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First-Glance Text Load: How Much Text Competes for Attention
Visitors don’t read a page from top to bottom. In the first seconds their attention goes to certain areas.
First-Glance Text Load shows how much text sits where attention is predicted to land, and whether it can be read within a 4-second attention hold.
1. What is First-Glance Text Load?
First-Glance Text Load connects text to predicted attention. First-glance text is the text in the areas receiving the most predicted attention. It shows what visitors are likely to notice, not what they actually read.
To get it, click See Where Attention Goes at the bottom of the Text Load panel, or run an Attention Scan.
What does the First-Glance Text Load score mean?
First-Glance Text Load estimates how long the text in areas predicted to attract attention would take to read, using four seconds as a reference.
Light (up to 4s): Estimated reading time fits within the four-second reference.
Moderate (over 4s to 8s): Estimated reading time exceeds the reference.
Heavy (over 8s): Estimated reading time exceeds twice the reference. Consider shortening or prioritizing the text.
For a Full page scan, it is shown for the first screen only. It is not shown when no attention lands on text, or when the page language has no reference reading rate.
What does “First-Glance Text” mean?
The number of words in the first-glance text.
What does “Attention on Text” mean?
The share of all predicted attention on this screen that lands on text rather than images or other elements.
What does “Competing Text” mean?
How many text blocks hold at least 5% of the attention that lands on text.
What does “top holds X%” mean?
How much of the attention on competing text the strongest block takes. A high percentage means one block clearly leads.
What does “Whole Page: min / words” mean?
The reading time and word count of all main copy on the page. Compare it with the first-glance text to see how much of your message is likely to be noticed.
2. How do I read the metrics together?
Start with a hypothesis: which message should visitors notice first on this screen? Then check whether the numbers support it.
High First-Glance Text Load, low Attention on Text?
The text predicted to attract attention takes longer to read, but most attention goes to images or other elements. Check whether your key message receives enough predicted attention. Shorten the first-glance text to one clear claim, or move the message closer to where attention lands.
Low First-Glance Text Load, high Attention on Text?
A small amount of text receives a high share of predicted attention. This is usually a good sign; just check that it’s the message you want visitors to see first.
Many Competing Text blocks, but one takes most attention?
There is a clear visual hierarchy. Check that the leading block carries your most important message.
Many Competing Text blocks with similar attention?
Predicted attention is distributed fairly evenly across several text blocks, so visitors split their attention between several messages.
3. What doesn’t First-Glance Text Load measure?
Text inside images, drawn on canvas or inside embedded frames from other websites is not counted, if a headline is embedded in an image, its words won’t be included in the text count, even if the image attracts predicted attention. First-Glance Text Load shows which text is likely to be noticed, not which words visitors actually read.
For more on attention metrics, see How to interpret Percentage of Attention and What is the Focus Score.
