorld [webmasterworld.com]
Glad you could join us.

Yep, no question about it. You must consider, what is the objective? To entertain, to inform or to sell (not mutally exclusive).

Each requires a different approach and style.

Also, consider the option to easily print the content for consumption offline.

[golly_molly]

Thanks for the nice welcome Engine! And I agree - selling and informing/entertaining are not mutually exclusive. You just need to be aware of where folks are in the process.

Molly