Some of the tests results I love to follow are those from The Poynter Institute. Their eyetracking studies are some of the largest ever conducted in this space.

While their tests are primarily done for, and funded by, major newspapers, their studies are incredibly revealing nonetheless. For instance, they’ve tested how readers read stories in three different formats: tabloid-​​style (folded vertically), broadsheet (larger size, folded horizontally), and online.

Of course, my interest is certainly focused on the online version. But their newspaper studies are very revealing in terms of what captures people’s attention, how they read, and how much of it they do read.

Their website has come out with five key findings. (Their full report is due out in a few more weeks from now.) But let’s take a closer look at these findings, and my interpretation of what they mean for the web.

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So what exactly is Web 2.0? I’m not an analyst or some dotcom pundit. But being online since 1991 (or since 1982 if you consider bulletin board services), I’ve witnessed enough to have a good grasp of what’s going on.

So here’s my perspective.

At the dawn of the Internet the web was primarily a unidirectional, one-​​way communications process. The web was comprised mostly of static web pages, filled with hypertext and links. It was akin to the direct mail industry, only this time it was served up on a computer monitor rather than on a piece of paper.

In fact, web pages that worked the best, especially in a direct marketing context, were ads and salesletters that closely mimicked the long-​​copy print salesletters we often get in the mail.

For many years and until recently, this was true.

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What seems to have exploded lately are blog networks and multi-​​author blogs. It’s part of the whole “social” concept that seems prolific in today’s Web 2.0 environment. Take Engadget​.com, TechCrunch​.com, Performancing​.com and others.

Because of the trend, I decided to allow guest authors to post to my blog. (If you wish to contribute, you may contact me for details.)

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Copy is all about words. Or is it?

Copy is about using words to describe the benefits of your offer. About using words to paint vivid mental imagery. About using words to stir the senses, press all the “hot buttons” and push the reader to take some kind of action.

But is it really ALL about words? I mean, just words? No.

Some copywriters claim that graphics, formatting and photographs should NOT be added to a salesletter because they distract. They can take the reader’s focus away from the message.

I agree. But not entirely. Here’s why…

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