Descriptive Subheadings Help Visitors Find What They Need
When visitors scan a page by reading its headings and then reading body text only under the heading that matches what they want, they are using what Nielsen Norman Group calls layer-cake scanning. Its eye-tracking research describes this as “by far the most effective way” to scan a page (Nielsen Norman Group, 2019).
What the research observed
In layer-cake scanning, eye fixations land on headings and subheadings in horizontal stripes down the page, with little attention on the text between them. When a heading matches the visitor’s task, they stop and read that section. On an attention map this looks like a series of warm bands at each heading, with one section noticeably warmer where the visitor stopped to read.
The pattern works because the headings act as an outline. A visitor can see the structure of the page in a few seconds, skip what does not apply, and spend their time on the part that does. It only works when the page has headings worth reading.
What it means for a business website
Two problems are common on small business sites. The first is long stretches of text with no subheadings, so there is nothing for a scanner to use. The second is headings that do not say anything, such as “Welcome,” “Our Approach,” or “Why Choose Us.” A scanner reading only those headings learns nothing about what is underneath them and has no reason to stop.
A heading such as “Monthly maintenance plans and pricing” tells the visitor exactly what the section contains, and whether they need it.
What to do
- Rewrite each subheading so it states what the section covers.
- Keep each section to one idea, so the heading accurately describes everything below it.
- Make headings visually distinct from body text through size, weight, and spacing.
- On long pages, add subheadings often enough that a visitor never faces a long block of text without one.
Sources
- Pernice. Text Scanning Patterns: Eyetracking Evidence. Nielsen Norman Group, 2019.