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November 22, 2008 10:28:27 CST



Online Readers Have No Attention Span

Posted Jun 14, 08 6:30 PM CDT in Technology Opinion Arts & Living 

(Newser) – Web readers are fidgety, so writers have to serve up the goods fast, Michael Agger writes in Slate. For example:

  • Online readers are “selfish, lazy, and ruthless,” according to theorist Jakob Nielsen.
  • They are informavores hunting for information at all costs.
  • They like text short, scannable, and occasionally bold.
  • And especially love lists.

Still there? Bless you. Let’s risk a long paragraph: The web isn’t conducive to lucid reading—that is, engrossing, pleasurable reading. Books immerse you in a trance; online, you read between IMs.  So one-idea paragraphs are best.  Other tips for online writers:

  • Links look authoritative.
  • Frequent, explanatory subheads are also good.
  • Slice your word count in half.
To see more, click on the link below.

Source Slate

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This caption doesn't have any information in it, so you should just scan past it now.   (Shutterstock)
Readers are ruthless information hunters - you've probably already realized this caption is meaningless and moved on.   (Shutterstock)
Oh, and let's get one thing straight: paper isn't going anywhere, no matter what your Kindle-toting buddies are telling you.   (Shutterstock)
Book v. online reading: in one, we have a short attention span.   (Shutterstock)
One browser reads with her morning o.j.   (Shutterstock)
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