The average human attention span on social media is eight seconds. That’s shorter than a freakin’ goldfish’s. Ouch.

What does this mean for you, the influencer? The K.I.T. strategy is your best friend: Keep It Thumbstoppy. Especially during the holiday season, your fans are being overloaded with ads, social media, emails from brands, passive-aggressive text messages from their family (haha whoops did we say that out loud?)…. So getting, and KEEPING, their attention is harder than ever. We’re here to help.

Okay, first off, what’s “Thumbstoppy”? Exactly what it sounds like: Something that makes you stop thumb-scrolling through social media on your phone.

What Makes Something Thumbstoppy?

Start Big

If you don’t snag viewers’ attention within the first 3 seconds, they’re done. How do you do this? Bold colors, big motions, fun music, and the element of surprise. Think about popular TikTok dance challenges – many start with leaps, jumps, and other full-body movements that catch the eye.

If anyone epitomizes bold, beautiful, thumbstoppy content, it’s @thenotoriouskia!

Make It Easy To Get

Found an uhmayzinggg deal on a popular gift? Make that the first thing you say or talk about in the caption. Give them the link to click, whether that’s a Swipe Up To Shop link, your ObsessedWith.It gift guide collections, or Text2Shop™. The fewer clicks to get from your content to having paid for the item, the better.

Julia Havens makes it super simple for her fans to shop her looks, using MagicLinks Text2Shop™!

Clear Messaging

Hate it when videos or captions take for.ev.er to get to the point? You get the idea. This is why TikTok and Instagram Reels are popular – easily consumable, digestible content that doesn’t tax our overstimulated brains. It forces creators and advertisers to distil their messaging into the shortest, simplest, most eye/ear-catching form possible.

Loving how @itsme.ana does a short, sharp review of her fave eyeshadow brushes!

Tell A Story – YOUR Way

We grant you, incorporating a full beginning, middle, and end in a super short video is… a challenge. Your fans don’t want War and Peace, they want YOU. Your stories. Your ideas. Keep your style consistent, so your fans instantly know it’s you just from the thumbnail and get excited to see new content from you.

Vi Luong’s signature lighting, look, and edits ensure her fans KNOW it’s her and stop to watch (and rewatch).