How to : Grasp your reader's attention

"Eyetracking visualizations show that users often read Web pages in an F-shaped pattern: two horizontal stripes followed by a vertical stripe."
Users first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area. This initial element forms the F's top bar.
Next, users move down the page a bit and then read across in a second ...
Read More on the F shaped findings

I think this can help us all in writing content which can be read better by the user. Here is a list of what I learnt to do from this study:

• Content on left: Always set your template so that the widgets and other things are on the right column and the main content is on the left side.
• Show popular posts: As you can see I have placed the popular posts right on the top right, the first horizontal bar which people read.
• Use lists with meaningful bolds: More often than not, the reader is likely to scan through your page at amazing speeds. Make it a point to make your content scannable by writing in lists. Also, the title in bolds should be enough to get the gist of the post.
• Use Images and Videos on the right: The right vertical is mostly ignored by the readers according to this study. So, I think the images and videos which capture the attention of the user should be used on the right instead of the boring no image texts.
• Use Taglines on header: This is like the first impression thing when you meet somebody. Its the most prominent part of the "F" and should be used intelligently. Use keywords, dashes or commas, anything which gets the message across. Choose words which state the purpose of your site the best. You might offend some people who love there language by using dashes, but it will be benificial to most. Here is an example:
• Our solutions are:
  Scaleable and Robust
  Modular and Integrated
  Efficient and Cost-effective
  
• Learn to write effective headlines, titles: The attention span of a reader is less than a teenager. You get just 50-60 characters to convince people to read your article. It is even worse on a search engine when your post is listed amongst 1000 other posts. Its better to note to use the below as a checklist whenever you write a headline.
  
• Clearly explain what the article (or email) is about in terms that relate to the user.
• No puns, no "cute" or "clever" headlines.
• No teasers that try to entice people to click to find out what the story is about
• Skip leading articles like "the" and "a" in email subjects and page titles
• Make the first word an important, information-carrying one.
• Do not make all page titles start with the same word: they will be hard to differentiate when scanning a list.
  

I believe this study only strengthens what we all already knew. The good thing is it has given us another chance to get our basics in line and start writing better content. After all, we can force nobody to read what we write.

Blog A Tool Contest

Its time for a blogging contest @ B-B-B (Best-Blog-Basket). It is pretty similar to other contests. You have to blog about a blogging tool. The prizes will help you increase traffic for your blog and your technorati rank; best of all your relations in the blogging community. Please read all of the instructions before submitting your entries. Only new posts will be accepted. Posts written before today's date will not be eligible for this contest. Thanks for your understanding.
The full list of submissions are posted here.

• Topic:
  

As we keep blogging, we think of new things which can be done to improve our blog. Everyone strives to get the best graphics, best content, newest setups and what not. In your pursuit as a blogger, I am sure you must have come across many tools which would have helped you in your blogging endeavour.
The contest is pretty simple. All you have to do is: Write about one tool, which you think has made your blogging life a heaven. It might be any tool: online or offline, hardware or software; it might even be a book. All that is required is, it should have helped you and it should be helpful to the readers.
Possible examples of tools: Newsgator, any cool widget, a new plugin (like stumble), a book, a forum,a template, a site, a software, a new mouse etc. You might add anything you think is appropriate(above mentioned criteria) and blog about it.

• The Prizes:

Let the best tool win! I will decide which tool is the best based on: how helpful it is;if you have mentioned its best use in your blog or not etc.

1. All participants get 2 linkbacks from my blog.
2. 10 top entries get a chance to write guest blog entries on my blog. (They should obviously be sensible and not full of meaningless links, but they can contain links back to your blog when relevant.)
3. Two entries get the ad space on my blog header for 15 full days.
4. Two other entries will receive:
   

• A review from my blog along with the backlink.
• An honest and thorough feedback about their blog from me ( I assure you I will prepare my feedback after many visits). I will explain its relevance: I will tell you the viewpoint of a new reader be it on your graphics, content, site layout. I will be a part of the experimentation you do on your blog for 10 days, if you want.

• How to participate?

Step1: Write the blogging tool post.

• You must state your tool clearly and its use(s). You can add anything else you want.
• If you don't have a blog where you can write a post you can mail me your entries at: mp3mohit1@gmail.com
• If you don't want too much hustle, you can add your post in the comments, but you will lose the two backlinks you could have got. I assure you, it wont affect my decision.
  
• You can write it in your first language. I encourage that.
• Please consider putting a link back to this post on your post so that your readers know you’re participating. You don’t have to do this - but it’d be appreciated to help grow the discussion/contest.

Step 2: Inform me about the post:

• Drop in a mail .
• Make sure to include your name, title of the post, URL of the post you have written.
• Deadline: 3 Weeks from today, 15 Th April 2007
  

Step 3: The links you get:

• One in the total list of submissions for viewing all the entries.
• In a daily post on the entries received on a daily basis.
• Selected entries get more links.
  

Step 4: Link Link Link

• You can post your own winners list by surfing through the contest entries. This will help you get to know new blogs and establish new connections in the blogging community.
• The amount of interlinking potential amongst the contestants is huge and its upto you to make the best out of it.

Step 5: The chosen entries will be announced on the 16Th April.

Blogger Launches New "Add Page Element(s)"

Blogger keeps getting better and better. Surprisingly, when I tried to enter a new page element( In your Blogger Dashboard: Click Layout-->Add a Page Element) on my blog today, I found this:

These are really cool additions and open up ample opportunities to add fresh content to your blog.

• Newsreel

As the picture says it allows you to add news from the Google news. An even better feature can be seen in the below picture:
Yes, you can add the search terms for which you want the displays. Also, what you cant see in this preview is that the news is in flash format and takes a single line (very less blog page space) for any number of news you want. The search as expected from Google is lightning quick.

• Video Bar

How cool is that? Miniature videos right on your blog with minimal loading time and for whichever topic you need. Here is the snapshot of the setup:The black screens are the videos and I have blackened it for no legal issues et al. This will help you provide your own videos or any other Google, Youtube videos to your readers.

I will use this feature for sure on my blog and give you a thorough review in a couple of days, so keep reading. Here is what I think at first look:

• It cant be used by three column templates since the width is too much.
  
• It is very light and increases your blog load time by just 2-2.5 seconds.
• Even a monkey could set it up.
• It still needs better integration with youtube and if possible news and videos from other sites.

If you find anything new about these features, which most probably, I ha vent mentioned, do mention them. Its a great gift to Bloggers. Thanks Google.

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