The layout of your page makes a big difference in the way that your website is viewed by your readers. Let's say you have a lot of information to cover on your topic. You have 500 words of content written out. It may look like big blocks of content and is definitely well structured into paragraph form. Your 5th grade English teacher would be proud.
The problem is the average web reader is not going to care. Even if your subjects are well throughout and organized, they won't read it.
Won't Read It?
Why wouldn't they read what you have written? Even if the information is very clear and organized, most of the time they just won't read through big chucks. Here's why.
Readers do not like to read. If it looks like a lot of details, it is likely they won't bother reading through the entire document.
Most people who use the web skim the pages to learn what they need to. They rarely take the time to read every sentence that you write. Therefore, you are likely to lose them within the first paragraph.
What To Do
How can you ensure that your readers actually get something form their website visit? There are several things you have to do and it all comes down to the way your page is laid out. Here are some tips for improving your website page layout for a more effective outline.
Use headers and catchy titles. This will help the reader to easily following the content. You want to grab their attention so they know that there is something worthwhile.
Next, break up the page with white space, or additional lines that are blank. This will help the reader to see what needs to be read easier. It does not look like too much information. They are more likely to read through it.
Use bullet points and numbered lists to get your message out clearly without making it dull. This enhances the ability a reader has to learn from your website through skimming. It also breaks up the content nicely, making it easier to read.
These tips can help you to improve how people use your website. If you have found that people are simply overlooking your content or not reacting to it, small improvements to your layout will make an effective difference right away. Try to tweak your page layout.
