Think you know how people interact with your website? Think again.

I hear these things a lot. 

“I don’t need much text on that website page. No one really reads much these days anyway.”

Or…

“Let’s just add the text and not worry about any images. I don’t pay attention to them on other websites.”

And these are just for starters. 

Assumptions. That’s what they are. Taking our way of doing things as gospel and thinking that’s how everyone else must be doing it too.

So let’s get one thing super clear.

Everyone interacts with your website differently.

The thing is, we all have different learning styles. And this includes our ideal clients. It stands to reason then that we need to cater for all of them, or at least do our best with this.

We also interact with websites differently depending on where we’re at in our customer journey. If I’ve been referred to you by a friend and they’ve raved about your service, I’m likely to go to your website just for some extra peace of mind before booking in. If that’s the case, I’m not necessarily going to read everything on your website.

On the other hand, maybe I’ve come across your website via Google. You offer the service I’m after but I don’t know anything about you or your process. I’m then more likely to take a bit more time reading about these things before reaching out.

That’s why we need to cater to all types of learning styles. We can achieve that by understanding what they pay attention to and how to make sure we’ve ticking those boxes.

The “headings only” reader 

Some people have a tendency to skim read a website page. They’ll pay the most attention to headings, bolded text and linked text. This type of engagement is all about eye-catching text that is different from paragraph text.

How to satisfy this reader?

• Each section on your website page needs a heading. And make your headings clear, purposeful and that speak about the value you’re offering.
• Include subheadings for a bit more detail about the section.
• If there’s a few paragraphs of text, highlight important pieces of info by bolding it. 

The “pictures say a thousand words” reader

Some people are visual learners and really take in photos and graphics in a big way. They’ll still read headings and dot points but will be paying the most attention to the images and colours on the page.

How to satisfy this reader?

• Break up each content section on the page with an image, whether it be a photo, drawing or graphic.
• Use your brand colours to also help break up text heavy content. 
• Get creative in how you display content. Can some content be pulled out and displayed in a different way?

The “jump to the faqs” reader

There are some readers who’ll glance over your sales page and will stop at your FAQ section. They know that the bulk of information they need to make a decision will be contained in this area. Basically, they want to cut through the fluff and get to the facts.

How to satisfy this reader?

• Got a service page or sales page? Always include a FAQ section.
• Include ALL the questions that you regularly get asked about your service.
• You might find the info in the FAQs is repeating info that you’ve already explained on the page. There’s nothing wrong with repeating it with these readers in mind.

The “from cover to cover” reader

And there’s the website user who will read every single word on the page. Every. Single. Word. They want to know all the details. The why. The how. The when. The where. Your story. All of it. 

How to satisfy this reader?

• Underneath those headings that you’ve included on your page? Add paragraphs to support the grand statement. 
• Make your paragraphs engaging, humorous (if it fits with your brand) and detail oriented.

Catering to all learning styles and client journeys

Now you’re aware of the importance of headings, paragraphs, faqs and images. Include all of these things on your services pages, sales pages and about page. Don’t skimp on things that’ll be of benefit to someone.

Remember: Less isn’t always more.