Member-only story
F-shaped reading on the web
This short article talks about a common pattern that people follow when reading web content, known as the F-shaped pattern.
Understanding how people read web content is important for creating engaging pages that meet users’ needs and expectations.
Most web users prefer to complete their tasks as quickly as possible with minimal effort. When they visit a web page, they seek to find a quick answer.
However, when there are no cues to guide their eyes to important information, users will choose the path of least resistance, and the F-pattern is the chosen pattern.
F-shaped pattern
This pattern is based on eye-tracking studies* that have found that people tend to read web content in an F-shaped pattern, where they first scan across the top of the page in a horizontal line, then down the left side of the page in a vertical line, and finally scan across the content again in a horizontal line further down the page.
This principle holds true for screens on both desktop and mobile devices and occurs when a page or section of a page has text with little to no formatting, and the user is trying to be efficient without reading every word.
It is also worth noting that there are other scanning patterns, although the F-pattern is the dominant pattern.
Should we follow the F-shaped pattern?
While it’s difficult to control user motivation, good design can lead to a different pattern by capturing more attention.
As a web designer, you should understand how people read web content and use this knowledge to create more effective and engaging layouts that meet the needs and expectations of users.
Instead of trying to force your design into patterns, guide your visitor’s eye through the page by…
