By the time you read this sentence you will have quickly decided if there’s enough here to keep your attention.

It happens in an instant.

Your ability to capture people’s interest and keep them on your page is key to successful communication on the web.

Keep in mind these four rules to quickly catch the attention of your visitors with your online content.

RULE #1
Your visitor is searching for you.

People don’t wait online for information to come to them. They immediately search for everything.

An internet user will become easily frustrated if they cannot find you or your content within seconds. Worse yet, they will look elsewhere.

Understand how to write for the web, especially for search engines, so that anyone can find your web page to receive your message.

When they do find you, make a good first impression with a favorable message targeted to their search.

RULE #2
You are competing for their attention.

Your reader has an incredibly short attention span online – that’s if they’re even paying attention at all.

Readers scan and multitask.

An internet user may have four to six viewing windows open at the same time, perhaps watching a web cast, surfing, chatting and answering email, in addition to diverting away from the screen.

Don’t assume that anybody cares about what you have to say.

In today’s global marketplace, you must know your audience and be able to determine what it is that they are looking for before you even begin digital dialogue.

RULE #3
There is too much information available online.

The amount of information online is far beyond what the human brain is capable of consuming and digesting at any given moment. This excess contributes to everyday stress overload experienced by millions of users on the web.

Keep in mind that your visitor is looking for pleasure, not stress.

A new type of digital pollution, referred to as information smog, is quickly becoming a relevant individual and social concern. It is clogging both bandwidth and brain!

Don’t dump your garbage online. Create quality content with the needs of your audience in mind.

RULE #4
You have only 3 seconds to capture their interest.

The following tips will help you to grab the attention of your visitor, provide a more pleasurable experience and give your message better mileage on the page.

HEADINGS CALL OUT
Subject lines and headings are used as a call-out for interesting content.
Weave key words in to headings for better ability to get found online.

SHOUT WITH YOUR FIRST LINE OF COPY
If you can catch someone’s attention with your first line of copy they are more likely to read further down the page.

KEEP IT CLEAN AND SIMPLE
Shorter is better. The fewer words you use, the more likely
you are to capture the reader’s interest.

USE LOTS OF WHITE SPACE AND BROKEN COPY
Information chunks surrounded by a good amount of white space make it easier for the eyes to read and help the brain retain information.

ORGANIZE YOUR CONTENT
Point form, numbered lists, columns and bullets allow the reader to quickly scan and collect information.

AVOID MAKING YOUR VISITOR SCROLL
Less is more, especially if you want your visitor to receive the entire message. Scrolling can be difficult on mobile devices, so keep it short.

CHECK YOUR SPELLING
Spelling or grammatical errors in your copy will cause the reader to trip. Use available tools or a professional copywriter to create clean copy and clear content.

DON’T ASSUME
People might not actually read or view your message on their first visit. Invite them to return, save and subscribe for later viewing.

PROVIDE MANY CHOICES
Use a combination of visual, auditory and sensory tools to keep your audience interested and inspire them to click, interact and share.

Quick-catch creative content and moving
messages will stimulate all of the senses or several at a time.

Use graphics, color and images for visual appeal, with easy navigation and access, to catch the attention of your visitor and keep them engaged.

What kind of quick-catch content attracts and keeps you on the page?