In our constantly information-overloaded, plugged-in society, attention has become an increasingly scarce commodity.
In the 1960s, we had mainframe computers. These were found only in larger institutions, and required hundreds of punched cards for data analysis. Today, we have high-tech personal computers, wireless technology, take-charge-of-our-lives Blackberries, multi-platform phones and other fancy gadgets that seem to have developed among us a kind of impatience, zest for more information and even a shorter attention span than ever before.
We have, it would appear, learned to put a lot of value on all those things that lend us novelty, convenience, and most importantly, speed.
It is this very change in the heartbeat of our society that is forcing copywriters and marketers to redefine their priorities when it comes to communicating their or their clients message.
Multiprocessing Yet Switched Firmly Off
Take the online media. There is so much vying for our attention—links, information, ads, video, music, and the latest social-media craze—that we end up with little time or inclination to notice the messages that are targeted at us.
You could say that consumers have moved beyond reaching saturation point, and have simply switched off.
This is a major setback for companies who provide goods and services especially via e-commerce. Because they are wakening up to the fact that the real commodity for any successful company isn’t consumers, per se, but rather the attention of those consumers.
Positively Influencing Reader Behaviour
The challenge, therefore, is to capture and hold the attention of those consumers they wish to attract despite the increasing number of demands for that attention. Their message or brand has to stand out as if they were the only ones wearing high-visibility vests on foggy internet motorways.
Which is why copywriters and marketers alike are striving to come up with ways to attract attention to their written message. Because by attracting attention, there opens the possibility to influence consumer behaviour notably, their buying behaviour.
But with so many stimuli attempting to dazzle and reach the consumer, your own stimulus might well be ignored altogether. So how do you ensure yours isnt intentionally or even inadvertently filtered out by your very prospects?
Push Pull it Real Good
Perhaps the biggest thing to note is that the traditional media with which were all familiar including television and books are one-way propositions. That is, they push their content at consumers. Whereas the web is a two-way, push-and-pull interactivity.
One solution, therefore, is to encourage consumer participation. Interactive marketing should place the user in control. What copywriters and marketers need do is promote via a soft-sell approach voluntary involvement from the consumer to interact with a message. This can take on the form of blog posts, video streams, and social-media/Web 2.0 sites.
Another thing to note is that the message can no longer get away with taking on a mass-market appeal. Instead, it should zero in on a select target market.
Perhaps the biggest thing to note is that the traditional media with which were all familiar including television and books are one-way propositions. That is, they push their content at consumers. Whereas the web is a two-way, push-and-pull interactivity.
One solution, therefore, is to encourage consumer participation. Interactive marketing should place the user in control. What copywriters and marketers need to do is promote via a soft-sell approach voluntary involvement from the consumer to interact with a message. This can take on the form of blog posts, video streams, and social-media/Web 2.0 sites.
Another thing to note is that the message can no longer get away with taking on a mass-market appeal. Instead, it should zero in on a select target market.
Pay Attention to Them, and They Will Pay Attention to You
By paying attention to the mindset of a particular group of individuals (or businesses, in the case of B2B communication), copywriters and marketers can fully understand and creatively bundle online content with a personalised offer of products or services. This requires work with the online medium of choice so that the user feels they are in the right place and also in control; an important factor.
Here are some common solutions to capturing consumer attention:
Take a leaf out of the newspaper industry
Write from the bottom up. The inverted-pyramid style has the conclusion or juicy bits first, with more detailed information being introduced as the story develops.
Use benefit-laden summaries
Keeping with the theme of derrières, your reader should be presented with the bottom line up front. This means offering a brief sell or introduction that lets them know what information is being presented, and why it is important to them.
Only include links that do not waste your readers’ time
Making your readers follow lots of competing links from one web page, for example, is an expensive mistake. Pages need to be structured so as to minimise the number of links that must be followed. And every link must be of interest to the reader. This is where in-depth research into a finely honed target market turns up trumps. You dont want to include anything that your intended audience would not care for. Writing next to each link what can be expected if the reader follows that link will help her feel she is wasting their her time, and avoid frustration.
Make liberal use of headlines, subheads, lists and bullet points
The aim here is to capture your readers interest and make life easier for him by presenting your content in the most effective way possible. Avoid cleverness and cuteness, and go for the jugular. That is, provide enoughrelevant information by way of big headlines and emboldened subheads, lists or bullet points to help your reader skim and determine when he should stop and read further or follow a link.
Always, always answer the SW
Your audience wants information that is quick to access and that is of relevance to her needs or interests. So ensure your headlines, web pages, blog posts, banner ads, and so on, answer the following question that your reader will have in her mind: So what?
Getting the attention of your target audience is only the beginning, of course, but its more than winning half the battle
And by folllowing these guidelines you will have a head start on your competition.