Writing for Readers Who Scan

The more people are reading your work online, the more you need to think about writing for readers who are scanning.

The key is to think about visual impact as well as the words themselves.

Muhammad Saleem guest writing at Copyblogger suggests using a diagonal layout:

Readers will often read content diagonally to determine its usefulness before giving it a proper read. And in order to pass this direct filter test, you need to write for “diagonal” readers who scan your content from headline to close in a zig zag pattern.

Kenneth Davis at Manage Your Writing boils the theory of scannable layout down to two key points which are easy to remember and apply:

• Use headings and bullet points
• Put the most important material at the top

These principles apply to writing for the net, where people have access to a vast store-house of information and scan material very quickly to find what they’re looking for.

But the same factors apply in business writing where readers are often overwhelmed with paper and want to find what they need quickly and easily.

Think about the visual impact of your words, as well as the content of your writing.

It’s another way of helping your readers access your material - and enjoy the experience.