Stop Optimizing for Short Attention Spans. Do this instead.

00:00:00: You've probably heard me say attention spans are fried several times in the last couple of months.

00:00:05: And while there's still some truth to it, I was sitting down last week and thinking about it... ...and when i realized that this is not a hundred percent true.... It hit me!

00:00:17: In a way, not many things hit me before.

00:00:20: Your audience doesn't have short attention span.

00:00:22: They have a short tolerance for boring shit.

00:00:25: I'm pretty sure you know the feeling.

00:00:27: Why does this piece of content get so much more attention than the genius things I'm creating?

00:00:34: Because you see someone do something super stupid, it didn't take long.

00:00:38: It is surface level...it's just opening a can and millions and millions are watching!

00:00:46: The reason why content like this works is because it's entertaining.

00:00:51: It's made for people who go to social media, just consume and be entertained on a level of.

00:00:58: I want to be distracted!

00:01:00: There are many people — most other people—are entering the social-media world to BE distracted from their life.

00:01:12: Your audience doesn't wanna be distracted.

00:01:14: at that moment they open their phone.

00:01:16: They want to live a life they don't need distraction from.

00:01:19: There are people who wants change something, and therefore it's obvious that content like this is only designed to distract people from their lives.

00:01:28: It will work for your brand or audience.

00:01:31: at the same time Chances are that your content is still part of the boring shit content.

00:01:38: That doesn't deserve people's attention because when we have a look on what we see online, fifteen percent off content online is cat content.

00:01:47: and then there're still eighty five percent.

00:01:49: out these eighty-five percent.

00:01:51: Eighty-four percent is boring shit content and only one percent actually deserves the attention of your audience.

00:01:58: What do I mean with boring shit?

00:02:00: Content?

00:02:01: it's content that goes into the direction off.

00:02:03: It's just distracting, it's just something that steals my time And also things that have seen so many times before.

00:02:12: i don't say Don't ever hop on a trend But at the same time if you're content Is the same same same thing like things they've seen before, it's not that the attention span is there anymore.

00:02:25: They just decide with the fifteen percent cat content when we see things that are happening, what are posted or get attention and only decide to distract from their life.

00:02:43: Then it's no wonder that brain of your audience became world-class in filtering.

00:02:48: They sees so many thing every single day And they need filter.

00:02:53: There is no chance When you observe yourself while on Instagram or TikTok Or somewhere else You know within microseconds If this video, if this post is worth your attention right?

00:03:08: How do you know that?

00:03:10: because you're filtering based on experience.

00:03:12: You made beforehand and the same does your audience.

00:03:17: Because it's the only healthy reaction to ignore things that are not interested in.

00:03:22: It's The Only Healthy Reaction To Not Spend Time With Things You don't care about it.

00:03:28: It's the only healthy reaction to filter things because otherwise if we would let go through everything, We see online every single detail.

00:03:39: our brain will just explode Because so much scroll for five minutes and you've seen more Things than people who lived hundred years ago in a day.

00:03:53: So its The Only Heavy Reaction To not pay attention to everything.

00:03:58: and still an entire industry made the conclusion People just don't pay attention anymore.

00:04:04: And as I already said, i've been saying Attention Spends are right several times this year Already.

00:04:11: but when I sat down This last week and actually thought about it?

00:04:15: I realized this is bullshit.

00:04:17: It's not that people Don't pay a tension any more.

00:04:21: they just got smarter.

00:04:23: They realized even more what they want to spend their time with.

00:04:27: They realized, What deserves their attention?

00:04:31: Sometimes they do it consciously and sometimes unconsciously but they decide on what deserves the attention or not.

00:04:39: And I already told you that i had this realization last week.

00:04:42: Actually ,I was watching Netflix.

00:04:45: Why did I have this realization ?

00:04:47: Or between two episodes of Watching a brand new series?

00:04:50: And I realize, because when we would go with the thesis of attention spans are fried.

00:04:57: People don't pay attention anymore.

00:04:59: Why do people including me spend their time binging eight episodes?

00:05:04: Of a show in one weekend?

00:05:08: why Do we wait for A year For another season from a show From as serious We love?

00:05:14: we wait our entire Year and you know exactly When this next Season is about to be released and we will watch it.

00:05:21: Why do people have theories about what happens next?

00:05:25: why are there like these conversations online where people talk about who I think this will happen, oh i think that will happen.

00:05:33: Why do I exactly know when a new episode drops of the show I enjoy watching?

00:05:39: ?Why Do I recommend serious shows?

00:05:42: People quote unquote Have to spend hours off their time with To my friends.

00:05:48: Why do people identify and talk about characters that don't even exist?

00:05:53: Not because attention spans are fried, or let's say not EVEN THOUGH attention spans a fright.

00:06:00: Attention spans aren't fried!

00:06:03: People just decide more consciously what they want to spend their time with.

00:06:08: It is that we just don't care anymore when feel like something would waste our time.

00:06:13: So when you think of it, lets draw back the content into social media.

00:06:17: Honestly, seeing the same format trend hook for The Fifth Time that day feels like a major waste of time.

00:06:26: Seeing content that could be from anyone where there's no personality or story line and emotions... Waste of time!

00:06:39: Or seeing The Fifth Kinda Chic that week the trend that's currently on social media with a carousel post without any cool twist, but the obvious kind of chic and then insert something that shows you how amazing my life is.

00:06:55: Like what they are?

00:06:56: How amazing!

00:06:57: My life statements waste off time.

00:07:03: because why should I spend my lives time The most precious thing i own with reading the fifth or fiftieth thing like that, that day.

00:07:16: That week!

00:07:16: Or even that month?

00:07:19: It's a waste of time and people realized they don't want to waste their time that much anymore.

00:07:25: They don't wanna spend it with things...they don't care about.

00:07:30: And while when you hear people talk about attention spans of fright, it's always like oh this is a disadvantage because what do think about?

00:07:38: Let us go back ten years in social media internet time.

00:07:43: When we went back ten year that was less crowded.

00:07:47: there were fewer people creating and no AI so they could consume way less things.

00:07:55: therefore made the conclusion or look backwards That attention spans have been higher ten years ago, but that's not true.

00:08:05: And also we had this switch where now we could come to the conclusion that attention spans are shorter which is just a lower tolerance for boring shit.

00:08:18: in reality It's a disadvantage But it isn't!

00:08:31: It's always, almost always that you just have to adapt and every time things change there is a major chance.

00:08:40: And the fact people don't pay attention An opportunity most personal brands are massively underestimating right now because it's an opportunity that they're especially for personal brands.

00:08:56: Because when you think about, let's talk about attention spans a fright this is what most of the people actually think.

00:09:03: Attention spans a fright.

00:09:06: and remember movies Netflix.

00:09:09: People binge watch eight episodes.

00:09:12: They spent hours with the same show or series.

00:09:17: It's not that they don't pay attention anymore.

00:09:20: They just get more picky with what they Spend their time with.

00:09:25: so when everyone else is still thinking okay, attention spans a fright What do they?

00:09:31: Do what it the natural thing to do.

00:09:34: we need to make things faster.

00:09:37: We need to make our content shorter because when we make it more than ninety seconds, When you make in more then fifteen seconds people don't pay attention anymore.

00:10:07: see the brands of all our in-house creative direction clients, where we bring an entire ROX Creative Direction team into your brand and work on it for several months to make people experience a brand that makes buying the obvious thing.

00:10:24: I'm always doing the opposite!

00:10:28: What is what everyone else does?

00:10:31: And then... We take another path Because this is always where the money is.

00:10:37: When everyone else is running into one direction, we choose another direction.

00:10:41: It doesn't have to be opposite but it's just another direction because as I already said This Is Where The Money Is.

00:10:49: So when you think about Everyone Is Optimizing For A Two Second Attention Span Everyone Is Doing The Same And At The Moment Everyone Is Going That I'm Choosing Another Path.

00:11:01: It's not that I'm ignoring it and that i would optimize for a sixty second attention span which is NOT true, which isn't reality or there.

00:11:13: But...I am thinking about instead of creating something that has to convince people the second they see it over-and-over again where every single content piece is exactly THAT A SINGLE CONTENT PIECE That works FOR ITSELF I'd rather make something people choose to come back too.

00:11:34: Because when everyone is optimizing for the algorithm, what do i do?

00:11:39: I'm out playing the algorithm because in fact People are the instance who chooses.

00:11:46: so people chose What they want.

00:11:48: you see They See what the algorithm shows them but before that they have to decide That there willing to let the algorithm show them something.

00:12:02: They need to start

00:12:03: scrolling.".

00:12:04: There comes a point where it's not that of conscious decision anymore, but starting to scroll in most cases is a conscious decision.

00:12:13: and if they don't decide to scroll?

00:12:15: If there are no more willing to let their algorithm shows what the algorithm thinks But they go to the search bar.

00:12:24: They go to a certain account because, you know I like that content most!

00:12:31: I want to come back on purpose is when we all play the algorithm It's same with Netflix.

00:12:40: You're not starting one show and then randomly watch another episode of other shows just because an algorithm decided.

00:12:49: so Decide for that show, or series may be based on a recommendation of the algorithm.

00:12:55: But you decide to watch the next episode.

00:13:01: You decide I want to see the next season.

00:13:04: It's not like there comes random episodes after watching the first one.

00:13:13: If you liked it, then binge it!

00:13:21: And this is how I think content, because right now in these time where people decide more consciously what they want to consume and everyone else's optimizing for a two second attention span.

00:13:32: I don't optimize our attention spans at all.

00:13:36: I optimized four People coming back to it basically Content on Netflix level.

00:13:44: who has exactly?

00:13:45: These things are recognizable world a repeatable premise, characters people know episode they can anticipate stories that continue.

00:13:55: Because I deeply believe the next content evolution for personal brands is not better content Not A Better Optimization For The Two-Second Attention Span.

00:14:05: Not More Specific Messaging Not Higher Quality Just To Have Higher Quality.

00:14:10: In Terms Of Media It Plays A Role But Its Not Like The Thing.

00:14:15: Not more slides on the carousel post, not less slides under carousels posts.

00:14:19: Not more words or less words it doesn't matter.

00:14:22: The next content evolution for personal brands is brand shows because It does exactly that.

00:14:29: a Brand show brings people back to your content.

00:14:32: A brand shows has this recognizable world.

00:14:36: It has a repeatable premise, it has characters people know ,it has episodes they anticipate which pays so perfectly well in the new series feature from Instagram where you can actually create your own series and show!

00:14:54: And I just started a brand new content series on Instagram.

00:15:02: I will link below, like the first episode we'll be linked below where i show you how to build your own Brand Show On Instagram How To Come Up With An Idea?

00:15:12: How To Realize If Your Brand Needs A Show Or Profits From A Show.

00:15:19: The first two episodes are already online and there Will Be New Episodes Be Released Over Next Weeks & Month.

00:15:25: And the biggest shift I want you after this episode today, after this podcast episode.

00:15:30: What i want to realize or re-frame inside your head is how you see your clients and audience because as soon as you stop treating your audience like distracted scrollers which they are not start treating them like viewers so you stop thinking Like a content creator, and start thinking like a producer.

00:15:58: You will come to me on the dark side where we're not optimized for free second attention spans but outplayed by building brand shows.

00:16:08: And if you want to dive deeper into the thinking between thinking about content creators or producers there's also another episode of the cult status podcast that you can listen right away which is called how to stop creating content like everyone else and start thinking like a producer.

00:16:28: Here you are in the next episode!