{"id":7928,"date":"2020-07-02T07:00:02","date_gmt":"2020-07-02T05:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/?p=7928"},"modified":"2025-06-18T10:28:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T08:28:13","slug":"how-do-people-read-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/how-do-people-read-online\/","title":{"rendered":"How do people read online?"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_3-1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-image align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1444\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/i-online_public_relations-c-7-l-2-scaled.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing - online\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/i-online_public_relations-c-7-l-2-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/i-online_public_relations-c-7-l-2-600x423.jpg 600w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/i-online_public_relations-c-7-l-2-300x211.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/i-online_public_relations-c-7-l-2-1024x722.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/i-online_public_relations-c-7-l-2-284x200.jpg 284w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/i-online_public_relations-c-7-l-2-768x541.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>People have brief attention spans when it comes to absorbing <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/how-to-set-up-google-analytics-on-your-website\/\">websites<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, pages and online content. It follows then that your web copy should fit into the average user\u2019s reading behaviour. If you abide by this simple rule, then you\u2019ll eventually get more site visitors, greater conversions and more engaged users.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Skimming a website prior to focusing on a specific section<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Visitors spend, on average, 2.6 seconds skimming a website before focusing on a specific section. Here are a few suggestions to direct your reader\u2019s gaze online:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use numbered and bulleted lists<\/li>\n<li>Use subheadings so that readers can find information easily<\/li>\n<li>Use shorter, less-intimidating paragraphs<\/li>\n<li>Use bold, italics, or pops of colour to highlight important information<\/li>\n<li>Put important information in images<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>How the F-Pattern works<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The term \u2018F-Pattern\u2019 illustrates the most common user eye-scanning patterns when it comes to chunks of online content. \u2018F\u2019 stands for \u2018fast\u2019 as that\u2019s how users read your content. In a number of seconds, their eyes move at incredible speeds across your website page.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>F has the following three elements:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Users initially read in a horizontal movement, typically across the upper section of the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/how-content-marketing-and-social-media-marketing-interact\/\">content<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>This initial element constitutes the F\u2019s top bar.<\/li>\n<li>Next, they scan a line down the left-hand side of the screen, searching for aspects of interest in the paragraph\u2019s first sentences. When they find something which is of interest to them they read across in a second horizontal movement which typically covers a shorter area than the previous movement. This added element forms the F\u2019s lower bar.<\/li>\n<li>Lastly, users scan the content\u2019s left side in a vertical movement.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>So, when writing out your content for the web try to apply these principles as it will assist you with creating a design:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>With good visual hierarchy, and<\/li>\n<li>That individuals can scan easily.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>An F-shaped layout feels comfortable for the most Western readers as they have been reading top to bottom and then left to right for their entire lives.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How to use the F-shaped pattern<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Prioritise your content<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Before arranging the elements on your website page, prioritise the most and least important ones. When you know what you would like your users to see, you can simply put them in the pattern\u2019s \u2018hot spots\u2019 for the correct interactions.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Set initial expectations<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The initial two paragraphs are the most critical. This means that you need to put the most important content near to the top of the web page as possible to communicate the website\u2019s (or page) the objective quickly.<\/p>\n<p>The user will normally read horizontally across the header, so this is a good place for a navigation bar.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-video align_none ratio_16x9 has_iframe\"><div class=\"w-video-h\"><iframe title=\"Vimeo video player\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/309086109?autoplay=0&loop=0&autopause=0&color=00adef&portrait=0&byline=1&title=1&controls=1&muted=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\" allowfullscreen loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/div><div class=\"w-video-icon\" style=\"font-size:1.5rem;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);color:#fff\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h2><strong>Design for scanning and not reading<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When implementing the pattern, think \u2018scanners\u2019 and put content \u2013 which these scanners would most likely be interested in &#8211; along the F:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Begin new paragraphs with inviting keywords<\/em>: People will first look at the most dominant component (the element or area with the largest visual weight) on the web page. Thus, give more visual weight to things which matter:<\/li>\n<li>Use typography to show the importance of text (e.g. try out highlighting keywords within text), and particular colours in order to highlight buttons.<\/li>\n<li><em>Cover only one idea per paragraph and make use of bullets as much as possible<\/em>: Put the most essential content (such as CTAs) at the left and right sides as this is where the user starts and ends their horizontal This brief pause as they drop down gives them a little extra time to consider what they\u2019ve read.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Utilise The Sidebar<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Feature anything which you want your user to see but which does not fit in organically with the main content. This could be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An ad,<\/li>\n<li>A listing of \u201crelated articles\u201d, or<\/li>\n<li>A social media widget, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Make use of it as a technique for users to find detailed content. The clear example is a category listing, a tag cloud, a \u201cpopular posts\u201d widget, etc.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Avoid boring layouts<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The main disadvantage of this F-shapen layout is its tendency towards monotony. It\u2019s easy to bore your users with repetitive and similar content in rows. You definitely don\u2019t benefit from a bored user as they begin to blank everything out. This means that you should add one \u201cawkward\u201d element within the scanning area in order to make sure that the user is kept engaged.<\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/contact-us\/\">Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>If you would like to discover more about how to market yourself using your website then you should definitely do our Digital Marketing Course. For more information about this course, please follow this <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/digital-marketing-course\/\">link<\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/digital-marketing-course\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-759 size-shop_single\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSM_Footer04-600x96.jpg\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing Digital Marketing course registration\" width=\"600\" height=\"96\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-btn-wrapper align_justify\"><a class=\"w-btn us-btn-style_2\" href=\"#enquiry\"><span class=\"w-btn-label\">Enquire Today<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">Blog Categories<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_5cd26a65\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-1\"><a href=\"\/blog\/content-marketing\/\">Content Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/digital-marketing\/\">Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/cyber-security-blog\/\">Cyber Security<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/graphic-design-blog\/\">Graphic Design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-3\"><a href=\"\/blog\/public-relations\/\">Public Relations<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-4\"><a href=\"\/blog\/seo\/\">SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/social-media-marketing\/\">Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/web-design-blog\/\">Web Design<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">You might also like<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"w-html\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/social-media-marketing-blog\/zero-moment-of-truth-benefit-social-media-marketing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Use the Zero Moment of Truth to Benefit your Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/your-complete-guide-to-ppc-marketing-basic\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Your Complete Guide to PPC Marketing Basics. 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