A goldfish has a longer attention span than most people, by nearly 10% [1].

According to a study by Microsoft, people have an attention spand of eight seconds which is a decrease from twelve seconds in 2000 [2] and a second less than a goldfish, which has an attention span of nine seconds. Furthermore, their study claims that the human attention span decreases by 88% yearly. The Statistic Brain Research Institute also confirmed this study [3].

WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE DECREASE IN ATTENTION SPAN?

It would be easy to blame the reduction in people’s attention span on social media. However, care should be taken not to jump too quickly to such a conclusion. It is often found with further research and investigation that multiple factors cause most things in life.

For example, depression is often linked with short attention spans, as is ADHD and other similar neurological conditions. We know the incidence of depression and anxiety, and ADHD is increasing within society. Hence as these conditions increase, there are likely to be growing numbers of people who experience short attention spans for other reasons than their social media use.

However, while social media may not solely be to blame, there is a strong correlation between decreasing attention spans and the use of social apps. There is also a strong correlation between the number of hours a person is on social apps and their mental health. The longer a person uses social media apps, the greater the likelihood they will experience anxiety and/or depression [4]. 

HABITS AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND DECREASING ATTENTION SPAN

While social media use may not decrease attention span, people’s habit of using it is one of the driving factors behind this decrease in attention span [5]. 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HABITS THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR ATTENTION SPAN?

• Increasing length of time on social media. In 2022, the average length of time spent on devices increased by 2.5% year-on-year to 4.5 hours/day.
• People are often switching between multi-screens on their phones. On the positive side, this seems to improve a person’s multitasking ability. However, on the negative side, people are being bombarded with more information on multiple screens, which contributes to a lack of attention and increased levels of stress from trying to absorb so much information.
• Increased ‘impatience’ in researching and finding information. Millennials and Gen Z want information fast and want to make quick decisions.
• We don’t do “downtime” anymore. Even when we are relaxing, we are usually looking at a screen.

These habits have led to what is known as micro-moments.

MICRO-MOMENTS

Micro-moments is a term coined by Google Marketing Team to describe those moments when customers want to learn something, do something, buy something, or go somewhere [6].

When potential clients are flitting between multiple screens and their attention space is reduced to eight seconds, there is less time to convert shoppers hence the importance of capitalising on these micro-moments to engage with customers when their attention is focused on making a quick decision.

It is essential that content or products provided by companies must be helpful in the exact instant when consumers are researching, doing something or want to accomplish a task in those specific micro-moments [7].