The sorry truth about your carefully crafted website copy is that people aren’t really reading it. People scan web pages very quickly, and they only pick up bits of information from a few key places, namely top left.

For you, it means you should think like a resume writer when you go to put words on your site:

• Use bullet points. Like the ones here. Isn’t it easier to scan?
• Use bold to set off paragraphs and sentences. Again, it snags your eye as you scan downward.
• Use information-carrying words at the beginning of paragraphs

Overall, emphasize quality over quantity. As beautiful as the writing is, most people simply don’t read it.

You may also enjoy the following related articles:

1. 10 Commandments of Writing for the Web
2. 9 Website Upgrades That Visitors Love
3. Spring Clean Your Website Copy (Part 3)
4. Every Door on Your Website Is an Entryway
5. Your Homepage Isn’t the Only Way In

Tags: copy, usability, writing

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