Web sites are made for surfers who read, scan and would want to know more about a particular topic or subject that they are looking for. Articles written for websites serve this particular purpose. But, believe it or not, surfers who search the web for relevant articles do so not by actually reading each and every article they encounter, they simply skim and scan over it.

It is discovered that only sixteen percent of users tested who regularly surf the web for information actually read every word of an article. A whooping seventy nine percent just scan it. All they do is choose among the many words in front of them and pick out the relevant words, phrases or sentences.

But, there is an exception though. In the same test, it was also discovered that articles that enjoyed a more than one hundred percent usability rating were articles that were concisely written, well-researched and objectively presented.

For articles that were average in content and form, this is where text scanning is definitely usable. Articles such as these would be easier to scan via keywords that are highlighted or in a different color or typeface.

What would it take then for an article to be easily readable enough at the same time be considered important? The following are basic tips to apply to a written article and to make it appear clear and comprehensible.

Apply sub-headings

Make sure to use sub-headings that are meaningful. Take note that these sub-headings need to be more contextual than cute or clever. Though making it cute is nice, a sub-heading that is more applicable and apt for the article