By Katherine Andes
According to Kelly Flint of Constant Contact, research shows that it takes 25% longer to read an online page than a print page. This is due to the flicker of monitors.
That’s important to you because if it takes longer for your visitor to read a page, then it means that the task of reading and comprehending is significantly more difficult.
So if web pages are already harder to read, then why do so many websites make fonts very small?
Or why do they let the text range across a very wide screen so that the reader with a large monitor actually has to turn his head from left-to-right-to-left again just to read a page?
Why are paragraphs long without a break?
Why aren’t there headings and sub-headings?
Remember, if your web page isn’t pertinent and easy to read, your visitor and prospective customer will abandon your website.
P.S. If your body text is in reverse type, readers are hindered even more than 25%!
Easy Furniture Web Tip 63: The online reading speed of web pages is 25% slower than print pages, so it’s even more important to make sure your pages are easy on the eyes.
Katherine Andes is a consultant who specializes in web content development, including search engine optimization (SEO), and online web marketing — especially in the home improvement market. You can phone her at 559.589.0379 or email at kathy@andesandassociates.com.