The amount of time a prospect spends with your content is the key predictor of how much money they will ultimately spend. Structure all marketing to maximize this engagement time, as it directly builds purchase intent and trust.
The old rule of keeping landing pages short and focused on a single call-to-action is outdated. For some campaigns, the primary goal is to educate the visitor. In these cases, longer-form content can be more effective, with conversion being a secondary goal.
Instead of focusing solely on conversion rates, measure 'engagement quality'—metrics that signal user confidence, like dwell time, scroll depth, and journey progression. The philosophy is that if you successfully help users understand the content and feel confident, conversions will naturally follow as a positive side effect.
Focus on deep engagement metrics like total listening time over easily manipulated vanity metrics like downloads. A smaller, highly engaged audience that spends hours with your content is more valuable than a large, fleeting one that listens for only seconds.
Conventional engagement metrics like likes and shares are often misleading. A more valuable indicator of content quality is dwell time. In an environment where users can easily skip content, their choice to spend more time with an ad is a powerful behavioral signal that the message is resonating.
Overly nurturing content often attracts 'non-buyer energy'—people who are inspired but never purchase because you've given everything away for free. Shift to 'activating' content that embodies conviction and authority, which mirrors possibility and attracts buyers ready to invest immediately.
Prospects have minimal attention spans. To capture their interest, marketing copy in emails or social posts must be 75 words or less and contained in a single paragraph. Reserve longer, more detailed content (100-150 words) for your existing customer base, as they are already invested and more willing to read.
Social media algorithms value time spent more than passive engagement like "likes." To increase your visibility with target prospects, engage in back-and-forth conversations in their direct messages. This signals to the algorithm that your relationship is important, making it more likely your content will appear in their feed.
Data reveals a 'doom loop' of diminishing returns for companies over-relying on performance marketing. Brand investment acts as a multiplier, improving conversion and efficiency. Campaigns that combine brand and performance see a 90% higher ROI, while performance marketing for a weak brand yields a negative 40% ROI.
Counterintuitively, dedicating budget to campaigns optimized for engagements, follows, and shares can be a powerful brand-building tool. This approach reaches more people less expensively than conversion campaigns, building an audience and 'searing memories' that lead to future demand, complementing direct response efforts.
For expensive products, build a sales process that mandates prospects consume at least two pieces of long-form content. This reverse-engineers the trust-building process, turning cold leads into qualified buyers who are ready to purchase.