The attention span of the average American in 2022 is now 8 seconds. Attention spans are declining compared to 2000 when the average was 12 seconds (Team DevriX, 2022). At the end of the day, we need information – QUICKLY. I get immediately impatient when my phone takes a moment to connect to wifi or load an app. It influences my habits and where I spend my screen time. I’ll be the first to exit an app if I’m not given information in a timely manner.

How Technology is Adapting

The technology being used is adapting to keep the attention of the consumer, too. The new smartphones from Apple and Samsung are being built to cater to the new on-the-go consumer. The most recent update for Apple has added features like the “Dynamic Island” that make it easier for users to view their notifications (Eadicicco, 2022). Even when thinking back, when you swipe down on your iPhone to bring up widgets, it seems like there are new features added every time. As digital marketers, we need to understand that having access to all information – quickly, is now a minimum requirement for consumers. Users spend maybe one minute on a page before moving about their business. Optimizing that experience can be a make or break for your app, website, and/or business.

Put Your Most Important Stuff First

As stated in Mobile Marketing, Daniel Rowles lists “Prioritizing Content” as an important design principle due to the lack of real estate on a small device (Rowles, 2017). Being cognizant of the mobile experience of your users is crucial with any business or website. Filtering out which content is presented to the user first is crucial to engaging and keeping that 8-second attention span wanting more. This principle loops back to the updates being made in the technology. They’re presenting the users with the most important information first and right away on the home screen.

How Do We Help Our Users?

There have been so many modern needs met by companies simply by just considering how to make their lives easier. Or my favorite, how to help them multitask better in a society that is only moving quicker as the years pass. Ultimately a common theme I’m noticing as we continue our reading and research is “How do we help users get ahead of their work, their wants, and their needs?” A huge motivator for our society is to keep on top of things, keep learning, and keep going. With any service or product offered, always remember to help the user with those three things. And be mindful of their 8 seconds…

References:

Eadicicco, Lisa. “IPhone 14 pro and Galaxy Z Fold Show How Phones Are Evolving.” CNET, CNET, 16 Sept. 2022, https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/iphone-14-pro-and-galaxy-z-fold-show-how-phones-are-evolving/

Team DevriX. “User Attention Span: The Biggest Challenge for Marketers [2022].” DevriX, 21 July 2022, https://devrix.com/tutorial/user-attention-span-2022/

Rowles, Daniel. Mobile Marketing. Second ed., Kogan Page, 2017.