Scan Archives - Wylie Communications, Inc. https://www.wyliecomm.com/tag/scan/ Writing workshops, communication consulting and writing services Wed, 17 Jan 2024 13:30:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 https://www.wyliecomm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cropped-wci-favico-1-32x32.gif Scan Archives - Wylie Communications, Inc. https://www.wyliecomm.com/tag/scan/ 32 32 65624304 People skim and scan text in online news https://www.wyliecomm.com/2023/09/skim-and-scan-text/ https://www.wyliecomm.com/2023/09/skim-and-scan-text/#respond Tue, 19 Sep 2023 10:49:11 +0000 https://www.wyliecomm.com/?p=28729 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.… Read the full article

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]]> Only 19% read word-by-word

This just in: “Readers” actually don’t do much reading.

Skim and scan text
Skimming along 81% of participants in a Harris Interactive poll skim news online. So how do you reach these nonreaders? Image by Ahmet Misirligul

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:

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

Bottom line: Draw skimmers and scanners in with display copy and images. Don’t expect to reach them with paragraphs.

___

Source: “TV is America’s Preferred News Mode Overall, but Online is Matching or Outpacing it in Some Segments,” Harris Interactive

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