Senior Content Writer at Semrush | LinkedIn Top Voices: Remote Work | Mentor
Here's a concept that'll massively improve your writing: The F-Shaped pattern for reading. It means people scan webpages in various patterns. One of them is the shape of the letter "F." People start reading in a horizontal movement across the top of the page. Then, they move down the page a bit. And read across horizontally a second time. Finally, they scan the content in a vertical movement. What does this mean for your writing? 3 things: - People don’t want to read - People are in a rush to learn something - People are scanning for answers to their questions What can you do to stand out? 3 things: - Write introductions that are short and direct - Use BLUF (start every section with the most important point… and then add context, examples, etc.) - Write short sentences and paragraphs (1-3 lines per paragraph and 1 idea per sentence) Keep this pattern in mind as you write and proofread. Your writing will improve dramatically. And your readers will appreciate it.
Also, I want to add that it's irritating me reading these comments from people who are clearly smart enough to know that you're not providing a catch-all solution for becoming a better writer at every style, genre, or format and obviously talking about digital content as this post shows specific images of online pages. Why do people knit-pick for BS? What is really the point? The man is a SENIOR CONTENT WRITER at the company you ALL are using to get your CONTENT the SEO boost you want. Are you seriously trying to undermine the advice he's giving? Get off. Oh, the Z-pattern is more relevant. Actually, no, the LAYER CAKE. No, no, I think it just changed to the spiral pattern just now. We all know internet consumption trends change every two seconds. That doesn't mean suddenly people aren't doing these things anymore. What the actual heck? We also all know that they have to tell you about the latest two-second trend to get you to buy into whatever thing they want to sell you next. *Rolls eyes*. Carlos Silva, you are quite gracious in these comments. Thanks for that. Good on you! Great post.
Carlos Silva Is your article written in "E" format?
Kasper Aare Naicker, ret spændende - noget vi kan prøve af i praksis 🙌
My late uncle, George Wilson McConkie, spent much of his career as a professor at the University of Illinois researching eye movements when reading and the impact on retention (among a lot of other related stuff). It is crazy to Google his research and read papers going back 50 years ago and think about how it applies today. How readers tended to skip past common words or the impact of frequently repeated letters in writing. This is really the rabbit hole of all rabbit holes. HAHA!
Wonderful tips. But what kind of content is this for suitable for?
I have to push back on the "people don't want to read" comment. If what you're writing is compelling enough, they want to read. People tend to scan if they think the value for them just isn't there.
Where is this data from?
Interesting and thanks for sharing Carlos Silva. Please, may I ask for more insights about this (publications you might be willing to share, etc.)?
News Curator at Scroll Media
1yThis doesn't seem to be a precise science. Do people read this way naturally or is the layout forcing them to? A classic Chicken or Egg scenario. Would love to see the original research and the variables that were factored in.