Recent research shows that our brains hard-wire us to love Twitter, Facebook, Google and the search for new information. It makes us curious, it makes us gather data, look up facts and click on different links. It is important to be aware of this brain behaviour as a blogger, as it has some disadvantages but also advantages.
Restless, bored, short attention span
This behaviour makes us restless, this makes us easily bored, we don’t give attention to longer articles, and it just drives us to discover and explore the next tweet and the next blog post.
Possibility and the anticipation of finding something new and unexpected is much more stimulating to our brain than actually finding it. So we keep clicking, keep chasing and keep consuming content without really meeting our real needs.
Know your goals and what needs to be done to reach them
Do you recognize this situation? You sit down at your computer just to quickly check your email, but then you check the comments on your blog, then your Twitter stream, there you find a link or two, and then you realize that your “quick” email check has wasted you an hour or two.
Keep this in mind to restrain yourself from wasting time:
- Beware of this behaviour when you start chasing the next click
- Make sure you know what your real needs / goals are
- Make sure you know what you need to do in order to realize the needs / goals
- Don’t be afraid to disconnect
In my case my goal is to grow How To Make My Blog. In order to grow the blog I must publish quality content regularly, spread the word and connect with new people in my target group. I would not have much time to do that if I wasted it by following my brain’s need to look for new information.
This means I must be more productive and optimize my time for blog work. Or as a minimum, if I do read a new article, I should comment on it. This helps realize my goal as by commenting I spread my name to new people and connect with the bloggers.
Tapping into the need for new information
This brain behaviour can also be used to your advantage, and suck visitors into your blog content and your products. Here are some ways to do it:
- Regularly publish new content / products / offers
- Write for the web with short articles, paragraphs, pictures
- Internal linking within posts
- Linking to best posts in the sidebar
- Related posts at the end of the article
- Regular tweets about your content old and new on Twitter
- Regular emails if you have a mailing list
Basically you should always be reminding people that you and your products exist, and you should allow them to spend time with the content and the value that you create.
What do you think? Ever found yourself in a mindless chase for new information?
Image by Sir Mervs.
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{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Marko – you’ve hit the nail on the head. Attention spans seem to be getting shorter and shorter.
A couple of things that work for us… summarize every post and format the blog posts in a way that readers can scan them for new information.
Internal link is one of the best things I ever started to do with my blogs. Not only does it help with SERPS, but it definitely keeps your readers on your blog longer.
Hi Marko!
Staying focused on the task at hand can be very hard. Especially if you’re easily distracted, like I am. I often find myself sitting down to a task and the next thing I know I have a dozen browser tabs open, 3 hours have passed and I’ve got nothing done.
I did find it rather amusing that an article about short attention spans and distractions had 8 links in it… 8 gateways to distraction utopia. Oh look, there’s a dog with a fluffy tail…
Kind regards,
Steve.
hehehehe good stuff Steve! How many of the 8 links did you click on?
I find new ideas each time I step out of the house. I may not use all of them, but the ones I choose work great.
I’ve also been fortunate to have a few readers email me with questions or ideas which have turned into post, like a map I did about what to see in Long Beach via a Metro stop. It worked out well for the reader who asked the question.
Answering questions as full blog posts is always good. It gives you something to write about plus it connects you to your readers.
Hey Marko!
Great Post – and I am taking your advice – If I’m going to read – I should comment to make good use of the time! I find myself in the mindless chase for new information way too often!! I have enjoyed your blog – especially your tips on Thesis!
Thanks Stu! I’m doing that myself now, I try to comment on as many articles that I read as possible.
Marko,
I’m having success with publishing a wide range of articles.
In fact, I’m dropping a 2200 word bomb tomorrow which I expect will rank very well in long term search.
Length is a red herring I think. Lack of quality and novelty at any length is the real issue.
Thanks Dave. Yeah, some bloggers seem to be able to pull those 2000+ words articles without problems. Steve Pavlina for example. So if it works well for you, and your readers are used to it, no reason to stop really.
Hey Marko! Great article, I keep wondering just how long to keep my blog posts, I have stuck to 300-400 words and that seems fairly good but I have some longer stuff that I would like to try. I know Dave Doolin (above) suggests making longer posts a series and then says he has 2200 words to drop on us. His blog is set very well and has lots of followers. Mine is fairly new, do you think I should keep posts short for the time being and do longer when people are liking my writing? Or is content the key and damn the length, full speed ahead!
It’s too late, I am rambling.
Thanks for the tips.
Justin
Some 300-500 words is usually fine but if your copy is killer, you can go on and end up with 1000+. But make sure to edit it so it is scannable, add a picture, add several subheadings, add tons of paragraphs, bullet-points etc.
Hey Marko
Sounds like attention span is a universal problem. LOL
I use Timothy Ferriss idea from the four hour work week, have two set goals for the day that must be achieved. Then before you click on any links ask yourself, is this the most efficient use of my time for completing my two goals for the day. The other great tip is to not open your email until late in the day. That way you don’t kick the day off with distraction and spiral out of control from there.
Cheers Adam
Good tips Adam!
@Steve: I love an article with lots of hyperlinks, just right click on them an open in a new tab and you can carry on reading the first article.
@Marko: Is it better to have outgoing links in your article (meaning when you click a new tab opens) or should it open in the same frame?
I just let them open in the same frame. It is easy for a visitor to open them in the new window or new tab if they wish to. I try not to force anything.
Yes this is a serious issue to many blogger (including me). But now I have fixed the time for every work and set the reminder in my outlook as well. So if I loose any rhythm than such reminders can bring me to my main path.
But yes would love to use this on my visitors.
It’s very hard to find. By deeply researching our blog, competitors and visitors need can help to get new information. Another way is be creative and always create different with unique post we can tap our visitors information.
You’re describing exactly how I am starting my day. I do the same things over and over again, and then I realize that I’ve wasted another hour. It’s fun and it’s entertaining, and I might even learn a thing or two, but it doesn’t help me to be productive.
Lately, I’ve been trying to focus on time management, and organize my tasks and projects. It works, but it takes time to learn how to become productive
You’re aware of it and trying to improve, that’s a great start Jens!
I just discovered an application for Mac called Concentrate. It’s awesome. It really helps me be more productive, even though I’ve only used it for one day
Good stuff Marko. AS I’m progressing I’m becoming more and more efficient and more creative about how I go about things. I get tons of my ideas from reading blogs like yours. I think it’s one thing to read blogs like yours and comments. But the real value is in taking your advice and putting into action.
Definitely Srinivas! If you’re just reading, you’re basically wasting valuable time, write down what you’ve read and use it practically.
How many ADD kids does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Wanna go ride bikes? I love your post because I find myself clicking through stuff all the time. On the plus side if you do it in new tabs you can at least flip back to where you started relatively easily
Marko – once again you are sharing relevant and actionable ideas. Thank you. Shorter is key! Got the message! Thanks.
Marko –
I have just recently added your blog to my reader, and find it full of good ideas. Good stuff in this post – and totally me. I’m trying to learn to close tweetdeck for periods of time, and actually think about whether reading those things I click thru to is a productive use of my time.
Of course, there is no question about this site!
But thanks, its nice to know I’m not the only one wasting too much time around here.
Hilary
hehe good stuff, thanks Hilary!
Marko,
“Linking to best posts in the sidebar” – This is true, but I would also recommend that you have a sitemap/archive somewhere in the homepage. It’s 4 in the morning right now so I might have missed it, but I don’t see one in your site.
Sitemap/archive would help spread the PR 4 link juice to ALL your blog posts in your entire site. This would help boost up the rankings for all your posts in the SERPs.
Regards,
Kai Lo
Twitter @lomak1985
I’m always looking for “the next best thing”, but lately I’ve really settled in and focused on my internet marketing work. I can totally relate to this post. Thanks.
This concise post rocks for what’s up for me right now. I’m new to the web and YES, I go into a click trance seeking some content nirvana and time flies. I’ve always been a big reader, but books keep me still. This ability to move quickly between content is a new thing for me. Also, as a new blogger (medical/dermatology/healthy lifestyle content), I contemplate how this nirvana-seeking-click-trance should best dovetail with my content. Your articulation of the process is helpful for me. Click trance is the new chocolate.
heheheh thanks Cynthia!
Marko,
Ye yes, that need to feed on new, fresh information is strong. But your right, we must learn to tame that desire. For me, it can take off but I want to be a producer not a consumer. Reminding myself of this, in light of my goals/aims is huge- I may have to write it down and keep it front of my eyes daily. I can easily get off track. Thanks for another quality write up! Cheers,
-Mig