How to write for mobile has everything to do with this discovery.
We no longer read content online. We scan it.
With over 50% of American adults now using smartphones, it’s likely you will have just as many mobile visitors to your site as desktop ones. Write all your content as you would for your mobile site. If it looks great on your mobile, then it will look great on all other devices.
The F-shaped reading pattern we knew about on desktops is a thing of the past. On the small screen, there is no single area that needs to be optimized. The viewer may start on the left, but really is looking everywhere on the screen.
“We don’t read online, we scan. We don’t read online like we read books. Our attention span is very short when browsing websites online. We have a tendency to scan the text and jump from one section to another and read-only headings or just first sentences of a paragraph,” explains Rafal Tomal.
Understanding how people read on a mobile device – Write less for more impact. Provide a clear, concise message by shortening phrases.
- Make enough room between the sections so you clearly see when to stop.
- Start every section with a short heading.
- Follow the heading with a short intro paragraph or subheading that summarizing what the section is about.
- Use a clear typographic hierarchy.
- Make your fonts large enough,
- Break up large amounts of content into small chunks (use space between paragraphs, bullet/number lists, quotes, icons, illustrations, photos).
- Write short sentences
- Put your key messages before your marketing hype.
- Think Hemingway. Use simple words and phrases.
Habits Differ Based on The Device
Mobile users typically use their devices to solve problems or gain information throughout their day, whereas desktop users are typically in their offices or homes. Remember. Nothing is more daunting to your visitor than a massive block of unformatted text.
Check your content on a smartphone to see how it looks and find ways to improve it.
Resources: How To Create Mobile-Friendly Content