How people read online

How people read online

Eye-tracking studies show people read web pages in an F-shaped pattern: across the top, then down the left, scanning for relevance. They read perhaps 20–28% of the words on a page.

Example — the F-pattern of attention:

##############   (scan across the top)
######
########         (then down the left)
###
####

Key points

• People scan in an F-shape and read ~25% of words.
• Front-load the important point (inverted pyramid).
• Short paragraphs, headings, lists and bold aid scanning.

Try it: rewrite a long paragraph as a short intro plus a bulleted list.