J Station

How much do the users read online or on a webpage?

On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely.

When this is the case, why are so many blogs on the web? Why do newspapers publish their online editions increasingly? Why do teachers use the web for homework? Why are online degrees and other courses becoming popular? Why are . . . There is a long list of never ending why’s!

But then, a short and shallow article or a blog post means nothing to the reader. Jakob Nielsen also says that when long has value, go for it.

Long or short, I feel it is the interest you create in the reader in the first two sentences that make them read on, without prompting to ‘Read more . . .’