Stop the scroll and get people hooked

In 1887, Gustave Eiffel had a vision to build something that would stop people in their tracks.

He set out to create a tower so grand and daring that people couldn’t ignore it. 

Against all odds, piece by piece, the Eiffel Tower rose above Paris, and it still captivates millions today.

Now think about that in a digital context.

Every day, your audience is scrolling past an endless stream of content - the equivalent of 1,125 feet of information, the height of the Eiffel Tower. 

You read that right, the average person scrolls through 1,125ft of content every day.

But is your content stopping people? 

Why platforms prioritise dwell time

Just like the Eiffel Tower was built to capture attention, platforms like LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube are designed to reward content that does the same. 

The longer people stay on these platforms, the more ads they can show and the more value they extract from each user. 

This is why platforms prioritise dwell time.

Dwell time is simply the amount of time someone spends engaging with your content.

If people are lingering, it signals to the platform that your content is worth promoting. 

And here’s the key: it doesn’t take minutes of engagement to win. 

It takes just 25 seconds to make the algorithm notice.

Most posts fail to capture even 3 seconds

Most content fails before it even gets a chance.

The reality is that people scroll through posts in under 3 seconds. 

If your content can’t grab attention in those first few moments, it’s already lost.

But if you can hold attention for a little longer - just 25 seconds - you’re already outperforming the majority of posts.

Platforms reward this small increase in dwell time by boosting your content to more users.

You don’t need minutes of attention to get traction - 25 seconds is all it takes.

Dwell time leads to engagement

The reason dwell time matters so much is that it leads directly to engagement.

Likes, comments, and shares are not just random actions - they are emotional reactions.

People don’t like, comment, or share content they feel nothing about.

They engage when they’ve spent enough time with your content to feel something - whether that’s inspiration, surprise, curiosity, or even disagreement.

Likes and comments are signs that people are interacting with your message, but real engagement is deeper.

True engagement happens when people resonate with your content.

When they relate to what you’re saying or see themselves in your story, they engage not just because they’ve seen it but because it speaks to them personally.

This emotional reaction is directly tied to how much of your content they’ve consumed.

The more time someone spends with your content, the more likely they are to feel something powerful enough to make them engage.

Without consumption, there’s no reaction. 

Dwell time gives people the space to connect with your message emotionally, and that’s when engagement happens.

If your content keeps people for 25 seconds, you’ve created the opportunity for them to process your message and engage.

And once people engage emotionally, they’re far more likely to like, comment, or share your post.

How to grab those crucial 25 seconds

So how do you grab someone’s attention long enough to stop them from scrolling? 

How do you hold them for those crucial 25 seconds that will determine whether your content gets noticed or not? 

Here’s how:

1. Scroll-stopping visuals: First impressions matter. Bold, eye-catching visuals can be the difference between someone scrolling past your content or stopping to see what it’s about. Invest in visuals that stand out and demand attention.
2. Boldness: Your message needs to be bold from the start. Whether it’s a surprising fact, a powerful statement, or a thought-provoking question, make sure the first thing people see grabs them and makes them want to know more.
3. Relatability: People are drawn to content they can see themselves in. Share something real, something that connects to their experience. When people feel like your content speaks directly to them, they’re more likely to stick around.
4. Simplicity: Complexity is the enemy of engagement. If your message is cluttered or difficult to understand, people will move on. Keep it simple and direct, so that people can quickly grasp your point and stay for more.

Mastering the 25-second rule

Success on any platform isn’t about creating endless content - it’s about creating content that holds attention.

 If you can grab attention for just 25 seconds, the platform will do the rest, pushing your post to more people and increasing your reach.

So the next time you’re creating content, think about how you’ll stop the scroll.

Can you hold someone’s attention for 25 seconds? 

That’s all you need to get your message in front of a wider audience, build engagement, and stand out in a crowded social media feed.