Nielsen's Classic Study: Users Scan, Not Read, Websites
A groundbreaking study by Jakob Nielsen in the late 20th century revealed that users don't meticulously read websites; instead, they scan them, with only a small fraction (16%) reading word by word. This insight, still relevant today, has significantly influenced web design and content creation strategies.
Nielsen's findings highlight the importance of how words are presented on a web page. For users scanning sites, the layout and structure matter more than the actual content. To cater to these scanners, writing for the web should focus on clear, separated information for easy navigation.
Scanning behavior varies depending on the page type. On product pages, users scan for key details like value proposition, price, reviews, and calls-to-action (CTAs) to validate their decisions. Homepages, on the other hand, require quick attention-grabbing within about 15 seconds, as users sample content. Meanwhile, the structure of landing pages is almost as important as the content itself for decision-making users.
To guide users' scanning, designers and content creators employ techniques such as headings, bullets, pull quotes, and visual aids on content pages. The F-pattern is a common scanning pattern on unstructured web pages.
In the ever-evolving digital landscape, understanding and adapting to users' scanning behaviors remains crucial. As demonstrated by Nielsen's study, focusing on presentation and structure can significantly enhance user experience and engagement, driving better conversion rates and search impressions.
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