Many short links. The influence of the quantity and size oflinks on user behaviour, perception and comprehension

Abstract

Navigating the internet is transforming the bases of news consumption. These changes, thoroughly analysed within some technical areas, still raise questions about the reception of news content. This study explores the influence of the quantity and size of links on user behaviour, perception and comprehension. The experimental analysis, carried out using a convenience sample of 170 individuals, with six different model websites, reveals that content with both a greater number of links and with shorter links yields better results in terms of levels of perception, comprehension and, above all, user behaviour.