Only 19% read word-by-word
This just in: “Readers” actually don’t do much reading.
Indeed, just 19% of participants in a Harris Interactive poll read articles word-by-word. Many more skim mostly headlines (34%) or the full article (25%).
How do you read the news — in print or online? |
|
| Item | Total % |
| I normally just read the headlines, but maybe one or two stories in full | 34 |
| I skim the full article | 25 |
| I read every word in the article | 19 |
| I normally will read the headlines and a few sentences into most stories | 15 |
| I normally read just the headlines | 8 |
| Source: Harris Interactive Poll Note: Responses may not add up to 100% due to rounding |
|
That means 67% skim, and 81% don’t read, online news.
Why?
People don’t have time to read online news thoroughly. Instead, they’re more likely to be skimming a text for specific information like a phone number or selectively reading to reduce the amount of time they spend with your information. Whichever “reading” technique or “reading” method they use, they are actually not reading much at all.
Beyond news
It’s not just news. People skim and scan text in other online channels and devices, as well:
- How people read on the web: They don’t; so make webpages scannable
- Do people skim, scan, read emails? Just 19% of email newsletters get read thoroughly
- People are skimming text on tablets: Insights from Poynter’s EyeTrack study
- People skim through the text of blog posts: They read 3.5% of the words on the page
- Eye tracking online shows where people look: Change how people see your page with 6 eye gaze patterns
Reel in your readers
So how do you catch these skimmers and scanners? According to the Harris poll:
- Hook them with your headline. A catchy headline (54%) tops the list of elements that convince skimmers to read.
- Wow them beyond words. Interesting pictures (44%) and compelling infographics (28%) are also strong lures.
- Draw them in with data. Interesting data or research that supports the article, which drew 43% of respondents to read, was the only content element that made the list.
What makes you read news stories — in print or online? |
|
| Item | Total % |
| A catchy headline | 54 |
| An interesting picture with the article | 44 |
| Interesting data or research which supports the article | 43 |
| An interesting infographic (e.g. visual representation of information, data or knowledge) | 28 |
| Who the author is | 13 |
| Something else | 13 |
| None of these | 9 |
| Source: Harris Interactive Poll Note: Responses may not add up to 100% due to rounding |
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Bottom line: Draw skimmers and scanners in with display copy and images. Don’t expect to reach them with paragraphs.
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Source: “TV is America’s Preferred News Mode Overall, but Online is Matching or Outpacing it in Some Segments,” Harris Interactive
Get the word out with display copy
“Readers” don’t read. Even highly educated web visitors read fewer than 20% of the words on a webpage.
So how do you reach “readers” who won’t read your paragraphs?
Learn how to put your messages where your readers’ eyes really are — in links, lists and CTAs — at our display copy-writing workshop.
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