Designing a website can really be an artform. There is so much that goes into an effective website design. Once you understand fully how your visitors are viewing your site, you can better create a site that will be effective for your online business model.
The F shaped pattern of reading on the web is one that shows just where readers eyes are going first on your site. The first few words on your webpage are very important. This is where readers will fixate right when they land on your page. Make sure that you are placing essential keywords at the begging of your lines in order to catch the readers attention and keep them reading further.
This is pretty consistent for every line of text on your webpage. You will see in studies that the first few words on a line are the ones that are most focused on. Formatting your text to better suit your needs is a great way to direct attention to key points. Subheadings and bullet points are essential to the success of a webpage. Using catchy phrases in your subheadings will give you the ability to engage your readers and convey your point to them effectively.
Some web designers have even gone as far as to say that the F pattern of reading is due to the laziness of readers. This assumption is due to the fact that most F pattern reading takes place on mobile phones. Ever since mobile devices have become the preferred way of viewing websites, it is easy to see why F pattern reading is becoming more prevalent. Smartphones and other mobile devices have been designed to make things as easy and convenient as possible. However, when you are dealing with dense information, convenience isn't necessarily what you want for readers.
While F style reading is probably something that web designers will always have to deal with, designers and writers can create content that will utilize a webpage to its fullest potential. F style reading can actually be used to a designers benefit if they discover how to properly lay out their site.