This is your audience: distracted and on the move
Shorter than a goldfish. What with a tidal wave of content arriving on multiple devices, notification pings, chat conversations going on with dozens of people and groups... hang on while I respond to this, I'll be right with you…
Are you still with me?
Our collective diminishing attention span is the core challenge for content marketers.
Whatever the facts about our ability to focus, there is ever more content competing for ever fewer eyeballs.
Getting, and keeping attention, is the prize we are all chasing.
Here are 3 assumptions we find helpful when thinking about making content for the attention-poor reader:
1. Your audience is distracted
We are constantly bombarded by content. For many it comes across as loud white noise.
But imagine somebody trying their best to ignore an old-timey radio crackling with static. All of the sudden, a "hello? Is anybody there?" interrupts the scene. The content producer's job is to create that greeting, the one that pierces through the noise.
First of all, a good headline never hurt anyone.
Distracted readers force writers to use clear, concise and easily digested phrasing.
Spoonfeed them the story.
Catch them with the first frame, second or sentence. Tell them why investing their time in your ideas will bring them a return, and deliver on that promise.
2. Your audience is bored of the generic
The white noise is everywhere. The audience feels like they’ve heard and read most of it before.
How can you be supremely relevant and to the point?
If you’ve read this far, it’s because we’re providing succinct advice on what to do, whether or not attention spans are shortening.
Are you still with me?
Once you've got attention, earn trust and share knowledge. Make the audience care by being authentic. Acknowledge any biases you may have, speak in a human, genuine tone, and actually say something.
Think: does the audience need a lot of context? Is your point clear? Is it relatable? Is it relevant?
3. Your audience is mobile
Being mobile means two things: it means being on the move, and it means mobile devices are usually involved.
In other words:
Your readers probably don't have time to read and absorb hundreds of words
If they want to share your content, you need to make it easy for them
What does the headline say about the article that your audience will want to say
Visual layout also matters.
Avoid walls of text at all costs.
Opt for bullet point lists.
Sprinkle in italics and bold text to keep the reader's eyes focused.
Getting attention was never easy. Writers and artists have always had to battle for eyeballs, and the minds behind them. The digital world makes it harder - and, with a little bit of innovation, skill and focus, easier - to win those battles.