It has been said that over the past 10 years, our attention spans have dropped from 12 minutes to 5. In addition to that, the average attention span of an internet user these days is 8 seconds long — that’s compared to a goldfish’s 9 second attention span! Surely this means that for marketers, winning the customer’s interest in the digital space can be a challenge. Keep reading for everything you need to know about how attention spans have changed and what you can do to still reach your audience.
HOW ATTENTION SPANS HAVE CHANGED
With the ever-evolving industry of technology, our attention spans have been cut short. This is due to the handheld distractions we have on us at all times: our smartphones. Because of the technology we have, we are constantly looking at and reading information on our phones. With the convenience of our handheld devices, we are no longer reading from the standard left to right. Instead, now we scroll, scan, and skim around website pages, social media platforms, and news article outlets looking for a quick and convenient experience. It is important to be aware of this when creating content to appeal to an audience. If you don’t you will have a hard time keeping them.
HOW TO CATER TO IT
Don’t fear the short attention span. There are still ways to get through to your audience. It begins with keeping everything you have to say short and sweet. On average, it takes a website visitor 10 seconds to decide whether they are going to stick around on your site or not. If you aren’t offering the information they want to know right off the bat, you will lose them. Don’t make your website difficult to navigate. Try breaking down your points into bullets, making your messaging clear for your reader, or using attention-grabbing video on the homepage to break up text and instead tell your brand’s story.
Need to rework your website for the short attention spanned customer? Send us a message at info@tailoredmarketing.com to learn how we could help.
