5 Ways to Ensure Your Website Content Gets the Attention it Deserves

Social media posts come and go but your website should always be in style.

How long does the average person spend on a website? 20 minutes? Guess again. 15 minutes? Nope, try 15 seconds. Clicking does not equal reading, and reading does not guarantee attention. We live in a world of millennials where attention is a precious rarity, so the real question is: how can you make sure that what's on your website will actually be read?

1) Master the Gutenberg diagram

The Gutenberg diagram describes the western habits of looking at large, text-heavy content. It can be seen that the top left corner is the primary focus of attention and then the bottom right corner is where there is either a break in reading or page-scan. This suggests that the top left corner is where you keep the most valuable information, and the bottom right corner is the best place for any call-to-action.
 

2) Use High Quality Images

This is a bit of a no-brainer, but the general assumption is that if your website is packed with low-quality images, whatever you're providing will be low-quality too. Image quality is a significant factor in grabbing attention so make sure your website includes relevant images that have been formatted correctly to your page. Top tip: include a caption as they're more likely to be read than the main text.

3) If You Really Want It To Be Read, Keep It To The Left

Assuming the majority of people visiting your website read from left to right, you can be confident that the content on the left side of the page is more likely to be read than that on the right. This is why all of the important features of your website, for example, the vertical menu, should be on the left. If you want to be really smart, keep in line with the Gutenberg rule and place navigation features at the top left as it's seen by most people.

4) Keep It Friendly For Mobiles

Google changed its algorithm in 2015, ranking websites that are more mobile responsive higher in search results. Simply put, if your website isn't mobile-friendly, it's less likely to be seen. Besides, with roughly 50% of internet users using a mobile device, you'll want your website to be easily accessed by them with no trouble.

5) Avoid jargon & keep it human

You know that guy at the bar that sounds like he's swallowed a thesaurus and tells you that he's a Customer Experience Enhancement Consultant (reality: a shop assistant)? Don't be that guy. Don't let your website be that guy. Be personal, refer to the reader as 'you', and keep a clear outline. Of course, a little jargon is unavoidable but it's the style and the way you convey your words that will make all the difference.