Let's be honest, you probably waste a crap ton of time on social media.
Whether you are mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, getting lost in Twitter threads, or binge-watching TikTok videos, social media has become the ultimate time sink.
And guess what, that is okay.
It is not on the level of curing cancer, but social media has cured something that regularly infects us all.
This readily available stream of content that we cultivate keeps us entertained, motivated, inspired, and connected.
So if you want people to pay attention to your passion, you need to understand why they waste their time online in the first place.
Share Your Feelings
What do you feel right before you open a social app?
Boredom?
Emptiness?
Sometimes are you looking for something, but don't know what it is?
You should know that this is happening to others as well.
This feeling of "emptiness" is your golden opportunity for a value exchange.
When people come in contact with your content you should look to take their boredom in exchange for a feeling you provide.
That's right, pimp those feelings, baby.
The Feelings Wheel (used with permission from https://feelingswheel.com)
Social media is a constant source of emotional stimulation.
Whether it's joy from a funny meme, anger from a controversial post, or inspiration from a motivational quote, people are looking to feel something, anything.
If your content can tap into these emotions, you can manhandle attention.
The key is to sew these feelings into your content, making it emotionally engaging.
Feeling-Based Content (Gate, Climb, Drop)
Ready to stop boring people to death?
Creating content that resonates emotionally doesn’t have to be complicated.
You can use a simple written or video content formula: Gate, Climb, and Drop.
Gate
This is your entry point.
Start with an intriguing, provocative, or highly relatable opening line or scene that grabs attention immediately.
Think of the start of your content like the gate at a rollercoaster.
The goal is to make the audience want to step through the gate and hop on your ride.
It should also act as a filter, like a height requirement, ensuring that only the truly interested stick around.
Climb
This is where you build tension and keep the audience engaged.
Introduce challenges, problems, or escalating situations that create a sense of anticipation.
The climb represent the rising conflict, or building of a story, gradually increasing the stakes and pulling the audience deeper into your content.
Imagine this as the first hill up on a rollercoaster.
Build anticipation before an epic drop.
Drop
The drop can be funny, traumatic, thrilling—any intense feeling that pays off the anticipation from the climb.
The key to using "The Drop" approach is that it takes the user on a ride back to the beginning.
If it's done well, not only will your audience want to ride your content again, but they will also want their friends to enjoy the experience as well.
Conclusion
Capturing and holding your audience's attention will solve boredom, for most.
But boredom is just like hunger, it will at some point come back.
In the next part, we will dive into how the voice of your content can shape your brand experience for regular consumption.
A great brand experience will turn a viewer into a fan.
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