Some reference style posts are not intended to be read in full. I've done a few of these on my blog such as comparing the 5 major browsers, how good the iPod to

Some reference style posts are not intended to be read in full. I've done a few of these on my blog such as comparing the 5 major browsers, how good the iPod touch is for reading many different sorts of reading material, best aa batteries which describes the different battery technologies and includes a buying guide, etc. I organize the material so that people can read the specific sections that are of interest to them, and skip the rest. Google Analytics (a crude measure, I know) tells me that average time spent reading per page on these reference posts range from 4 minutes (the browser post) to 14 minutes (the battery post). So pretty sizable chunks of the posts are being read (by those who continue on to a second page, at least). Then again - these being reference posts - the vast majority of readers come in through Google search looking for answers or advice, which is obviously much more targeted than a community news site. The times are far lower on days where a bunch of people come in due to a listing at Hacker News or Reddit.