SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS
Simple sentence structure – lots of ‘if’, ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘because’, ‘as’ in your sentence means too many concepts in that sentence.
Aim for 20 words max. per sentence – the user’s eye will bounce over words to get an overview of the sentence’s meaning. Keep sentences short so your readers understand the sentence quickly and easily before moving on. Sentence length should still be varied to add interest.
Four sentences max. per paragraph – for online content, large blocks of copy make users jump ahead – they avoid reading your copy unless they absolutely have to in order to achieve their goal – keep to the point.
One idea per paragraph – it helps your user’s scanning, bouncing eye to quickly grasp the overall meaning of each paragraph so they can build up an understanding of the page.
Four paragraphs max. per subheading – the same principle as above – by simply scanning your subheadings alone, a user should be able to get an idea of what you’re saying.
