Do You Read or Skim?
Ten years ago, we discovered that only 16% of people read web content word-for-word. The rest? They scan, skip, and sample. A decade later, we're asking the question again.
What We Found in 2015
In 2015, we surveyed 500 Australians about how they consume online content. The results were striking, and matched Nielsen's 1997 findings almost exactly.
The breakdown told the full story:
| Reading Behavior | % |
|---|---|
| Read most, may skip some parts | 40% |
| Skim through looking for key items | 35% |
| Read everything in full | 16% |
| Headline is enough | 8% |
When we asked non-readers why they skip content, the top reasons were impatience (56%), text being too long (47%), and losing interest (43%).
Why Revisit This Now?
The web has changed dramatically since 2015. AI-generated content has flooded every corner of the internet. Mobile became the dominant device. Social media trained us to scroll past anything that doesn't grab us in two seconds. TikTok redefined attention spans.
Has this made us more impatient? Or have we simply become more efficient at filtering signal from noise?
We want to find out. And we need your help.
What Type Are You?
Think about your general behavior across all content types. When you land on an article—before you know if it's worth your time—what's your default mode?
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