Sharing how we can communicate our science effectively, whether in posters, papers or on social media!
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SciCom – Attention Before Information
Published 21 days ago • 3 min read
First Step: Attention
Hi Reader, we established that good communicators focus on their readers.
However, there is a subtle trap waiting right behind that insight.
Today, we will take the insight that announcements don’t convince one step further.
Let me share how I make sure my messages stand out among all the competing content out there:
Don't Focus on Information
Many scientists miss out on a large fraction of views and clicks because of one key misunderstanding.
If you didn’t know any of these organizations, would anything make you want to go there? Many established organizations think they can get away with bad advertising because people know them. However, this is why they struggle with their newsletters and social media - we live in a world where the bar has risen. Most people don’t need to search for opportunities; they can now afford to filter them. Announcements or generic claims won’t cut it for the upcoming generations.
They believe that information is what matters to their readers.
It happens to many scientists, once you start thinking about your reader, the obvious question seems to be: What information is my reader lacking? What do they need to know?
However, information is only the vehicle, not a goal in itself.
You must catch attention first to make your reader willing to take in any kind of information.
It’s important to you but most of your attendees don’t care what the name of your organization or event is. Even if you don’t have much space or design experience, you can still follow best practices. In this example, the headline immediately touches on a pain point for many scientists: what to do with their careers? No generic “Sign Up” or vague “Career Series” that loses attention quickly. Then, it briefly explains what participants can expect, followed by the faces and positions of the speakers. Here again, notice that since the speakers aren’t well known, I chose to bold their positions, as this is what is relevant to the reader.
Attention is paid to things that benefit us, address a problem, or evoke an emotion such as surprise or concern.
In other words, information only becomes useful once you know what you want or where you want to go.
Why We Fall Into This Trap
The issue is that, as scientists, we have an instinct to be objective and explain everything properly.
We think we have to announce an event or a new finding just like we report a result in a paper, but we have to realize that when someone reads our paper, they have already made the decision to read it.
But with your newsletter, social media post, or flyer, it’s not about transferring all the information; it’s about earning the click.
I think NileRed’s thumbnails really boil down to the concept of making people interested. Of course, they seem simple, but imagine you have hours of footage and have spent thousands of dollars — would your first idea really be to simply go with a before-and-after shot? The other important thing to notice is how much thought went into how to show the glue. There are a million different ways to do this, but in this version, you can truly feel the glue rather than just see a can. The alcohol could have much more vivid imagery, but I guess the idea is to enhance the contrast and give it a scientific look by presenting it like a lab chemical. Again, you really have to think about how your reader perceives it.
Think of it the way a good headline works. A headline never tries to maximize the amount of information it delivers.
Instead, it gives you just enough to understand what the story is about, while leaving enough of a gap that you want to read further.
In other words, it’s not about being exhaustive - it’s about giving people only what they need to want more.
Nuance Comes After Buy-In
Remember, your reader doesn’t know what we know.
The value of our opportunity is not immediately obvious to them because similar opportunities offer very different benefits and are sometimes even scams.
So the completeness we are so proud of does nothing for someone who hasn’t yet decided to care.
Note that only after your reader is bought in should you provide the more nuanced, complex, or detailed information. Of course, in a poster you want to show people the time and date because that is important for them to determine whether attending might be an option. Similarly, deadlines can suggest urgency, but these are not the parts that should be noticed first..
Of course, we can give full context, mention nuances, and credit everyone involved - but only once our reader has bought in. Until then, we first have to get them interested.
All in all, I want you to leave with one shift in your thinking:
When you think about your reader, don’t ask what they don’t know.
Ask what would catch their attention - which pain, goal, or interest.
Then, give them everything they need to resolve their concerns so that they want more.
This last point is why we include dates, locations, and the like on flyers or mention the famous institutions behind a breakthrough.
People have an intrinsic tendency to minimize effort. Their minds will search for reasons why they should keep scrolling.
Don’t be exhaustive; provide information strategically.
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