NFIB

How Readers Scan an Ad
08/ 26/ 2002

The designing of advertisements should be based on how readers scan through an ad when first looking at it: what tends to catch the eye first, second and so on. This knowledge can help a designer place the most important elements, and thus maximize an ad's effectiveness. Jeffrey Moses discusses this in today's Workshop.

A reader's eye naturally goes first to the largest object in the ad, which is often a photo or illustration. Most people in the U.S. are verbally oriented (the verbal is emphasized over the pictorial in school from the earliest years), so after noticing the photo, they quickly scan to the headline. The verbal content of the headline lets them know what the ad is about.

This is why an ad headline and photo need to be placed somewhat close together, and their sizes need to be synchronized. If the headline is too small, the eye will have trouble finding it after looking at the photo. The result: no immediate information is found, and the reader moves to another ad.

If the headline catches the readerÆs interest, the eye then moves to what will give the reader quick additional information. Usually, the most readable items in the remainder of the ad will catch the eye. Often this is a series of bullet points, a short paragraph or subheads in the text. Large text blocks (long paragraphs) and small type are hardly ever sought after the headline. If the ad contains a coupon, that is usually looked at immediately after the headline. Smaller text in the ad is read last.

Certain words attract the eye more than others. The word "free" should be included whenever possible in a headline, subhead, coupon or bullet point because the eye often scans directly to it.

Our culture reads sentences from left to right, starting at the top of a page and moving downward. Because we are habituated from our earliest years to gain information in this way, the logical sequence of an ad should be set up in the same way. When readers begin reading from the top, they should immediately be informed about the product or service the ad is offering. Following paragraphs or bullet points should elaborate and give details. A coupon is usually best placed at the end of an ad, because it is, in ways, a conclusion or a call to action. Sometimes a direct call to action is included in an ad. "Call today," "Send your check today" and "Use the attached coupon today" are examples. All types of calls to action should be placed in the lower right area of an ad. This tells readers what you want them to do. Any text or pictures following the call to action would only serve to dilute the forcefulness of the directions you have given.

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