How to Get Users to Stop Scrolling, and Stick To Your Content

There is no doubt, the world of content creation can be very rewarding. Venturing into the world of design, writing, photography—whatever it is, creating content is a truly amazing adventure.

However, there is another side to the coin that most content creators don’t think about, or work hard enough on because of the focus on the actual content. And that is getting your work out to people to enjoy, aka marketing it. And if you’re like most creatives, this is the most difficult, and stressful part of the job.

But it’s important! After all, part of the ride is to have everyone enjoy what you do.

To do this, you’re going to have to think about what you put out there to reel people in. And while this may not your favorite part, it’s important to get eyes landing on your webpage or blog, or you will fall into the cracks of the internet.

Study Your Audience, and Where These Users May Be

Sure, coming up with a great plan to catch some eyes is a big deal, and requires some serious effort. But before you even get to that, you have to know where you’re going to be grabbing your audience. After all, it’s pointless to fish for tuna in a lake…right?

No matter what content you create, there is an audience you’re going for—and you should know who this is (if you don’t, think about it…a lot). And there are places all of the audiences live and interact. Even various social media platforms have different demographics. All things you need to consider.

Study who you’re going for, talk to them, see where similar artwork is posted, and start carving out your path. Whether it be posting links on Facebook, designs on Instagram, or even writing snippets on a blog, find the dream home for what you do.

Make a list of platforms you think may work and ask these questions:

Who is the audience of this platform?
Is there similar work here? How do they do it?
Will users on this platform care? Should they?

REMINDER: Each platform also tends to be suited for different content. You’re not going to be putting writing samples on TikTok…

Determine What Content You Want to Be Front Facing

Before you launch a website, blog, social media account, or even a gig on Fiverr, take a step back and think about the content you want people to see that will grab their attention. The content that will make them stop that never-ending scroll and place their thumb right on you. What do you have that is a show-stopper?

The strange part? It may not even be a piece or content that is your personal favorite. It may be something that you never thought of really using. It can very well be something you created and set aside. Don’t forget the number one rule (at least for me): There is no such thing as wasted work. Everything can have a purpose somehow, even if it’s simply for inspiration later.

Dig through your work, and find a piece of content that fits these criteria for being your front-facing work.

Attention-getting – Your work should be something that will make someone stop in their tracks, and be unique to the platform you’re on. Don’t be afraid of breaking the norms—for instance, a graphic design on LinkedIn.
Multi-layered – Do you have a piece that focuses on a specific skill? It may not be the best fit for the front page of your profile. Think about pieces you have that show your entire skillset. One that shows you know how to utilize multiple strategies.
Bold – Whatever you pick, don’t be afraid to make a statement. Your goal is to get someone to stop and check out further. So give them a reason to! Do your research to see if anyone else is showcasing something similar. If not, this could make your content unique.

Give Them a Reason to Stay

When you get someone to stop and smell the roses, AKA check out what you’re doing, that’s great news! But you need to keep them there. A feat that is truly easier said than done. Because while having a flashy homepage is great, you’re going to need content that keeps them busy, and keeps them digging more and more into what you do.

The best thing you can do is give them a reason to do just that. For instance, if you simply have a gallery of images or samples, it can be easy for someone to get bored, and simply leave. In this case, there was no reason for them to stay, nothing was keeping their attention.

Remember, grabbing attention is only half the battle. you also need to give users an experience once they get there. It would be like Disney getting you into the park, only to have you sit around staring at images of Mickey…boring.

If you’re selling art, give them a fun way to sift through your work, like dividing it into sections. Or if you’re a creative writer, give fun samples of some things you have worked on, or even take suggestions on unfinished pieces, even a poll! Interaction is key, and something that will always keep butts in seats.

You make some great content…be proud, and show it off! And while content creation is good for the soul, what’s even better is being able to share it with the world. With so many tools at your disposal, this can be a curse, as you may fall into a trap of simply promoting yourself the wrong way.

With anything, a plan will always help you move ahead, and increase the views on your work. And while it may take some time, proper research on where to go and how to craft your online appearance will have people always coming back for more.