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Did you know that the average human concentration time is less than that of a goldfish? In 2015, researchers from Microsoft in a study called the “1.4-second rule” claimed that human concentration time has dropped to 8 seconds, while a goldfish can concentrate on events for an average of 9 seconds. It’s safe to assume that today’s Reels and Shorts videos are only reducing the average concentration time, which has negative consequences, especially for us advertisers.
1 second to the customer’s heart
Lumen Research and Nielsen have also conducted research on digital advertising. Using eye-tracking technology, the companies’ experts concluded that 90% of digital ads do not receive more than 1 second of active attention, and only 1-2% of ads hold attention for more than 5 seconds.
This effect is exacerbated by “information noise” – a constant stream of content that forces the brain to filter out unnecessary information even faster. Today, as part of ADV Advantage’s blog post, we will look at how to stay in the mind of a potential client in one second.
The most effective ways to overcome the barrier between advertising and the user
In fact, the situation looks hopeless at first glance. Modern methods of fighting for the user can bring a business out of stagnation and put it on the path to rapid growth. Below, we will talk about these strategies that should be taken as a basis, but adapted to the specifics of a particular business, and not without a creative approach, of course.
Target demographic group
Many interesting articles have already been written about detailed audience targeting. In order not to repeat ourselves, we’ll just say that the main goal is to make the advertising message engaging, not viewable. Behind this goal is a titanic work of understanding the nuances of preferences, browser behavior, and key buying factors of the main customer. Getting emotions from the user is not so easy: text and images are not enough, advertising should reflect what the user thinks and create the basis for studying the advertised topic in more detail.
How to identify the target audience and create a customer profile
Mobile interaction
Imagine this: every time you scroll through your social media feed, more than 95% of ad clicks come from mobile devices (according to BYTEGAIN). This means that your smartphone is a real magnet for ads that want to grab your attention.
These statistics emphasize how important it is for businesses to adapt their advertising strategies to mobile users. After all, if your ads are not optimized for mobile devices, you risk losing a significant portion of potential customers. Mobile optimization should cover all areas: from updating apps to displaying relevant information on social media. Can you imagine how disappointed a user will be if they find out that the ads are no longer relevant and the app was last updated a year ago?
CTA and visuals
Imagine that your ad is an actor who has only 1 second of fame. If it doesn’t have time to catch the viewer’s eye, they will simply pass by. That’s why bright visuals and a catchy CTA (Call to Action) are not just design elements, but a lifeline for your budget.
People don’t read ads – they scan them. Therefore, your CTA button should be large, contrasting, and clear (“Buy”, “Learn more”, “Get a discount”). If the user doesn’t understand in a split second what they are being offered, consider that there was no advertising at all. Therefore, you should pay special attention to how fonts are combined with the design and how clear the CTA is for a specific target audience. It is necessary to combine frankness with respect in appeals to the end user.
Video as the main advertising tool
Videos are an integral part of the modern world. There are so many of them on social media that they form “information noise,” but each video has unlimited potential to attract the user’s attention. In a matter of seconds, video can convey a large amount of information that is impossible with text or still images. Social media algorithms study people’s behavior very accurately, so video ads have the best chance of being heard, especially if they go viral.
When creating a really interesting video ad, you should refrain from “blatant advertising” and somewhat disguise the subject of the ad and CTA behind a cultural message. Even if users don’t immediately realize they are watching an ad, the result should be a clear call to action. When creating video content, don’t forget that a huge percentage of people watch videos without sound, so take the time to create subtitles.
Experiments and A/B testing
This paragraph somewhat contradicts the beginning of the article, but don’t forget to experiment when achieving your goals. Experimentation is about going beyond your own target audience and reaching a wider range of people without losing touch with your brand loyalists.
This way involves creating diametrically opposed ad titles, descriptions, video content, and banners that aim to tap into the emotions of similar audiences who may be interested in your business’ products or services. Testing should be done regularly, but without spending too much of the budget on it, so as not to lose the effectiveness of generating advertising revenue. Ads for testing should be segmented, meaning that each element, such as a headline or description, should be separated when analyzing the results. This can be achieved by launching A/B testing as part of an existing advertising campaign. After a few weeks of testing, you can decide what works and what needs to be improved.
Conclusions.
To make the user not just see the ad but stop and get interested, you should use several proven techniques:
Visual “hook”
- Contrasting colors and large fonts – the human brain loves simplicity.
- Dynamic elements (animation, GIF) – movement automatically attracts attention.
- Emotional photos and videos – people react to faces, smiles, and surprise.
Psychological triggers
- Scarcity – “Only 3 seats left!”
- FOMO (fear of missing out) – “Discount only until 23:59!”
- Social proof – ”5,000 people have already used it!”
Strong CTA (Call to Action)
- Speak directly: “Get a discount”, ‘Take a gift’, not something vague like ‘Learn more’.
- Use buttons: The CTA should be large, visible, and clickable.
Gamification and interactivity
- Quizzes and tests – “Find out what kind of coffee you are!”
- Wheel of Fortune – “Spin the wheel and get a discount!”
- Augmented reality (AR) – “Try on shoes online!”
The main thing is to make advertising interesting and understandable in the first second!
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