We all scan websites, and we do it quickly. By crafting your online copy around what people are looking for when they scan your website — essentially deciding whether to stay or go — you reduce bounce rates and increase session times.

One simple way to give readers a scannable flavour of what they'll find on your site is to use contextual links. Links stick out, so treat them like a table of contents bobbing around on a sea of words. Contextual links are complete phrases, rather than 'click heres' and 'find outs', that signpost particular pages and areas of interest.

Like this:

Find out how to set up your own channel sections.

Not like this:

Find out how to set up your own channel sections.

Like this:

A Finnish study found listening to music stimulates emotional, motor and creative parts of the brain as well as audial.

Not like this:

A Finnish study found listening to music stimulates emotional, motor and creative parts of the brain as well as audial. (Click here to read about the study).

Like this:

...such as a fantastically interesting blog post; even Richard Branson’s onto that.

Not like this:

...such as a fantastically interesting blog post (read more).

And while you’re making your content more user-friendly for people to scan, you’re also helping out your accessibility rating for blind users with screen readers.