Web writing

Weed out your web page above the fold online

Don’t bury your message under sharing buttons, bylines and chrome

Web visitors spend 74% of their time on the first two screens, just 26% on all remaining screens, according to the Nielsen Norman Group

So once you’ve placed the most important elements above the fold, the next step is to weed out anything that’s pushing those key elements down the page.… Read the full article

Why get key content above the fold [statistics]?

And where is the fold, anyway?

“Instant gratification takes too long,” said Carrie Fisher, the late actress, author and wit.

When it comes to interacting with websites, she was certainly correct.… Read the full article

World technology literacy skills: bad and getting worse

16% of adults are technologically illiterate

Just 8% of adults around the world can manage conflicting requests to reserve a meeting room using a reservation system, then email people to let them know whether they got the room they requested.… Read the full article

What are the problems with reading on mobile devices?

Mobile reading costs time, attention, understanding and action

You may have heard that social scientists recently added a new item on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

The classic model of what drives human nature looked like this back in the day:

Self actualization: the feeling of doing what you were put on this planet to do
Esteem: feeling good about yourself and what you do
Social needs: having love, a tribe, companionship
Safety and security: not being afraid of getting eaten by a tiger
Physiological needs: food and shelter

Our modern world has revealed another, even more basic human need …

… Wi-Fi.… Read the full article

What’s the difference between reading paper vs. computer screen

Reading online hurts readers’ eyes, their bodies, their brains

I don’t know about you, but one of my goals in life is to never write anything that makes my readers throw up, resign or forget where they parked their car.… Read the full article

How reading on screen vs. paper affects eyes

Is your web page causing computer vision syndrome?

Reading on the screen is hard for a simple reason: Our eyes weren’t made to stare at little beige boxes all day.… Read the full article

How reading from screen vs. paper affects your brain

People find it difficult to concentrate online

Most Americans spend at least 8.5 hours a day looking at a screen, whether a TV set, computer monitor or mobile device, according to a study by Ball State University.… Read the full article

Reading online hurts your web visitors’ bodies

Screen reading causes insomnia, backache — even serious illness

Yes, reading that blog post does make your butt look bigger. But mushy thighs are just one of the symptoms of screen reading.… Read the full article

Why write short sentences online? [Research]

Activate the passive voice on the web

Simple sentences — subject, verb, object — are easiest to read, online or off.

That’s why Jan H. Spyridakis, professor of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington, suggests that you:

1.

… Read the full article

Scannable content makes message 34% more memorable

Also increases understanding, satisfaction

The more words on a web page, the longer visitors will stay.

But is that really the best metric to measure? What if you could engage users on a page for half the time, yet have them remember one-third more of the content?… Read the full article