By Vlad Gozman, a serial entrepreneur and the founder & CEO of involve.me. Follow @vladgozman on Twitter.
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It seems like everywhere you look, someone is trying to get your attention. As reported in a Forbes article, experts estimate that we see 4,000 to 10,000 ads a day. And it’s not just businesses; even our personal relationships are affected by the never-ending quest for our attention. In a world where we’re constantly bombarded with information and stimuli, it’s more important than ever to understand the science of attention and how it works.
The human brain is hardwired to pay attention to certain things and ignore others. This evolved over time as a survival mechanism; our ancestors needed to be able to quickly identify predators and threats, for example, and pay less attention to things like the rustling of leaves in the wind. Today, we still have this same basic system, where attention is limited in capacity and duration, but it’s been overloaded with information.
This constant demand for our attention can lead to what’s known as “attention fatigue.” When we’re tired, our brains simply can’t process all of the information coming at us, and we start to miss things. Businesses have an ever-more difficult time getting and keeping our attention, as we become better at tuning out the noise.
How Marketers Can Grab Attention
Attention is the currency of the 21st century, and businesses need to understand how to get and keep it. A marketer who fails to attract eyeballs risks losing their job, and a business that fails to understand the science of attention may quickly be left behind.
Fortunately, there are some basic principles that businesses can use to get and keep our attention. One of the most important is engagement. People are more likely to pay attention to something if they’re actively engaged with it, so businesses need to find ways to make their products and services more engaging.
Interactive content is key to engagement, and there are a number of ways to make content more interactive. Even a simple quiz can be enough to pique someone’s interest and get them to pay attention to your message. Or a poll or survey can get people thinking about your brand in a different way.
Another important attention-grabbing technique is known as reciprocity. This is the idea that we’re more likely to pay attention to something if we feel like we’ve been given something first. So, for example, if you give away a free report or white paper, people might be more likely to read it and pay attention to your brand. Businesses can tie together the ideas of reciprocity and engagement by offering interactive content that leads to more valuable content down the line, or even a giveaway that requires people to take action first.
Stories are another way to engage our emotions and create a connection with the brand. They can be used to educate, entertain or even shock us into paying attention. For instance, Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign told inspiring stories of athletes overcoming adversity, while simultaneously selling the Nike brand.
The Changing Attention Landscape
The science of attention is constantly evolving, and businesses need to stay on top of the latest changes in order to keep their audiences engaged. The success of apps like TikTok, for example, shows that people are increasingly drawn to content that is short, creative and personal. Stories are still important, but they need to be told in new and interesting ways.
Emerging formats, like VR/AR, are also changing the way we consume content. These formats are more immersive and can capture our attention in a way that traditional formats can’t. Businesses need to experiment with these new technologies to find ways to use them in their marketing campaigns. With Facebook pivoting to a metaverse-first company, it’s clear that engagement will continue to be a key metric for businesses in the attention economy.
While consumers demand engaging content, they also want greater control over the advertising they see. Ad blocking software is on the rise, and people are becoming more sophisticated in their ability to ignore marketing messages. Businesses need to be transparent in their marketing and give people the opportunity to opt out of seeing certain ads. In other words, the days of the third-party cookie and intrusive advertising are numbered.
Instead, zero-party data, which is voluntarily shared by consumers, will likely become increasingly important. This data allows businesses to create more targeted and personalized messages, which are more likely to be seen and acted on.
Finally, it’s important to remember that attention is a finite resource. We only have so much attention to give, and we’re quickly reaching a point of saturation. Businesses need to be mindful of how they’re using our attention and make sure that they’re providing real value in exchange for it.
The science of attention is complex, but understanding the basic principles can give businesses a leg up in the attention economy. By focusing on engagement, reciprocity and stories, businesses can create marketing campaigns that grab our attention and hold it long enough to make an impact.
