There have been multiple studies done that attempt to determine how people view web pages upon arrival. Knowing this information can help you in designing your landing pages more effectively. One recent study has determined that the dominant reading pattern follows the shape of an F. While the pattern doesn’t exhibit an exact F, the general pattern can be described using this letter shape.

The general pattern of viewing a web page

As previously mentioned, recent studies have indicated that when a person visits a website, they look at information in an F-shaped pattern. According to Jakob Nielson, users first read in a horizontal movement that is generally located at the top of the page. Notice that this area is often where the company logo is placed, along with the navigation menu.

Secondly, users tend to read in another horizontal line that is usually located further down the page. This eye movement is usually shorter in length than the first horizontal movement. This eye movement forms the second, shorter bar of the F.

The other movement that works to form the F-shape is a vertical movement which is usually located along the left-hand side of the page. The results of Nielson’s study suggest that this eye movement is reasonably slow and seems to be systematic in nature. The general form of these eye movements, when you combine all these parts together, forms the shape of the letter F.

Using the F pattern while designing your landing page

Now you know how people generally look at web pages, but how can you use that to your advantage when designing landing pages? The answer is simple: Place relevant, important information in these prime viewing locations. Normally, if someone is directed to your landing page when they are searching for something, they will likely scan your page to see if the information is relevant to their search.

Any information that a potential visitor will find important should be placed towards the top of your landing page. This will likely help because if the information is important to the visitor, it will also be critical to keeping him/her on your landing page and taking action. As always, using short, concise statements on your landing page should also help with your success. The use of headings, subheadings, and bullet points can also help increase conversion rates.

Following these general rules and understanding the F-shape viewing pattern in designing your landing page could significantly increase your conversion rates. One of the benefits of landing pages is that they can be quickly and easily adjusted to increase conversion rates. Experiment with your landing page design using the F-shape and see if your conversion rates change because of it.

Creating and designing effective landing pages can be a challenge. Following these suggestions can help guide you in the right direction when doing so. If you are having a difficult time designing your landing pages or want to be able to produce them more quickly, visit www.punchsites.com. Punch is a web-based software program that generates effective landing pages, squeeze pages, and sales letter quickly!