Hi Michel,

I've noticed that you use the drop capital on your own websites and also include them in the copy for your clients.

Have you tested how effective it is, and if so, can you share the results?

David Ogilvy is quoted in 'Ogilvy On Advertising' saying that the drop capital increases readership by an average of 13%. He seemed to use it in most of his ads.

I know Ogilvy was a legend in offline advertising, which is why I am so interested in the web perspective. In my opinion human reading/scanning behaviour can't be too dissimilar between online and off.

The drop capital certainly grabs your attention, and then your eye is lead naturally from left to right, which guides you almost against your will into reading text in the first paragraph.

Jason

Hi Jason,

I'm sure Michel will answer your question about the Drop Cap - I'm fairly sure he's said in the past that it increases response.

I just wanted to make a comment about reading online vs offline. For various reasons (screen glare etc) people actually read 20% slower on line, and they are more likely to scan and scroll. Also, the experience is a little different due to the ability to scroll, click on links etc. Also, if you're reading a printed letter, and you remember that something was on page 1, you can easily reference back to that - not so easy to do such things on one scrolling piece of text.

Someone else might have something more specific to say on the subject if they've been reading the relevant research. Just thought I'd mention that there's probably quite a lot of difference between how people read online and offline.

Jane

Hello'
Sence i first saw the 20% sloer reading speed figure in gary halberts letter. i have monitored how i read online verses a normal book. i find a lot of discomfort reading long copy online vrs offline. and i have stopped buying ebooks unless there is a lot of audio recording to go with them.

the main reason is the amount of work compared to normal paper . on a screen when i get to the last word on the screen i have to stop scroll and try to position the text so i can read as mouch as possible before having to scroll again. then move my eyes back to where the first word of the newer text is and regain my train of thought.

thats why i think online people are more likely to just scan and read subhead untill something catches their eye . not that i am like everyone else on the web but . i Know i read a good deal slower online .


it's always much easier to flip a page in a book ..than scroll through the pages of an ebook . at least for me anyway.

Ken

Hi Jane, Ken,

I must admit that I must of missed Gary's comments on the 20% slower theory. I say theory for want of a better word. Usually if Gary says it's so, it more often than not is.

It does make sense though. With a plain piece of paper and a quite room there are no distractions. With a webpage, you've got all the toolbar around the page, naviagation links, pop ups etc. Not to mention the odd audible noise telling you to check your e-mail!

Jason

Jason,

I've read that 20% figure all over the place, and from some university study as well - so I think it must be fairly accurate.

Jane