Speed Reading & Social Media Marketing
Speed Reading & Social Media Marketing
Okay, it’s not exactly speed reading but rather an ever-shortened attention span that is changing how social marketing agencies and small business owners communicate. As we enter 2012, social media marketing is gaining ground but there are drastic changes taking place…changes that have a major impact on how you should design a marketing message. Depending upon your audience demographics, product line and desired outcome it is now possible to tailor a message for precision, immediate gratification, simple awareness or even delayed processing. Learn how, why and when to use each.
Fascinating Facts
• When viewing social media, the average attention span shrinks to roughly 5 seconds….as compared to 12 minutes only ten years ago!
• The average employee checks email 30 to 40 times…every hour!
• Social media actually changes how the brain works…and how you feel. Hormones like oxytocin and adrenaline spike during social media exchanges.
The Downside of Short Attention
So, is there a negative associated with social media marketing?
Well, yes and no. It really depends upon who you ask and the desired outcome. For instance, complex forms of communication are often not suitable for a medium that places a premium on brief bursts of data such as medicine or law…on the other hand, the ability to formulate succinct and precise forms of communication is greatly appreciated by those with the greatest time constraints.
Rules for the Road
To make the most of your social media marketing initiative, use the following rules of the road. Like everything, there are exceptions to every rule but in general, these provide a strong foundation for matching the marketing style to the type of data and user.
1. Keep video’s short, precise and use more than one learning style. Viral video’s are an important type of social media marketing but by definition, they often require more time to view than a similar style of text. Always post a thorough description, complete transcript and links to more information in order to appeal to the widest possible number of viewers.
2. Summarize and Analyze complex information. Provide a detailed summary that is easy to read when publishing business reports.
Use bullet points, headlines and other descriptors for blogs or general updates. Last but not least…keep it to a page or less.
Research has repeatedly demonstrated a reluctance for readers to spend time reading extensive amounts of time-consuming information. Kill those 10,000 word landing pages and opt for clear, concise copy.
3. Use teasers then get to the main point. Twitter, Facebook and Google+ are great ways to attract attention, spread the word about an upcoming event and then launch the information but don’t allow it to drag on for long. Use the 3×3 rule…present no more than three topics and provide three important points for each.
People retain the most information and feel it was time well spent.
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