No one actually reads online content: they scan. If you’re lucky. So how do you need to write for people who aren’t going to read anyway? Very strategically.

It doesn’t take a genius to tell you that people don’t read things online the same way they read in print. However, have you ever wondered just how different those reading behaviors actually are? I did.

People do not read online. They scan.

When I came across this fantastic research summary from Jakob Nielsen of Nielsen Norman Group, I nearly fell out of my chair with excitement (I’m kind of a data geek). Let me summarize the findings and share a graph to make the point clear.

Research proves it.

A very large sample of a collection of online page views – 45,237 to be exact – was analyzed to determine the relationship between time spent on a Web page and the number of words on the page itself. Conclusion: the MOST an online user could read per page, on average, is 28% of the words on the page if all their time on the page is spent reading the text (instead of scratching their nose, looking at images or doing something else). The real number is more likely 20%.

Maximum words read per page, by word count

People read 1 in 5 of the words you write online. At best.

For those of you who don’t feel like thinking through this graph, here’s the punchline. Visitors to your company or personal blog, Web site or lifestream channel will not read more than 1 of every 5 words you write. On a good day. So you need to choose your words wisely and format your content strategically to keep their attention as long as possible before they click away and you lose them forever.

How to write to improve the odds of getting your point across.

Here are 10 guidelines for making the most out of the precious few moments you will ever get from your audience online.

1. Write killer headlines and section headers to draw attention and keep the eye moving down the page. On-point is better than clever.

2. Front-load with keywords. Most of the scanning takes place within the furthest left hand side of the page. And usually just the first two words.

3. Numerals catch the gaze better than written numbers. 5 is better than five.

4. Images catch the eye and can help pull the attention to new sections, as long as they are relevant to the content.

5. Know your audience and write with them in mind. Write at their knowledge level to maintain interest and add value to their lives/profession.

6. Inverted pyramid works best. Don’t save the punchline for the end. Share the point up front, then support it throughout.

7. Aim for 1/2 the word count compared to writing for print. Or less. Be brutal with your editing. If the word doesn’t add anything, cut it.

8. Key words are more important than fancy vocabulary. Think in terms of Google search terms, rather than being a human thesaurus.

9. Bulleted or numbered lists are easier to scan than paragraphs. Embrace the scanning behavior and make it easiest to grasp your content.

10. Deliver on your promise. Give the audience what they came for. Don’t mislead them or make them download files. They’ll just leave, frustrated.

What other guidelines do you follow when you are writing for the Web? Am I missing any? Would love to hear from you and add your experience to ours.