Capture Attention in Under 10 Seconds: Content Best Practices for Stand-Out Listings

You have fewer than 10 seconds to capture and keep someone’s attention — and research shows that people spend about 47 seconds on a single screen. These shrinking attention spans have a definite (negative) impact on digital marketing. 

• Higher bounce rates make it hard to keep visitors on your website.
• Slow-loading websites taking 3 seconds (or longer) to load also generate higher bounce rates.
• Fewer people read entire articles, preferring to skim content for specific information. 

It’s absolutely possible to say a lot in very few words, but it’s as much an art as a skill. When you’re limited to just a few lines — or a paragraph or two — you must make every word count (and choose those words wisely!).

If you want to improve your audience’s attention span, make sure you’re sending the right message to the right people and producing engaging high-quality content. Here’s how.

Suggested tips

Well-written content creates a great first impression and keeps audiences engaged and reading. It should showcase your brand and program offerings. And it cuts through the noise in a very niche, crowded market. These best practices can help you elevate your organization above the competition.

Know your audience

When you write a listing for TeenLife (or any publication advertising your program), you should create a message that resonates with your audience, excites them, and piques their curiosity. 

Think about your audience — is it parents? teens? both? — and your overall goal. Then, tailor your message accordingly. 

Have you defined your brand voice? Consider your brand’s personality and the connection you want to make with your audience. Are you playful or serious? Informative or entertaining? Formal or informal? Understanding your brand voice and crafting your messaging accordingly empowers you to create compelling copy that will resonate and drive results. 

Focus on the five “Ws”

There’s a reason the “who, what, where, when, why (and how)” approach works so well in news and advertising. It answers every question, helping to deliver a clear, concise, and relevant message, often in a limited space.

Use the five Ws to tailor your message to your audience’s needs and interests, set goals, and even measure your campaign’s success. At TeenLife, consider the metric of how many requests for information (RFIs) or sign-ups are generated from your listing page.

Incorporate interesting data and statistics

Not all programs may rely on data, but if participants have seen incredible benefits, like higher acceptance rates to their first-pick colleges, or your program generates a high percentage of satisfied students and parents, share the feedback!

Weave those statistics into your listing copy because data-driven writing captures people’s attention and invites them to read more about your organization and perhaps sign up to learn more.

Use keywords

Your audiences may arrive at your listing via different paths: using specific filters on the TeenLife website, for example, or through an internal link on one of our blogs. But, effective copy also incorporates strategic keyword use. Sprinkling relevant keywords and key phrases into your content improves visibility and attracts leads.

A caveat: avoid keyword stuffing. Instead, focus on high-quality keywords aligned with your industry and satisfy search engine algorithms. Use keyword research tools like Google Trends or GA4 to find the most competitive terms. Remember that you want to choose keywords your target audience uses. Balancing popular, less competitive keywords can optimize your copy, too. 

Prioritize the hook

Your listing’s first attention-grabber is its headline, but don’t stop there! Turn the first sentence into an irresistible hook to keep your audience interested and reading. Think of it as a mini-headline reinforcing your listing’s appeal.

Don’t lead with generic information; readers can find it elsewhere (like further down the page). Instead, use that first sentence and paragraph to highlight an element of your program that sets it apart from others in the market.  

Embrace storytelling

While the five Ws are important, so is creating a captivating narrative to connect with your audience and showcase your program’s unique characteristics, features, and benefits. Don’t shy away from sparking curiosity, excitement, and inspiration. Help students envision themselves participating in your program and experiencing its transformative impact. Include past participants’ personal stories and let their testimonials be part of your story, when appropriate.

Prioritize delivering a good UX

No one likes to get bogged down in content that requires a GPS to follow. Remember that copy composed of lists and shorter paragraphs is easier to read and more likely to keep someone’s attention.

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Whether you advertise with TeenLife or elsewhere, cultivating a relationship with your audiences through accessible, high-quality, interesting content leads to greater engagement, more effective outreach, and increased requests for information.