How does a web surfer read a page? According to this article by Jakob Nielsen, they don't. At the time this page went up in 1997, only 16% of the people read pages word for word. I would imagine it's a lot fewer today. In this age, people want their information this instant. Who really has the time to sift through lengthy, verbose pages just to glean one or two important facts?
Nielsen writes that web pages must have "scannable text", which include highlighted keywords, meaningful sub-headings, lists, and one idea per paragraph. He also noted that web viewers hated "marketese", facts that are boastful and exaggerated. Keeping to the straight facts makes a page much more readable. So when it comes to content, less is more.
The source of the above article, this entire site is all about website usability, and has been steadily updated since 1995. I would recommend giving the whole site a look.
Another comprehensive usability site, this one run by the U.S. Government.
Fabrication |
The Six Rules of Web Writing |
Scrolling vs. Paging Websites |
How Users Read on the Web |
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