How people read on the web influences content design and conversions
The Power of User Reading Patterns to Boost Your Website Engagement!
Ever wondered how to get users to actually engage with your content? It all comes down to understanding how they read. People scan web pages in predictable patterns, and by designing around these, you can guide their eyes exactly where you want them to go. Here’s how:
1. F Pattern
What it is: The F pattern resembles the shape of the letter “F” and indicates that users' eyes tend to move horizontally across the top of the screen, then drop down and move horizontally again across the mid-section, and finally scan down the left side.
When to use: This pattern works best on text-heavy pages, like blog posts, news articles, or any pages with lots of content.
How to use: Place the most important information in the first two paragraphs and include subheadings and bullet points down the left side to make it easier to scan.
2. Z Pattern
What it is: The Z pattern resembles the letter “Z,” where users’ eyes move in a zigzag motion, scanning horizontally across the top, diagonally down the page, and horizontally across the bottom.
When to use: Best suited for simple pages with minimal copy, such as landing pages, product pages, or sign-up pages.
How to use: Place the most important elements (like the CTA) along the path of the Z (e.g., logo in the top left, CTA in the bottom right).
3. Layer-Cake Pattern
What it is: Users scan headings or subheadings in horizontal layers across the page.
When to use: Useful for pages with clear sections or subsections, such as blog posts or educational content.
How to use: Use clear, descriptive headings and subheadings that break up the content. Make them bold and noticeable.
4. Spotted Pattern
What it is: Users focus on specific points of interest, jumping from spot to spot rather than scanning continuously.
When to use: Effective for pages with images, icons, or distinct visual elements.
How to use: Make important elements like product images or key information stand out. Use contrasting colors or bold visuals to guide the user's attention.
5. Marking Pattern
What it is: Users pause and focus intently on certain sections, usually involving form fields, videos, or calls to action.
When to use: Perfect for interactive pages, forms, or sign-up pages where you want the user to take an action.
How to use: Design a clear focus area around the key action, such as a prominent form field, play button, or CTA button.
6. Bypassing Pattern
What it is: Users skip large sections of the content, scanning only the parts that stand out, such as images or highlighted text.
When to use: For pages with long paragraphs or lots of text, such as whitepapers or reports.
How to use: Use visual hierarchy, such as bold text, block quotes, or images, to guide users toward the key sections. Keep the most important information easily accessible.
7. Commitment Pattern
What it is: Users are engaged and read or view most of the content in depth, rather than just scanning.
When to use: For pages where users are highly motivated to consume content, such as checkout pages or detailed product descriptions.
How to use: Keep the content engaging and well-structured. Ensure the design supports in-depth reading, with clean typography and enough white space.
General Tips for Using These Patterns:
Start with your goals: Think about what action you want users to take on the page and design with that in mind.
Test and adapt: Use tools like heat maps to understand how users interact with your specific website and adapt the design accordingly.
Prioritize: Highlight important content with strong visual cues, whether that’s a heading, button, or image.
Each pattern corresponds to a different kind of user behavior and can help optimize how users interact with the content based on what’s most important for your goals.
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