The ‘always-on’ digital age has increased the time we spend looking at screens and staying online.
This has resulted in concerns about productivity, creativity, social cohesion as well as mental and physical health. In the battle to reclaim productivity and creativity, businesses and individuals are taking proactive steps to fix it.
The New York Times ran a piece on parents hiring coaches to transition their children off gaming, smartphones and laptops. Gloria DeGaetano, a private coach in Seattle launched her coaching organisation, noticing there was a demand for parents needing assistance to adjust their children’s screen behaviour. Her institution will charge $80 an hour in rural cities with larger cities rates charging up to $250 an hour.
Digital distraction extends to businesses and employers. Phones, constant emailing and even cloud-based workplace productivity systems like Slack can exacerbate distraction problems in the workplace. In his article ‘Work Distractions – The Productivity Thief’, Charles H. Wilson advises management to set the expectation for personal use of computers and phones during company times.
So as the dialogue and action to limit the amount of our screen time emerges; how does this affect digital marketers in their attempt to capture our attention?
Well we know that time spent on mobiles is continually increasing. This year was the first time that people spent more time on their mobile than watching TV. That’s on average, three hours and 43 minutes of watching content, checking social media and viewing ads on phones.
With this shift comes an adapted strategy from marketers to optimise their mobile content. The traditional method of using above-the-line marketing and then using similar versions of content for the rest of marketing collateral isn’t viable anymore. The savviest marketers are creating ‘mobile-first’ ads that are relevant to the the platform they’re being shared on. Ads are bite-sized, relatable and actionable to get the attention of time-poor consumers.
Check out this bumper ad for the film ‘Sing’.
What do you think about reducing screen time; have you found yourself being negatively impacted by too much screen?
How else will reducing screen time affect digital marketing?
THE AÇAÍ BOWL 
Days I make a conscious effort to reduce screen time I find I am far more productive. I stopped using Instagram a while ago as I found it was the most time wasting app that didn’t offer any value other
LikeLike
Yep I agree, increased screen time and trying to multi task often leaves me frazzled and unproductive as well. With so much content out there, it’s difficult to remain focused on one thing!
LikeLike
I often have to put my phone away when doing work just so I don’t get distracted from social media!
LikeLike
Me too! I need to put it away in my bag as I’m always tempted to check my phone if it’s in plain sight and within arm reach.
LikeLike
I definitely have seen the negative impact of being on my phone too much. What I like to do at the moment, is go onto my iPhone and check my “screen-time” results – it tells me how many times I picked up my phone, how many notifications I’ve received and how long I’ve spent on each app. It can be pretty eye-opening at times. Having grown up and always having my phone, I find that one of my biggest habits is getting my phone out and checking Instagram or Facebook and I do it without even thinking.
LikeLike
I got rid of social media because I was spending way too much time and energy on it! It’s a little more lonely but I feel like I’m in a healthier mindset. Using apps that track how long I spend on sites and programs on my computer and phone really help to bring me back to reality.
LikeLike