I think people will often skim before they go deep. And if the skim is not successful, they'll move on.
We're busy internet folks and we don't want to approach everything linearly. Writing is actually unique in its capacity to be "random access" as opposed to audio/video which is way harder to skim for meaning.
I think this is part of why "list" type articles tend to do well - you can skim to a point that particularly interests you. You've got a roadmap through the post at a glance.
I know at least personally even the articles I do end up taking my time with and reading carefully were all skimmed first.
I think people will often skim before they go deep. And if the skim is not successful, they'll move on.
We're busy internet folks and we don't want to approach everything linearly. Writing is actually unique in its capacity to be "random access" as opposed to audio/video which is way harder to skim for meaning.
I think this is part of why "list" type articles tend to do well - you can skim to a point that particularly interests you. You've got a roadmap through the post at a glance.
I know at least personally even the articles I do end up taking my time with and reading carefully were all skimmed first.
I do this All. The. Time. Especially with tutorials.
"Does this tutorial solve the problem I'm trying to solve"
*Quick Scroll Through*
"Ok cool, it does"
*Back up to the top to go through it again*