They typically do not read a page from start to finish on the computer screen. Instead, they scan a site looking for relevant items and then print pages that contain the information they seek. You need to apply a style and method to your Web documents that accommodate this type of reading. Put the main points of your document in the first paragraph, so that readers scanning your pages will not miss your point. Use lists rather than paragraphs, but only when your prose lends itself to such treatment.
Readers can pick out information more easily from a list than from within a paragraph.
Write for scanning. Most Web readers scan pages for relevant materials rather than reading through a document word by word. Guide the reader by highlighting the salient points in your document using headings, lists, and typographical emphasis. Be careful, though, that you do not undermine your message simply to be accommodating. Readers will happily print lengthy Web documents if they are comprehensive and provide needed detail.