Writing for the Web | Research

People do not read web pages word by word—they scan. Everything about web writing must account for this.

How People Read Online

The F-Pattern

Eye-tracking research reveals the dominant reading pattern resembles the letter F:

Users read horizontally across the top
Move down and read a shorter horizontal line
Scan the left side vertically

First lines receive more attention than subsequent lines. The first few words on each line receive more fixations than words to the right.

The Numbers

80% left-side focus: Users spend most time viewing the left half
8-second attention span: Down from 12 seconds in 2000
15-second visits: Most users spend only 10-15 seconds on a page
20% reading rate: On average, users read about 20% of content per page
80% skimming: Users skim for keywords they already have in mind

Alternative Scanning Patterns

Layer-cake pattern: Eyes scan headings and subheadings, skipping body text
Spotted pattern: Skipping chunks looking for specific items (links, numbers)
Marking pattern: Eyes stay fixed while scrolling (more common on mobile)
Bypassing pattern: Skipping first words when multiple lines start the same way

Formatting for Screens

Paragraph Length

Research consistently recommends:

70 words or fewer per paragraph
2-3 sentences maximum
2-4 lines on desktop, 2-3 lines on mobile
One topic per paragraph

Large blocks of text act as walls. Short, concise paragraphs and bulleted lists work best.

Page Length

Web pages should be roughly half the length of equivalent print documents. Target: 300-700 words for most content.

Structural Elements

Essential formatting:

Descriptive headings and subheadings (H2, H3 tags)
Bullet points and numbered lists
White space to reduce cognitive load
Visual elements (images, videos) to break up text
Clear visual hierarchy

Nielsen Norman found that scannable layout and concise writing improved measured usability by 47-58%.

The Inverted Pyramid

Place the most important information first, followed by supporting details in decreasing importance.

Structure:

Lead with the conclusion/main point
Who, what, when, where, why, how in first paragraph
Supporting details follow
Background/context last

Benefits for web:

Improved comprehension (users quickly form mental models)
Decreased interaction cost (main point without extensive reading)
Flexibility (readers can leave at any point)
SEO benefits (keywords appear early)

Front-Loading

Put important details and keywords at the beginning of sentences, headings, paragraphs, links, and list items.

Why it matters:

First 2 words in a heading get the most attention
First 2 lines in a paragraph are crucial
First 2 paragraphs on a page determine engagement

Applications:

Headlines and titles
Opening sentences of paragraphs
Link text (anchor text)
List items
Calls-to-action

Writing Hooks

With attention spans at 8 seconds, hooks are critical. Attention is expensive—if you don’t win it in the first few seconds, your content may never be seen.

Types of Effective Hooks:

Sneak peek/mystery: Offer just enough to pique curiosity
Surprising facts/statistics: Challenge assumptions
Questions: Engage readers mentally
Bold statements: Surprising facts or controversial claims
Social proof: Credibility through demonstrated success
Contrarian statements: Challenge popular beliefs

Key principles:

Hooks must be short, sharp, and snappy
A strong hook is not clickbait—it sets up value you will deliver
Your content must support your hook

SEO Basics for Writers

Modern SEO writing requires:

Core Principles

Write for humans and machines: Content must be concise, semantically rich, and structured for extractability
Understand search intent: The “why” behind queries matters more than keyword density
Avoid keyword stuffing: Google understands entities and semantic relationships
Write snippet-friendly content: Every paragraph may be the only exposure a reader has

On-Page Optimization

Primary keyword in title, first 100 words, main heading, and at least one subheading
Compelling, keyword-rich title tags (50-60 characters)
Concise meta descriptions
Answer user questions (use “People Also Ask” for research)

Readability and SEO

Google prefers simple, grammatically correct content. Readable content keeps users engaged, reduces bounce rates, and improves rankings.

Subject Lines

64% of recipients decide to open based on subject line alone
Keep punctuation minimal (3 marks maximum)
Short, compelling phrases work best
Opinionated, humorous, or timely content performs well

Writing Style

Optimize for skimming with short sentences
Use short paragraphs or bullet points
Write conversationally, not robotically
One email = one action/goal

Strategy

Know your audience deeply
Solve problems, address pain points
Clear, benefit-driven CTAs
A/B test variations
Maintain consistent brand voice

Blog Post Structure

Essential Elements

Headline: 50-60 characters, attention-grabbing (60% don’t read past it)
Introduction: Strong hook to prevent navigation away
Subheadings: H2/H3 tags with keywords, breaking content into scannable sections
Body content: ~2,100 words ideal; Medium found 7-minute reads earned most engagement
Visual elements: Images, videos to re-engage readers
Internal/external links: Both add value and help SEO
Conclusion with CTA: Recap and meaningful next step
Metadata: Primary keyword in URL, title, meta description

55% of visitors spend less than 15 seconds on a page.

Twitter/X Threads

Start with a compelling first tweet
Every tweet should stand on its own
5-15 tweets is ideal thread length
Plain language, short sentences
Include CTAs (retweet, comment, share)
Weave narratives through personal experiences

Cross-Platform Principles

Don’t copy-paste across platforms
Repurpose smartly (thread to carousel, caption to short-form)
Facebook posts: 40-80 characters perform best
Focus on content that matters, not just engagement

Readability and Accessibility

Readability Scores

Flesch Reading Ease: 1-100 scale (higher = easier)
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: Correlates to US education levels

Target ranges:

Grade level 6-8 is ideal for most web content
Grade level 8 or lower means 85% of public can understand
Score of 60-70 (Flesch) is suitable for general audiences

Plain Language

Plain language is critical for accessibility. It helps:

People with low literacy levels
People with intellectual or learning disabilities
Non-native English speakers

WCAG addresses reading level. Supplemental content is required when text demands reading ability beyond lower secondary education.

Cognitive Load

Human brains have limited processing power. When information exceeds our ability to handle it:

We take longer to understand
We miss important details
We abandon tasks

Design strategies to reduce cognitive load:

Minimize visual clutter
Use white space generously
Create clear visual hierarchies
Implement minimalist design

After each interruption, it takes ~25 minutes to refocus.

Examples of Great Web Writers

Paul Graham (paulgraham.com): Minimalistic style, writes like he speaks, conversational approach, long essays packed with insights and devoid of fluff.

Derek Sivers (sive.rs): Extreme simplicity. Believes too many words hide the message. Concise newsletters.

Ann Handley (MarketingProfs): Emphasizes consistent style and tone. “Shorter is better.” Uses “you” to keep readers engaged.

Morgan Housel (Collaborative Fund): Writes one sentence at a time. Makes complex financial topics accessible. Psychology of Money sold 3+ million copies.

Tim Urban (Wait But Why): Long-form illustrated content. Hand-drawn stick figures. Breaks complex subjects into digestible pieces with humor.

Jakob Nielsen (Nielsen Norman Group): Father of web usability. Pioneered eye-tracking research on how users read online.

Key Takeaways

People scan, they don’t read. Design for scanning with clear structure, headings, and front-loaded content.
Lead with the most important information. Inverted pyramid structure serves impatient readers.
Keep it short. Short paragraphs (2-4 lines), short sentences, short pages.
Hook immediately. You have 8 seconds or less.
Structure everything. Use headings, bullets, white space, and visual elements.
Write at grade 6-8 level. Accessible to 85% of readers.
Front-load keywords and key ideas. First 2 words matter most.
One idea per unit. One topic per paragraph, one goal per email.
Test and iterate. Use readability tools, A/B testing, and analytics.
Write like you speak. Conversational tone outperforms formal prose online.

Go Deeper

Resources

Nielsen Norman Group (nngroup.com) — The authority on web usability
Hemingway App — Readability scoring