The 0.2 Second Rule

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A social media user's appraisal of each new piece of content happens at the velocity of lightning. And then they just move straight on to repeat the process on the next post ... unless you can encourage them to linger a little longer.

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A fascinating study from Syracuse University showed that one human could be visually attracted to another in just one-fifth of a second (0.2s), and a similarly almost instant visual assessment process is repeated multiple times a minute as we scroll through social media in search of something we like the look of.

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All effective social media content shares a common trait - images with instant appeal to the eye. Loving graphic design and text, which both take longer for the brain to process, are secondary. Anything delaying instant visual assessment should normally be cast in a supporting role.

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For farming audiences the strongest interest is for well-shot, creative farming images. Creative means standing out from the ordinary - not just one more standard picture of a combine working or a dairy cow eating or a field of wheat growing or whatever. Call it wow factor or aesthetic appeal; either way successful social media marketing doesn't happen without it. 

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When an image has won attention and halted the 'next slide please' rapid browsing reflex then the accompanying text is more likely to be read. No matter how carefully crafted, the majority of accompanying texts aren't read because the graphic didn't win further time.