Opinion: The Attention Economy and Rise of AI is an Opportunity for You
I swear if one more person mentions GPT within earshot of me they’re going to–oh hi! Didn’t see you there. As a copywriting studio founder, I have some nuanced feelings around the rise of AI and the attention economy. Specifically because we’re in the era of modern messaging.
Modern messaging? That sounds catchy. Let’s break it down.
Modern messaging is incisive. Quick. Clear. Direct. It’s realizing everyone wants things immediately. Information. Transformation. Knowing that this razor is specifically for their leg hair texture. But in this AI-driven world and all of the noise out there, it’s more important than ever to be funny, raw, real, and conversational.
Modern messaging is feelings-driven communication delivered with radical conciseness. That’s what we specialize in.
2 things made way for modern messaging to become the gold standard for your business’s communication.
The Attention Economy
Because if you know how to hook in and get to it, you’re playing the game.
AI
Because if you’re not using it to spit out some recycled dad jokes, you’re immediately standing out.
The Attention Economy
Davenport and Beck (2001). Defined the attention economy as an approach that treats human attention as a scarce resource.
I used to watch 9 minute YouTube videos. Now I need to be in my cinema era to pull one of those up. I used to read 5000 word blog articles to gain new insights. Now, I’m praying someone wrote it up in a juicy caption I can save. Maybe you’ve noticed these shifts in yourself. Or maybe you’re still tuning into 3 hour long podcast episodes, thinking you’re surrounded by a bunch of distracted goldfish.
But the data says– a goldfish has an attention span of 9 seconds. Ours is 8.25. And declining. Grabbing people’s attention is crucial. But grabbing it when you want them to buy something is critical to the success of your business.
Have no fear. Even though this statistic makes me feel like my childhood betta fish was a scholar– we don’t have to make this mean the demise of society. It just means our brains are different, we’re moving quickly, and we’re digesting information in a different way.
This is your chance to lean in. Get more concise. Be intentional about the words you’re choosing. Get in. Get out. Ask for the sale.
It’s your chance to pull people in with humor. Get rawer about how you feel faster. And connect with your audience as soon as they enter your world instead of making them work for it. We’re getting more direct. Which also means we’re making sales faster. Could you imagine telling a man in 1922 that his bootlegged whiskey is going to pop off because he does a kangaroo hop in front of the camera with the on-screen text, ‘if you’re not doing this, you’re roo-in-ing your Saturday night.’
It’s also your catalyst for clarity. Because being clear, concise, and direct is the ultimate currency in the attention economy– you’re giving your business a headstart simply by investing in making it juicy in the fewest amount of seconds possible.
You get to stand out. Simply by saying less.
As an ADHD founder, I was quick to ignore uninteresting stuff before it was cool. So I write in a way that gets to the meat quickly. Opting for the so what in the first 3 seconds so we don’t lose ‘em.
That’s why we write in a way that’s readable. Skimmable. Send to your mom-able. We punch (nicely) with words. Focus on the hook. We give people what they need and nothing more. We convince. We sell. But most importantly, we make them want to be in your world, consume what you’re saying, and take action.
And that all starts with attention.
AI
Oh what a topic. The amount of times people ask me so what are your thoughts on AI and the future of copywriting? If I got a dollar. You get the point. I don’t know the future of AI. I know the present of AI. And right now, we have a big gap in how strong AI copywriting is and how strong people perceive AI copywriting to be.
My best metaphor is to watch this video. It’s what English sounds like to people who don’t speak English. As an English speaker, you’re going to think you understand because it sounds like English. But none of the words actually hit.
Ok I know what you’re getting at. This is such a dramatic take, ChatGPT actually writes things that are coherent. And yes, it’s coherent. But remember how I said the attention economy is the long-form grim reaper knocking at everyone’s door? Being coherent won’t cut it. A full English sentence won’t cut it. Saying industry-specific words that kind of make sense if you don’t stop to really break it down won’t cut it. Being generic won’t cut it.
Our mission is to empower individuals to express their unique beauty and confidence through high-quality, innovative makeup products. We are committed to fostering inclusivity and diversity by offering a wide range of shades and formulas that cater to all skin types and tones. Our dedication to sustainability and ethical practices ensures that our products are not only safe and effective but also environmentally conscious. We strive to inspire creativity, self-love, and empowerment, helping everyone to feel beautiful inside and out.
Won’t. Cut. It.
But you’re here so I don’t need to drill in the GPT rant. You know the power of good copy– so let’s pivot over to why this is an opportunity for you.
Going back, we have a big gap in how strong AI copywriting is and how strong people perceive AI copywriting to be. That means a lot of people are using AI to write things and craft their messaging. Or they’re doing that then having someone on the team spruce it up.
They’re watering down their messaging and they might not even realize it. Because it sounds like English, even though it’s generic jargon. Your opportunity is in the pushback. Having copy and messaging that’s so clear. Readable. Adjective-free. Human. Emotional. Funny. And engaging.
By saying, yeah I’m going to make sure my words articulate the soul of my company and the heart of my product in a funny, relatable, and raw way. You’re rebelling. And your rebellion is how you cut through the noise.
Because you aren’t caught in the gap of perception and reality. And you’re speaking damn good English that’s making people pee a little and rip out their wallets whenever they enter your world.
That’s why we often say we write for humans. Your humans. We love being sassy. We love going there and making people cry. We’re not afraid to write something provocative. Or add some cutting spice to a differentiator statement.
We don’t use these tools to write. And we’re damn proud of it.
We’d way rather start from scratch and let creativity and strategy lead the way. Not some computer’s ideas of ‘how to sell a food photography package.’
To wrap this up, I know the world, the shifts, and the new era of X can be terrifying as a business owner or startup founder. It’s like you breathe and everything changes. But no matter what happens or how fast the market changes– value, clarity, feelings, humor, and connection sell. And if you can tap into those basics in everything your brand says, you can unplug and have a spicy marg every now and again knowing your business is going to be totally fine.
