Skim-readers V speed-readers: is your website missing the mark?
Why writing for skimmability might not be enough
I've got a curious theory about your website visitors. In spite of what you’ve been led to believe, not all of them are goldfishy skim-readers. Yes, a very few (the deep readers) will read every word. Five times. Those aren’t the others I mean though.
A significant minority of other readers won’t skim. They’ll speed-read instead.
Both skimmers and speed-readers have the same aim on your website - to process the information quickly. But using very different reading techniques. There’s plenty of overlap between copywriting advice for skimmers and speed-readers, but also some crucial differences. Yet so much of digital copy is edited and optimised for skimmability.
So why do we tend to optimise websites for the skimmers? We check crossheads, chunk information, bold and upsize the most important messaging.
But what about the speed-readers? Do the same copywriting rules apply?
In fact, most readers can’t be neatly categorised into skim-, deep- or speed-readers. It varies depending on the context.
Hubspot published some research back in 2016 on what people self-report about skimming content online. Reliable statistics on skim-reading are older - NNg reported that only 16% of people read websites word-by-word.
First things first - skim-reading is far more common among online readers, especially on mobile. Speed-readers represent a much smaller proportion of your buyers. Plenty of those speedy people won’t have “trained” their reading style or practised being a speed-reader. But many of your buyers who spend time processing large amounts of information - lawyers, researchers, journalists, report-reading execs and advisors - are likely to have developed speed-reading skills.
How do skim-readers process your website?
Skimmers look for the general gist - the main points. They tend to pay more attention to headers, first sentences and bullet points than the detailed body copy. For skimmers, copy structure is crucial. Skimmers are more likely to skip sections they judge irrelevant. The gist of each self-contained section should be summarised in the section header.
A skimmer’s attention might jump between sections quickly, as they try to choose and process the most relevant information. If you want to make it easier for skimmers to process your website, your messaging must be expressed clearly in those headers, in an order that makes sense.
Skimmers read selectively, and only deep-read if they’re already convinced there's something in it for them. Of all your website visitors, skimmers are likely to have the lowest recall of your message. What a pity they make up the biggest proportion.
Skim-readers need plenty of visual cues
Descriptive headers and crossheads summarising the body copy.
Information chunked into smaller sections or paragraphs with subheads.
Plenty of white space.
Brief bullet points.
Short numbered lists.
Minimal rambling. One point: one paragraph/section.
The most important information front-loaded early on.
Clear visual cues for the most important copy - colour, bold, bigger font size, callouts.
Visuals or icons that help understanding.
Link buttons rather than contextual links.
Complex ideas translated into visuals like charts or infographics.
A TL;DR - a brief recap of essential information.
How do speed-readers process your website?
Speed-reading is more intentional than skimming. Message recall is higher. Someone speed-reading your site is likely to be closer to buying than a skimmer.
I think of speed-reading as a very focused way to sprint through copy. It’s fast, but takes concentration. That’s because speed-readers tend to take in, at a glance, bigger sections/paragraphs of copy all at once.
If you don’t consider yourself a speed-reader, it’s hard to distinguish the technique from skimming. I’ve tried to explain how I do it here.
When I speed-read, my eyes don’t dart around the page so much to get the gist. Instead, I read chunks of copy at once - a short paragraph, for example. I don’t read words sequentially along a sentence line, but focus on the full block of words. I don’t read the words inwardly to myself either. Instead, certain words and phrases stand out from the block of copy, and that’s how I process meaning.
That’s why paragraph text is as important to speed-readers as the headers.
Speed-readers need a clear journey through your copy
Paragraph blocks that support speed-reading pace. Although this varies, about 3-5 sentences feels like a sweet spot.
Unusual words or phrases actually help a speed-reader. They tend to stand out within a chunk of text.
Decorative visuals interrupt speed-reading flow - for example, emoji within paragraphs. Keep copy as clean as possible visually.
Emphasise selectively. Bold text, colour, highlighted text and italics all slow a speed-reader down.
As long as you avoid visual distractions, a speed-reader can cope with a little less white space than a skimmer.
Use linking words at the beginning of paragraphs - first, next, finally.
Put the most important items first and last in a list. Longer lists suit a speed-reader more than a skimmer, but they still need to be well-organised.
Contextual links (within sentences) are less distracting than buttons.
Instead of TL;DR, add a summary of key takeaways. Speed-readers use these to check full understanding.
How do you know whether to optimise for skim- or speed-readers?
I think of this choice as a sliding scale with skim at one end and speed at the other. Either way, both types of reader are trying to get the job done quickly!
So how do you decide which type of reader is most likely to browse your site?
Consider the type of web page
Landing pages or homepages are usually intended as “overview” pages, and best optimised for skimmers. Clear calls to action should lead to deeper content.
A simple checkout page is also most likely skimmed, and needs to be clear, sharp and reassuring. On the other hand, sales pages for higher end services or products are more likely to be read deeply at speed, especially if visitors return to them.
How complicated is your product/service?
For simple products/services in an easy-to-understand category, I tend to veer towards skimmer. On the other hand, complex items usually need deeper information and a structure for speed-reading. Copy for consulting or B2B services is often read many times before decisions are finally made. These higher-investment services or products need more detailed information and specifications, and often less visual clutter.
This is important - slow down and use shorter sentences at the most complex points. Use comparison tables and other visuals that skim-readers can interpret at a glance, but with deeper textual information for the deeper readers.
Think about your ideal buyer’s existing knowledge
Industry expert or novice? Are they likely to understand the technical details of your product or service already? Then aim closer to the speed-reading end of the balance.
Is your buyer more likely to look for very specific information quickly? They’re probably skimming.
Consider buyer awareness
How often do buyers return to your website? First-time/one-time visitors are more likely to skim. Returners are more likely to speed- or deep-read. Same if your sales process relies on a funnel. For Top-of-Funnel, I tend to optimise for skimmers, but closer to Bottom-of-Funnel, the more likely I am to use copy techniques aimed at speed-readers, including deeper comparisons.
The closer the buyer is to converting (for complex or higher investment services) the more likely I will assume they will speed- or deep-read rather than skim.
Want to become a speed-reader? Either read loads of dense information over a period of years or do some deliberate practice. This book gets decent reviews (aff link). As does this course.
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