Freelance Writer Kimberly Blaker’s Blog to Help Businesses Address Declining Attention Spans

It is no secret attention spans have plunged since the advent of the Internet and social media. But a new study shows this decline continues. ComScore CEO Gian Fulgoni appeared in an interview on CNBC on July 21, 2017. This study by comScore found millennials now have only a 5 to 6 second attention span for viewing commercials.

Fulgoni pointed out millennials spend only 25% of their time on desktops with the other 75% spent on mobile devices.

He also noted those 55 and older spend twice the amount of time on TV that they spend watching content online. “Viewing patterns of millennials are significantly different than the older segment,” he said. They spend about 60% more time viewing internet video than live TV.

A couple days prior to this report, freelance writer Kimberly Blaker had pointed to a 2015 study by Microsoft Corp. in her new blog Engage and Compel. The study found average attention spans had dropped from 12 seconds to just 8 seconds since the turn of the millennium. Blaker had predicted, “What’s more, attention spans will likely continue to decline as older generations pass away leaving only the younger generations who were raised in the digital age.”

Little did Blaker know how quickly her prediction would be confirmed. The CNBC comScore interview focused on attention span as it relates to video. But Blaker says, as do other sources, “this decline plays out in all forms of media including, and perhaps particularly, written content whether digital or print.”

Fulgoni also told CNBC that in tracking millennials as they age into the next segment there is a slight behavioral change in watching more TV. But he noted, it is nonetheless not enough to indicate millennial patterns are going to change significantly enough to resemble earlier generations.

But teaching businesses, professionals, non-profits, and advertisers how to overcome this obstacle is what Blaker’s blog is all about. She says, “It isn’t easy. Today’s marketers have to use every trick in the book and then some to hold readers’ or consumers’ attention.”

The Engage and Compel blog will cover a broad variety of techniques. These range from connecting with readers and story telling to playing on emotions and strategic use of imagery. But Blaker believes by learning these techniques, businesses and advertisers will be more effective in their marketing strategy. “Particularly,” says Blaker, “though not exclusively, with millennials and generation Z.”

Kimberly Blaker is a published author, award-winning research writer, professional freelance writer, blogger, and former columnist. Her articles, editorials, and content have appeared in nearly 250 magazines, newspapers, and websites. This includes major dailies such as Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, San Francisco Examiner, and Los Angeles Daily Journal. Some of the national publications in which her work has appeared include Complete Woman, Listen, The Humanist, Playgirl, Liberty, and the international Mothering. She currently writes a weekly blog, Engage and Compel. Formerly, she worked as a newspaper journalist as well. Kimberly has also done business and non-profit writing. Visit her blog at https://kimberlyblaker.com/category/engage-compel-blog/

About Kimberly Blaker, Freelance Writer

Kimberly Blaker is a published author, award-winning research writer, professional freelance writer, blogger, and former columnist. Her articles, editorials, and content have appeared in nearly 250 magazines, newspapers, and websites. This includes major dailies such as Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, San Francisco Examiner, and Los Angeles Daily Journal. Some of the national publications in which her work has appeared include Complete Woman, Listen, The Humanist, Playgirl, Liberty, and the international Mothering. She currently writes a weekly blog, Engage and Compel. Formerly, she worked as a newspaper journalist as well. Kimberly has also done business and non-profit writing.