Your biggest competition: indifference

People aren’t listening.

We’re not the only ones noticing that social media engagement in general is down. Read more here & here. While more people are connected than ever, engagement metrics are on a downward spiral.

This is not a coincidence. There is content overload. People are glazed over, scrolling and rarely absorbing content. We’re on our phone while watching movies while hanging out. Yes, we are now rating tv & movie based on how much we’re on our phones while watching (content that we chose to watch!).

‍

Surprise and delight.

Break the monotony by surprising your audience. Us humans have an inherent curiosity and a drive to seek novelty. Surprises introduce new and unexpected elements into our routine, satisfying our desire for fresh experiences.

*Science corner* Surprises can trigger the release of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, in the brain. They’re also much more memorable. Surprises activate the brain regions associated with memory formation, making the experience stand out in our minds. This enhanced memory formation contributes to a sense of richness in our lives, as surprising events become lasting and vivid memories.

‍

Ask yourself

• How can you involve an unexpected feature, limited-time promotions, or exclusive content?
• Think about offering unscrollable media. What would that look like? An in-person meet up? A physical newspaper (Want to see how we do it? Get your *free* Emerald newpaper here)? A piece of art?
• Who do you trust? How do you get trusted recommendations? How can you reach your audience’s audience?

‍

Recommendation: Mike Birbiglia’s Netflix special: The Old Man & The Pool. Definitely phone level 1.