Have you noticed that some of social media posts will garner tons of "likes," retweets, shares, and comments, but others...well...they just don't? It seemed to me that the ones that are the most important are commonly in the latter group. Frustrated, I looked deeper into this issue and was surprised by what I found. I think you will be too, but it's an important communication lesson for us all in the Technological Age. By the way, I encourage you to read through to the end of this blog post. You'll see why when you get there.
That old saying "I'm just too broke to pay attention" is becoming a sad reality in today's society-especially in light of the current and equally sad economy. Do you ever feel like people don't pay attention to what you post on Facebook or read your emails? Well, I ran an extended experiment on my fan page, Facebook wall, Twitter and Google + accounts and found some very interesting results.
What I Noticed
* Over the last several years, there has been a steady decline in newspaper and magazine subscriptions in favor of finding snippets of news on Facebook, Twitter and other internet forums.
* In the last few years, there has been a marked increase in the number of times I've had to play email volleyball in order to clarify something that the other party had inexplicably missed in my original communication.
* In the last year or two, more and more friends of mine were unsubscribing from newsletters, blogs and email lists that they once were quite involved in.
* Recently, there is a significant decrease of discussion on blogs and about online newsletters.
* Quite recently, there has been a distinct increase of memes and pictures posted on social media.
The Experiment
I conducted an extensive experiment on both my Facebook fan pages, my Facebook wall, Twitter/Google + account, my newsletter and my blog for the last year or so. I posted all manner of media including videos, blog posts, notes, pictures, memes and one liners.
The Results
Pictures (memes) get the most likes and comments. Anything with more than a few lines of text get very few. Links to articles, newsletters or blog posts don’t get read or responded to much because people have to take the time to click on it.
So, the more removed something is from where people see it and the more words it has, the less response there is. Further, the less likely that response reflects that the person had actually READ the article, listened to the audio or watched the video--even if people say they are interested in the topic.
Controversial topics garner the most response with unique comments about frustrating issues people are currently facing (especially if the comment has only a few lines of text) coming in second.
So Why Don’t People Read Anymore?
They're just too broke to pay attention! Most people are so busy trying to make a living that they no longer have time to make a life. They run from family functions to kid's activities to shopping to work and back home again, home again jiggety jig. Too busy and too involved in their own stuff to pay attention to their friends, neighbors and extended family.
What to Do in Order to Get Your Ideas Across these Days
If you are trying to get a message across for ministry or business or a cause you support and you want to make sure your thoughts get noticed, start first with picture (meme) that has little to no text, but in a creative way asks a provocative question or makes a unique or humorous statement. Then, as people comment on it, introduce your supporting ideas and details.
Do You Read?
Be honest. Have you ever been caught having to admit you hadn't read someone's email thoroughly? Have you ever posted a comment on Facebook only to find you had completely misunderstood his post because you hadn't read it carefully? Have you ever tweeted a reply based on a Twitter article title and discovered egg on your face because you hadn't actually READ the article which had nothing to do with what you thought the title suggested?
My Challenge
I challenge you to read what you may not think you have time for and to take the time to read it carefully. You just might learn something that will bless your life or the lives of others you know. You will save yourself time in the long run because you will truly understand what is being communicated to you and you will reduce the amount of conflicts you have with others because you'll get it right the first time. I challenge you also to pass this blog link around to educate and encourage others to take the time to read.
Thank You
Another advantage of taking the time to read fully and carefully is that sometimes you are rewarded for doing so. It's kind of like staying in the theater after a movie and watching the credits. My dad likes to leave the theater as soon as the movie is over. My dh and I always stay til the very end of the credits until they turn the lights back on. Why? Very often at the end of the movie is a bit of fun, a surprise or a story resolution you'd never know about unless you stayed and paid close attention. Sometimes it's the best part of the movie!
If you've read all the way through this, admittedly, very long blog post, I'd like to thank you! I will put the names of all those who leave a comment with their thoughts/experiences and say they shared this link with others into a drawing for a free gift or a gift certificate. Your choice. You have until the end of the month to do so before I draw a name. Please make sure to have your email address on your comment so I can contact you if you are our winner.
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If you liked this post, read…Seven Reasons Why YOU Should Sign Up for the Art of Eloquence Newsletter! This month I'll be sharing newsletter articles on two other disturbing communication trends you need to know about and what YOU can do about them!
NOTE: And don't forget to check out our incredible Fire Sale this month! Here's what one customer had to say: “I can’t believe the awesome deal that you are offering on this set of e-books, JoJo! I just ordered mine! These are totally amazing! Thank you for such a great deal!” -Candy F.
Nine out of ten of you won't read this, but you SHOULD!
Announcement: Due to my health issues, I will only be writing posts for the Art of Eloquence blog once a month. If you would like more information, tips and free gifts, please subscribe to our twice monthly newsletter.
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Have you noticed that some of social media posts will garner tons of "likes," retweets, shares, and comments, but others...well...they just don't? It seemed to me that the ones that are the most important are commonly in the latter group. Frustrated, I looked deeper into this issue and was surprised by what I found. I think you will be too, but it's an important communication lesson for us all in the Technological Age. By the way, I encourage you to read through to the end of this blog post. You'll see why when you get there.
That old saying "I'm just too broke to pay attention" is becoming a sad reality in today's society-especially in light of the current and equally sad economy. Do you ever feel like people don't pay attention to what you post on Facebook or read your emails? Well, I ran an extended experiment on my fan page, Facebook wall, Twitter and Google + accounts and found some very interesting results.
What I Noticed
* Over the last several years, there has been a steady decline in newspaper and magazine subscriptions in favor of finding snippets of news on Facebook, Twitter and other internet forums.
* In the last few years, there has been a marked increase in the number of times I've had to play email volleyball in order to clarify something that the other party had inexplicably missed in my original communication.
* In the last year or two, more and more friends of mine were unsubscribing from newsletters, blogs and email lists that they once were quite involved in.
* Recently, there is a significant decrease of discussion on blogs and about online newsletters.
* Quite recently, there has been a distinct increase of memes and pictures posted on social media.
The Experiment
I conducted an extensive experiment on both my Facebook fan pages, my Facebook wall, Twitter/Google + account, my newsletter and my blog for the last year or so. I posted all manner of media including videos, blog posts, notes, pictures, memes and one liners.
The Results
Pictures (memes) get the most likes and comments. Anything with more than a few lines of text get very few. Links to articles, newsletters or blog posts don’t get read or responded to much because people have to take the time to click on it.
So, the more removed something is from where people see it and the more words it has, the less response there is. Further, the less likely that response reflects that the person had actually READ the article, listened to the audio or watched the video--even if people say they are interested in the topic.
Controversial topics garner the most response with unique comments about frustrating issues people are currently facing (especially if the comment has only a few lines of text) coming in second.
So Why Don’t People Read Anymore?
They're just too broke to pay attention! Most people are so busy trying to make a living that they no longer have time to make a life. They run from family functions to kid's activities to shopping to work and back home again, home again jiggety jig. Too busy and too involved in their own stuff to pay attention to their friends, neighbors and extended family.
What to Do in Order to Get Your Ideas Across these Days
If you are trying to get a message across for ministry or business or a cause you support and you want to make sure your thoughts get noticed, start first with picture (meme) that has little to no text, but in a creative way asks a provocative question or makes a unique or humorous statement. Then, as people comment on it, introduce your supporting ideas and details.
Do You Read?
Be honest. Have you ever been caught having to admit you hadn't read someone's email thoroughly? Have you ever posted a comment on Facebook only to find you had completely misunderstood his post because you hadn't read it carefully? Have you ever tweeted a reply based on a Twitter article title and discovered egg on your face because you hadn't actually READ the article which had nothing to do with what you thought the title suggested?
My Challenge
I challenge you to read what you may not think you have time for and to take the time to read it carefully. You just might learn something that will bless your life or the lives of others you know. You will save yourself time in the long run because you will truly understand what is being communicated to you and you will reduce the amount of conflicts you have with others because you'll get it right the first time. I challenge you also to pass this blog link around to educate and encourage others to take the time to read.
Thank You
Another advantage of taking the time to read fully and carefully is that sometimes you are rewarded for doing so. It's kind of like staying in the theater after a movie and watching the credits. My dad likes to leave the theater as soon as the movie is over. My dh and I always stay til the very end of the credits until they turn the lights back on. Why? Very often at the end of the movie is a bit of fun, a surprise or a story resolution you'd never know about unless you stayed and paid close attention. Sometimes it's the best part of the movie!
If you've read all the way through this, admittedly, very long blog post, I'd like to thank you! I will put the names of all those who leave a comment with their thoughts/experiences and say they shared this link with others into a drawing for a free gift or a gift certificate. Your choice. You have until the end of the month to do so before I draw a name. Please make sure to have your email address on your comment so I can contact you if you are our winner.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you liked this post, read…Seven Reasons Why YOU Should Sign Up for the Art of Eloquence Newsletter! This month I'll be sharing newsletter articles on two other disturbing communication trends you need to know about and what YOU can do about them!
NOTE: And don't forget to check out our incredible Fire Sale this month! Here's what one customer had to say: “I can’t believe the awesome deal that you are offering on this set of e-books, JoJo! I just ordered mine! These are totally amazing! Thank you for such a great deal!” -Candy F.
Have you noticed that some of social media posts will garner tons of "likes," retweets, shares, and comments, but others...well...they just don't? It seemed to me that the ones that are the most important are commonly in the latter group. Frustrated, I looked deeper into this issue and was surprised by what I found. I think you will be too, but it's an important communication lesson for us all in the Technological Age. By the way, I encourage you to read through to the end of this blog post. You'll see why when you get there.
That old saying "I'm just too broke to pay attention" is becoming a sad reality in today's society-especially in light of the current and equally sad economy. Do you ever feel like people don't pay attention to what you post on Facebook or read your emails? Well, I ran an extended experiment on my fan page, Facebook wall, Twitter and Google + accounts and found some very interesting results.
What I Noticed
* Over the last several years, there has been a steady decline in newspaper and magazine subscriptions in favor of finding snippets of news on Facebook, Twitter and other internet forums.
* In the last few years, there has been a marked increase in the number of times I've had to play email volleyball in order to clarify something that the other party had inexplicably missed in my original communication.
* In the last year or two, more and more friends of mine were unsubscribing from newsletters, blogs and email lists that they once were quite involved in.
* Recently, there is a significant decrease of discussion on blogs and about online newsletters.
* Quite recently, there has been a distinct increase of memes and pictures posted on social media.
The Experiment
I conducted an extensive experiment on both my Facebook fan pages, my Facebook wall, Twitter/Google + account, my newsletter and my blog for the last year or so. I posted all manner of media including videos, blog posts, notes, pictures, memes and one liners.
The Results
Pictures (memes) get the most likes and comments. Anything with more than a few lines of text get very few. Links to articles, newsletters or blog posts don’t get read or responded to much because people have to take the time to click on it.
So, the more removed something is from where people see it and the more words it has, the less response there is. Further, the less likely that response reflects that the person had actually READ the article, listened to the audio or watched the video--even if people say they are interested in the topic.
Controversial topics garner the most response with unique comments about frustrating issues people are currently facing (especially if the comment has only a few lines of text) coming in second.
So Why Don’t People Read Anymore?
They're just too broke to pay attention! Most people are so busy trying to make a living that they no longer have time to make a life. They run from family functions to kid's activities to shopping to work and back home again, home again jiggety jig. Too busy and too involved in their own stuff to pay attention to their friends, neighbors and extended family.
What to Do in Order to Get Your Ideas Across these Days
If you are trying to get a message across for ministry or business or a cause you support and you want to make sure your thoughts get noticed, start first with picture (meme) that has little to no text, but in a creative way asks a provocative question or makes a unique or humorous statement. Then, as people comment on it, introduce your supporting ideas and details.
Do You Read?
Be honest. Have you ever been caught having to admit you hadn't read someone's email thoroughly? Have you ever posted a comment on Facebook only to find you had completely misunderstood his post because you hadn't read it carefully? Have you ever tweeted a reply based on a Twitter article title and discovered egg on your face because you hadn't actually READ the article which had nothing to do with what you thought the title suggested?
My Challenge
I challenge you to read what you may not think you have time for and to take the time to read it carefully. You just might learn something that will bless your life or the lives of others you know. You will save yourself time in the long run because you will truly understand what is being communicated to you and you will reduce the amount of conflicts you have with others because you'll get it right the first time. I challenge you also to pass this blog link around to educate and encourage others to take the time to read.
Thank You
Another advantage of taking the time to read fully and carefully is that sometimes you are rewarded for doing so. It's kind of like staying in the theater after a movie and watching the credits. My dad likes to leave the theater as soon as the movie is over. My dh and I always stay til the very end of the credits until they turn the lights back on. Why? Very often at the end of the movie is a bit of fun, a surprise or a story resolution you'd never know about unless you stayed and paid close attention. Sometimes it's the best part of the movie!
If you've read all the way through this, admittedly, very long blog post, I'd like to thank you! I will put the names of all those who leave a comment with their thoughts/experiences and say they shared this link with others into a drawing for a free gift or a gift certificate. Your choice. You have until the end of the month to do so before I draw a name. Please make sure to have your email address on your comment so I can contact you if you are our winner.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you liked this post, read…Seven Reasons Why YOU Should Sign Up for the Art of Eloquence Newsletter! This month I'll be sharing newsletter articles on two other disturbing communication trends you need to know about and what YOU can do about them!
NOTE: And don't forget to check out our incredible Fire Sale this month! Here's what one customer had to say: “I can’t believe the awesome deal that you are offering on this set of e-books, JoJo! I just ordered mine! These are totally amazing! Thank you for such a great deal!” -Candy F.
57 comments
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This is SO true, ans so important – as a ‘scanner’ myself, I allow far too often my A.D.D. to permit me to miss the good stuff, the true meat of the subject; the lesson in the text. Patience is not a virtue I hold, though it IS one I aspire to. My husband also has taught me to wait until the end of the movie, and yes, I’ve seen much I’d otherwise have missed…
I needed this reminder today, this WHOLE reminder, ALLL the way to the end. Thank you!
Blessings to you; this was a definite blessing to me! -
This is definitely true! Even most of what my friends on facebook post any more is pictures, occasionally you have that rare status update with only words, but it doesn’t happen often. I guess this is why my status updates only get attention from my family and none of my friends, not enough pictures. Its kind of scary that even adults these days basically need a picture book in-front of them in order to give what ever it is(whether it be about something trivial or really important) their full and complete attention. I really enjoyed reading this, I posted it to my facebok and twitter-something this good really needs to be shared.
Thank-you for writing this. :)
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I agree with what you say in your post as it probably applies to most people. However, I scan through wall posts looking for personal status posts from family and friends , which I read all the way through. I also look for blog and article wall posts… if it’s a topic I’m interested in or posted from family or friends I read them and read them all the way through. I pay less attention to pictures unless they involve a topic I’m interested in or people I know.
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I have known newspaper subscriptions and magazine subscriptions were going down for a number of years, attributed originally to the Internet. What I discovered at the end of 2011 was how little people read important communications about items they choose to be actively involved in.
I discovered that some people will simply not read e-mails or other communication if they are beyond a certain length. Some people are involved in so very many activities, that even though the e-mails specifically pertain a person’s commitment to an activity, if the messages are not very short, they may not get read. Many of these people use text messaging nearly exclusively.
This can provide a tough conundrum when parents drop off their children for a meeting and miss out on the verbal communication and question and answer session. Elementary-aged children are not usually very effective at communicating much detailed information or may forget or some information may be specifically directed at the adults as action items for them. This results in e-mails with all those details being sent to the parents who did not attend the meeting as well as those who did as a reminder of action items. Those who did not attend may very well not read the e-mail, either.
Another disturbing trend in communication is that of parents having so many activities that they do not communicate that they will not attend a meeting or will be late. There are some times when it simply cannot be helped. Habitual tardiness does become a problem for the leader and the others involved. Either the leader waits for the habitually late person so that the meeting is not disturbed and he or she does not have to repeat information or the person comes in late and disturbs the proceedings and misses key information.
I do read what I set out to read. I find myself having numerous tabs open at any given time so that I can go back and read the details and digest the information I am interested in learning about. If the information was too long to read at a particular point, I leave it up until I have a chance to read it later.
I do believe that folks today need executive summaries. Here are some ways to help with that.
Write what you want to write. Then go back and do the following as appropriate for the communication:1) Create subheadings in bold, italic, and / or a changed font above paragraphs
2) Create bullets at the top of the document referring to those subheadings or, if creating a newsletter, incorporate a table of contents that links to the headings and subheadings
3) If there are actionable items, decisions made, or questions to be answered, make those items bold in the context of the communication and use designated colors consistently to change the font of those specific items. For example, actionable items might be in red. Decisions made may be in green. Questions to be answered may be in purple. This helps people get to the nitty gritty quickly and efficiently so they do not overlook the document entirely.
4) Enumerate items to be accomplished
5) Use white space effectively. It is more visually appealing, easier to read in general, and easier on the eyes when there is sufficient white space in a communication. (Dunn & Bradstreet’s Better Business Writing course.)
6) Use a large enough font to make it easier for people to read the communication. Note: Studies have found that Arial is the best font for online communication, but Times New Roman is the best font for printed communication. Use at least Arial 10 or Times New Roman 12 to help people to be able to read the document well. If you have older clientele, use even larger fonts. They will appreciate the effort.
7) Be aware that on highly personal topics – delivering bad news or items of personal differences in point of view – that those can become highly charged for someone with a different point of view. They may only see a title or scan a small part of the information and their emotions may take over in such a way that they lose the context or meaning of what is being said. Do try to keep a level head in responding to those circumstances. If necessary, draft something with emotion, then delete it altogether. Do not be tempted to respond emotionally. Write a point by point, but not pointed, reply to address the issues brought up by the other person. Ask questions to get clarification so that the two of you are not miscommunicating based on semantics and the way you understand a term versus the way they understand a term. Ask them what they mean by …
8) If you cannot write something nice because you feel insulted or personally attacked or if you can tell by the other’s statements that they will only resort to personal attacks, sometimes the best thing to do is say nothing. It saves you time and effort. It may save a friendship. There may be times that a very bad situation can no longer be overlooked and must be addressed. Cover those in prayer first.
Thank you for your suggestions on driving communication. I will try to include these in the development of my web presence.
God bless you and your ministry, JoJo.
Tammy
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All EXCELLENT points, Tammy, and things that we teach in our Art of Eloquence communication studies. It used to be THE answer to getting more people to read the articles and materials one puts out. Unfortunately, while it does help to a small degree today, it does not answer the issue that more and more people don’t read if they see that it has more than a few lines of text, especially if they have to click a link to read it. It is a sad commentary on the busy-ness of the times and the economy’s demands that the average person simply will not read something with longer text because they don’t believe they have the time to do so.