The digital revolution has brought an unexpected side-effect. People are losing the ability to concentrate. Our full 12 seconds of focused thought, typical only 15 years ago, has dropped significantly to just eight seconds.
Goldfish, legendary for a nine-second attention span, are now beating humans.
The explosion in media channels, and their content, means that we inhabit a world of mass distractions. Nobody has the time to deal with all the communications coming their way.
The combination of more messages and reduced attention spans carries a clear warning for marketing communications. Incisive content is the only way to cut to the front and stay there.
3 ways to sharpen your communications to cut through and drive response in 8 seconds:
- Focus on your audience, so that they get the ‘What’s in it for me?’ instantly.
- Be distinctive from your competitors by being more relevant to your customers than them.
- Prompt clear action, so that your audience know exactly what they need to do to get what they want.
Clive Hurcomb
Creative Director