How content is read: How publishers increase dwell time

People's attention span is continuously decreasing and concentration in terms of reading behavior has also changed. The use of digital media, in particular, is a major contributor to this development.How to read Internet pagesIn the age of the Internet, hardly anyone reads a text word for word online. A study from 2006 already showed that in most cases, the gaze travels over the text in the form of an F. What does that mean exactly? The reader first pays attention to the first line, then jumps to a later paragraph, of which he usually reads only one line, and then devotes himself only to the opening words of the further lines.Such reading behavior would be almost unthinkable in relation to a book. A similar observation was made in another study: there, it was also found that the time spent on websites rarely lasts longer than ten seconds. It is therefore even more difficult on the Internet to get readers excited about a text, to encourage them to take a closer look at the content, and to keep them on the website.More attention: What reporting can learn from the F-shapeThe following insights can be gained from the F: The majority of readers will not read the entire text - especially not word for word. In order to arouse the reader's interest, the most important information should therefore appear in the first two paragraphs. The "principle of decreasing importance" prevails here, which means that the most important content should be placed at the beginning and further details should appear further down in the text. Since readers perceive the first words of a paragraph, as already mentioned, it is also advantageous if paragraphs, subheadings and bullet points are information-carrying, i.e. begin with meaningful words. In this way, publishers increase attention and ensure increased reading interest.Readers at first glance: The multimedia reading experience countsThe design of the website also plays a major role in whether the consumer stays on the site and engages with the content or not. A good visual structure of the page is elementary for this. Attention should also be paid to a clear color scheme, legible typography and content-supporting images, graphics and videos. It is important to deliver not just a text, but a multimedia experience that captivates the target audience. For this reason, it is recommended to choose headlines, the main image and other interesting details in a way that makes them want to know more. A nice option are Giffygraphics, i.e. GIFs as infographics that break up pure text.Inner values are also important: "Content is KingWithout appealing content, even the most perfectly designed website is useless. In order to attract the reader's attention and increase the length of stay, the entire text as well as the individual sentences should be kept rather short. In addition, technical jargon and nested sentences should be avoided, as they only confuse the reader. Likewise, it is advisable to use a new paragraph for each new piece of content. Furthermore, objectivity and the use of as many active verbs as possible, which make the text more lively, are advantageous. In order for the reader to get a quick overview, important content in the text should also be highlighted, e.g. by using words or groups of words in bold. Links to other articles or websites also have an influence on the attractiveness of the content if they offer added value.Invite people to stay: Increase dwell time with live contentFor publishers, dwell time on websites is the measure of all things, and providers of advertising formats must also comply with this development. Live content tools will be used more and more to improve the user experience and increase dwell time. This is because they provide consumers with concisely summarized content in real time and thus satisfy the need for information that is as up-to-date and to the point as possible. In combination with conventional articles, this is how consumers' interest is aroused.ConclusionIn today's world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide consumers with content that truly captivates them. A text must not only be well written, it must also have other features that motivate the potential reader to take a closer look at the content. The overall concept of textual, multimedia content must make a perfect whole. Above all, live reporting ensures that readers first arrive at the website and, in the best case, stay there thanks to appealing website design and other factors.* Naomi Owusu is CEO and Co-Founder of Tickaroo where she is primarily responsible for business growth, strategy and scaling. Before founding the Regensburg-based company, she worked as a consultant. Her focus was on product strategies of digital media and especially the planning and conception of mobile applications were part of her work areas. The idea for Tickaroo came to her during the implementation of a sports app, when she realized that there was a lack of good tools for live coverage. Motivated, determined and true to the motto "just do it!", Naomi and her team are now fully committed to expanding the product portfolio and optimizing the live content tool on a daily basis.