If you're looking to grab someone's attention online, the first step is to understand how long they can pay attention. The internet has changed the way we view content, so it's important to know what those changes mean for your business. In this article, I'll talk about why eight seconds might seem like an eternity when it comes to grabbing someone's attention online, and how you can achieve this goal with just a few simple adjustments.
The attention span of an internet user is now eight seconds, on average.
So what does this mean for you? It means that the attention span of an internet user is now eight seconds, on average. The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text, so it's no wonder that visual content gets shared 3 times more than other types of content!
Fortunately for us marketers of our own brand (and unfortunately for our readers), people are more likely to read articles with images than those without them. In fact, one study found that adding just one image per post increased click-through rate by 14%. Hopefully I am doing this now by sharing this fun picture :)
You can't reach people on social media if they don't know who you are, and chances are they won't follow or share your content unless it's good. So how do you get started?
The first step is figuring out what kind of content will resonate with your audience. If you're not sure where to start, look at other brands in similar industries for inspiration: what type of content do they share? How often do they post it (and how long does each piece last)? What types of images work best for their posts--and why?
You need to grab people's attention with your headline and first sentence.
You need to grab people's attention with your headline and first sentence. I actually break this down in my book Content to Conversion available on Amazon. But, I will tell you here quickly how to do this: make sure the headline is clear and to the point. It should be catchy enough for people to click on it, but not overly long or complicated (no pun intended). A good rule of thumb is that if you can't say what you're writing about in one sentence, then maybe it's not worth writing about at all!
In addition to making sure that your content has a good headline, it also helps if it's relevant to whatever else might be on their screen at that moment--for example: if they were just looking at an article about dogs or cats (or anything else), then maybe don't mention dogs or cats within the first few sentences of yours; instead, try something like "What Is The Best Food For My Dog?"
The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text.
You've heard it before: visuals are more powerful than words. And when it comes to getting your message across online, that's a very good thing.
The reason? The human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text. That means if you want someone to understand what you're saying and do something about it (like buy something), the first thing they need is an image or video that shows them what they'll get if they do act on your request--and fast!
In fact, studies show that people retain 80% of what they see versus 10% from reading text-based information alone.* That's why I recommend using highly visual content whenever possible: graphics, infographics, and illustrations instead of just plain old paragraphs; videos instead of bullet points; slideshows instead of long blocks of unbroken text...
Visual content gets shared 3 times more than other types of content.
Visual content is a powerful way to grab your audience's attention. It's also one of the best ways for you to get your message across in an engaging way.
A study by HubSpot found that visual content gets shared three times more than other types of content, which means it has a higher chance of being seen by more people on social media. This is great news for any business owner like yourself whose goal is to drive traffic to their site and increase sales!
Visuals are not only more likely to be shared, but they're also more likely to be watched all the way through--people spend 55% longer looking at images compared with text-based posts. Visuals also generate leads and sales: HubSpot found that 60% of consumers prefer visual information over written text when making purchasing decisions online (and 30% prefer video). Visuals can also help improve memory retention because they help us process information faster than words do; our brains process images 60,000 times faster than text alone!
Visual content converts better than text, too.
Are you wondering How to Leverage Social Media Organically to Build a Personal Brand? The answer is, it depends on your audience.
If you're trying to get a point across and want people to remember what you're saying, then yes: visuals are key. In fact, research shows visual content converts better than text-based content (by 15%). This means that if you run an ad with just words in it...it could be costing you money!
It's also worth mentioning that while video ads have been shown to outperform static images on average by up to 80%, this isn't always true across the board--so don't go overboard with animated GIFs or emojis unless they make sense for what you're selling!
A video that's watched all the way through at least once is 20 times more likely to generate leads or sales than a photo or article with no video at all.
Video is the most engaging form of content and converts better than any other type. A video that's watched all the way through at least once is 20 times more likely to generate leads or sales than a photo or article with no video at all.
Video content has been shown to increase brand awareness by up to 80%. It also improves customer satisfaction by 56%, and reduces costs by 32%. Video marketing makes it easier for potential customers to connect with your brand in a meaningful way, which increases trust, loyalty and conversion rates.
A great statistic proves the impact of adding visual content to your marketing plan - up to 80% of internet users want to see more ads with video in them!
You may have heard the statistic that 80% of internet users want to see more ads with video in them. But what does this mean? It means they're bored by text-only ads and want something more visually appealing, which is where you come in!
Visual content is processed 60,000 times faster than text - so if you want your message to stick with your audience quickly and easily, video might be the way forward for you. Video also converts better than any other type of content (including images), so not only will people remember what they've seen but it's also likely that they'll take action based on what they've seen too!
Use a picture or a video.
Use a headline that is short, but grabs attention. (You could even use an emoji.)
Start with an opening sentence that is short and grabs attention too--and then go into more detail later on in the post if necessary.
Finally, make sure there's some sort of call-to-action at the end of each post so readers know what they should do next: read another blog post or subscribe to your newsletter? Click through to buy something?
Conclusion
If you're looking to grab people's attention online, make sure they can visually process your message quickly and easily! This will help them understand what you're trying to say and remember it better.