“Getting attention online today is like trying to get a toddler to eat vegetables—you need color, tricks, and maybe a little song and dance.”
In today’s digital age, attention is no longer just a metric—it’s gold dust in a sandstorm. Social media has become a bustling marketplace where everyone is shouting, waving signs, and juggling flaming torches, all hoping to catch a passing glance. With everyone constantly scrolling, swiping, and skimming, attention has become one of the most valuable currencies in the digital landscape. It may feel like a free-for-all, but make no mistake: while the entry is free, the spotlight comes at a steep price. Posting may cost nothing, but earning real attention comes at a high cost—both in money and effort. Posting is free, but attention is expensive.
Every second, social media platforms are flooded with content—videos, memes, photos, ads, news, and opinions. The human brain, however, can only process so much. With this massive influx of content, users are constantly filtering what to engage with. In such a crowded environment, being noticed becomes increasingly difficult.
Where preferences and brand needs collide
Social media has trained users to move fast. A few seconds is often all you get to make an impression. This reality gave birth to the rise of clickbait content and the hook framework. Content has to be immediately interesting, visually engaging, and emotionally resonant. If not, it’s quickly scrolled past—lost in the infinite feed.
Social media use and users’ biobehavioral responses and reactions toward any digital content are well-researched. A common industry standard that we have seen many digital marketers and analysts often use is the 95/10 statistics. This simply means that 95% of the message is retained by users when watching videos versus the 10% message retention when in text.
Full disclosure, and—well, personally, this is more of an anecdotal note than a scientific one due to the lack of peer reviews and studies backing this claim. However, and this is a huge ‘however’; real-world performances and indicators seem to prove this claim. Literally all numbers, regardless of how you read them and where you look, point towards this idea. Case in point, the rise of TikTok and short-form videos.
You want to be funny? Use memes. Want to share knowledge? Microblog. Want to be relatable? Use authentic, unfiltered images. Want to send a message across? Use video. All these content types form your digital brand, and if used correctly, could really make an impact on your target audience.
Players will play. Losers stay at the bottom of the digital food chain
It’s not just brands competing for visibility—individuals, creators, NGOs, news outlets, and institutions are all vying for the same limited space on users’ screens. Ehem, did you see the recent social media spending of those who ran in the recently concluded Philippine National and Local Elections? To say that attention is expensive is an understatement. Those in the know understand that even well-crafted content can be overlooked without the right strategy. With the intense competition, even well-curated content can go unseen. Yes, social media is free—up to a point.
Gone are the days when all your followers would see your posts. Today, algorithms determine what appears in your feed, prioritizing content that drives engagement. To stay visible, creators must constantly optimize their content based on ever-changing algorithmic preferences, which require both time and expertise.
Aside from the algorithmic tollgates of digital heavens, there’s also audience fatigue and emotional filtering. Social media users are becoming more selective with their attention. With rising awareness of online toxicity, misinformation, and digital burnout, people are choosing to disengage from content that feels irrelevant, insincere, or overwhelming. To earn trust and hold attention, content must provide clear value—whether through entertainment, information, or emotional connection.
Visibility Now Has a Price Tag
With organic reach declining, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok increasingly operate on a pay-to-play model. Boosting posts or running ads is often necessary just to be seen. What was once free now requires ad budgets, content teams, and data-driven strategies.
Attention is now a premium resource—limited, fragmented, and highly sought after. In this era, success on social media isn’t about simply being present; it’s about being strategically present. That means telling meaningful stories, delivering consistent value, and understanding your audience deeply.
“You’re not just buying impressions. You’re buying moments of attention.”
And in a world where everyone is speaking, it’s those few moments of listening that make all the difference.
