Here’s a tough truth: Most users won’t read your site. They’ll scan it.
According to Nielsen Norman Group, users read only about 20–28% of the words on a page. And that’s if they stay more than 10 seconds—which is rare.
To win attention and communicate clearly, you must design for skimmers.
The 5-Second Rule
You have five seconds (or less) to answer these three questions:
What is this?
Is it for me?
What should I do next?
If your layout doesn’t answer these visually—with headings, spacing, CTAs, and hierarchy—you’re losing potential conversions.
How to Design for Skimming
Headlines First: Make every headline specific, bold, and informative. Let it stand on its own.
Chunk Content: Break text into short, scannable paragraphs.
Use Bullet Points: Like this. They help users grasp key ideas instantly.
Highlight Key Phrases: Use bold or color to emphasize must-see text.
Visual Cues: Use arrows, icons, or layout breaks to guide the eye.
Design Supports Content
It’s not just about the copy—it’s how the copy is framed:
Use plenty of whitespace.
Keep line lengths readable (ideally 50–75 characters).
Design in a Z-pattern (how most users scan pages).
In a world of fast thumbs and short attention spans, the best websites are built to be understood at a glance. Skimmable = readable. And readable = results.
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