This is not a newsflash. People's attention spans are short, and they're continuing to shrink. Yes, it is extremely unfortunate. The number of hours in a day hasn't changed, but we're trying to squeeze more into them than ever before. And it shows no signs of slowing down.
Which brings me to my point. It's nothing you haven't heard before, but it's even more relevant as the barrage of information we're exposed to every day continuously increases. We need to keep our client's marketing and advertising messaging to a simple and singular focus. What we should be doing is pushing our target audiences to visit websites. We still need that arresting visual and captivating headline, but the message is in dire need of simplification. Still, we find ourselves trying to convince the client that the website can do the heavy lifting (provided the site's been done right to start with). The target will get all the information they could possibly hope for right there. Let's concentrate on luring them there first. Then, club them over the head when they get there, and hold them captive with an amazing site. They'll stick around if the site is interesting, entertaining and informative. But don't forget—they don't have all day.
Just a little reminder for when you don't feel like you're making headway with a tough client who "really knows their audience." We're a smart bunch in this industry. We know what we're doing and we're professional. Keep it simple. Keep it focused. Make it smart. And remember, we can actually have fun at our jobs.