Online readers have greater attention span

Better than news readers

3 April 2007 10:15 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Good news reader, according to a new survey in America you've got a greater attention span that print news readers.

Conducted by the Poynter Institute, an American journalism school, the EyeTrack07 survey found that a much larger percentage of story text was read, on average, by online readers than print readers.

In total, 77% of online readers read their selected text while broadsheet newspaper readers read only about 62% of their chosen story and tabloid readers about 57%.

The survey used two small cameras mounted above the eyes of 600 participants to monitor what they read - and how they read it.

The survey discovered two ways of reading: methodical and scanning. About 75% of print readers are methodical while about half of online readers are methodical and the other half are scanners. Despite the method, both groups read about the same volume of story text.

The survey also found that the bigger headlines and photos attract print readers, but directional elements draw online readers.

Large headlines and photos in print were looked at first and got dramatically more attention than smaller ones. But online, readers went for navigation bars and teasers.

The full report is due out in June.

Full tags

Software, Online