How to make text scannable and easier to read, when writing for the webs.

One of the fundamental differences compared to print media, is that people spend less time reading online, and more time scanning.

Focus on the first word

Humans are inherently lazy, so make it easy for them to scan through large lists by making the first word in the list stand out.

In this example, the first word for most of the items is “cat” which makes it more difficult to find the topic of interest.

• Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felid species, with a strong flexible body, quick reflexes, sharp teeth and retractable claws adapted to killing small prey.
• They are predators who are most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular).
• Cats can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice and other small animals.
• Compared to humans, they see better in the dark (they see in near total darkness) and have a better sense of smell, but poorer colour vision.
• Cats, despite being solitary hunters, are a social species.
• Cat communication includes the use of vocalisations including meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling and grunting as well as cat-specific body language.
• Cats also communicate by secreting and perceiving pheromones.

By rewording the content, we can make it easier to scan.

• Anatomy is similar to the other felid species, with a strong flexible body, quick reflexes, sharp teeth and retractable claws adapted to killing small prey.
• Predators who are most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular).
• Hear sounds which too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice and other small animals.
• See better in the dark compared to humans (they see in near total darkness) and have a better sense of smell, but poorer colour vision.
• Social species, despite being solitary hunters.
• Communication includes the use of vocalisations including meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling and grunting as well as cat-specific body language.
• Pheromones can be secreted and perceived by cats to help them communicate.