Audiences are shifting from passive scrolling to intentional, in-depth content consumption
The digital attention economy is changing, and fast. Gen Z, the generation that brands have spent years chasing with short-form, fast-paced content, is pushing the brakes. They’re tuning out mindless scrolling and instead leaning into formats that offer more value: long-form YouTube explainers, Substack opinion essays, TikTok learning playlists. Attention isn’t just limited, it’s now protected. People are choosing their content deliberately. That’s a shift in consumer psychology leadership teams can’t afford to ignore.
This isn’t about nostalgia or a cultural whim. It’s measurable. Waterstones, the UK’s largest bookstore chain, reports a rise in fiction sales driven by younger consumers. That’s a tangible signal: People are investing time in stories again. From newsrooms to social platforms, this trend is reaching critical mass. The New York Times even launched its “anti-brain-rot” initiative to promote content that stimulates rather than erodes, while Vogue is calling 2025 the “trend-less summer,” suggesting consumers aren’t interested in chasing the next fad, they’re seeking clarity, not chaos.
For executives, especially in marketing, media, and tech, this presents a clear challenge, and a bigger opportunity. There’s no longer a guaranteed ROI on content made to be consumed in 10 seconds. To earn attention now, your content must resonate. That means investing in substance. Make your message worth the mental energy.
Brands must pivot from making quick impressions to delivering content with substantial value
For too long, marketing campaigns have centered around metrics that don’t matter: clicks, impressions, views that never turn into loyalty. That game is up. Consumers are no longer impressed by gimmicks. If your content doesn’t teach, connect, or inspire, it’s ignored. That’s not speculation, it’s behavior we’re already seeing at scale.
Consumers now treat their time online like currency. They’re demanding real returns from the content they consume. The age of chasing attention with clever hooks is giving way to a more demanding expectation, that every piece of content must pay off. This means brands can’t stop at being seen, they need to be remembered.
Taylor Swift framed this well in a recent New Heights podcast appearance, telling listeners to “treat your energy like it’s a luxury item that not everyone can afford.” She wasn’t talking about marketing, but it applies. Your audience is treating their energy with intention, and if they give you time, you’re expected to earn it.
Brands that don’t adapt risk becoming background noise in a space where audiences are getting more selective every day. Focus on quality, not visibility. Deliver content that does something, elevates a conversation, teaches something useful, leaves the viewer smarter. That’s no longer optional, it’s the entry fee for relevance.
Influencer marketing needs to center on creators who provide education, storytelling, and community engagement
Influencer marketing has entered a new phase. It’s no longer about reach or trend-hopping. What people want now is perspective, voices that explain, explore, and build connection. Users aren’t following creators just to be entertained. They’re looking to be informed. They want content that feels human, contextual, and honest. If you’ve got budget for influencer strategy, spend it on creators who leave audiences smarter, more connected, or more aware of something that matters.
Brands pursuing shallow metrics, viral stunts, generic sponsorships, are missing the real opportunity. Educators, storytellers, and community builders are outperforming legacy influencers across core engagement metrics. That’s not only more effective at driving value per engagement, it’s scalable through loyalty, not just reach. The best creators today aren’t in it for short-term exposure, they’re building a trust economy. And that trust spills into your brand when the partnership is authentic.
Goat, a global marketing agency, sees this play out campaign after campaign. Their strategic shift toward creators with depth isn’t guesswork, it’s performance-driven. By focusing on creators who add value rather than noise, they ensure brands cut through the static and build genuine audience affinity.
For executives evaluating where to allocate media investment, this shift is significant. Attention spans are being refined by the user, not the platform. And creators who prioritize depth are better positioned to meet that new standard, with your brand riding along.
Traditional metrics are giving way to engagement parameters that better capture the quality of audience interaction
The wrong metrics have told the wrong stories for too long. Impressions, views, generic clicks, they may signal reach, but they don’t prove connection. Today, meaningful KPIs are different. We’re seeing higher value in saves, shares, comments, and long watch times. These are signals of real interest and attention, willing actions from an informed user, not passive views driven by algorithms.
The marketing world is just catching up to what audiences already know: not all engagement is equal. A five-second view doesn’t build memory. That’s why internal KPIs must evolve. A smaller number of loyal, thoughtful viewers will outperform a large group of disengaged eyeballs every time. You can scale depth. You just need better signals to track it.
Agencies like Goat are recalibrating how they define success. They’re moving clients away from outdated benchmarks and toward clarity, less about how loud the campaign is and more about how clearly the message lands. Executives who adopt this approach will avoid the trap of overinvesting in inflated reach with no conversion path.
If you’re still reporting success based on impressions alone, you’re misreading attention. Quality matters. Impact is measurable, you just have to be measuring the right things.
Cultural intelligence is essential in developing content strategies that respect and capitalize on consumers’ limited attention spans
Digital attention is no longer guaranteed, it’s earned. Consumers, especially younger segments, are rationing their time and becoming highly selective about where their focus goes. They’re moving away from content that tries to entertain for entertainment’s sake. Instead, they want material that feels relevant, sharp, and aligned with their values. Brands that don’t recognize that shift will find themselves increasingly ignored.
Cultural intelligence, understanding what people care about right now, why it matters, and how your messaging fits, is no longer a branding advantage; it’s standard requirement. It doesn’t mean trend-chasing. It means listening, observing, and responding with clarity. Misalignment here leads to friction, disengagement, and, ultimately, wasted spend.
This selective attention economy is being reinforced at the highest levels of influence. On the New Heights podcast, Taylor Swift put it plainly: “Treat your energy like it’s a luxury item that not everyone can afford.” That concept applies directly to audience behavior today. If consumers are treating their attention this way, then content strategies need to respond with matching precision. Every second has to offer something meaningful.
Brands that lead with cultural intelligence aren’t guessing. They’re measuring audience priorities, tuning into conversations that matter, and producing content that reflects real-world context. Whether it’s social impact, knowledge sharing, or emotional relevance, the content must feel intentional. Anything else reads as noise.
Executives need to ensure their teams are building strategies with that clarity in mind. Cultural signals change quickly, but the core principle stays the same. When people give you their time, deliver something that respects it. That’s where long-term loyalty starts.
Main highlights
- Shift to Depth-Driven consumption: Consumers, especially Gen Z, are exchanging passive scrolling for immersive, value-driven content. Leaders should pivot content strategy toward depth and learning-driven formats to align with evolving audience preferences.
- Substance over visibility: Quick-hit content is losing effectiveness as users apply more scrutiny to what they engage with. Executives should prioritize value-driven messaging that educates or emotionally connects if they expect sustained engagement.
- Creator strategy recalibration: Influencer value now depends on depth, not reach. Invest in creators who educate, storytell, or build trust-based communities to strengthen long-term brand equity.
- Engagement metrics redefined: Impressions and views no longer indicate success. Shift marketing KPIs to emphasize watch time, saves, and shares to track meaningful audience engagement and campaign impact.
- Cultural intelligence as a content baseline: Audiences are selectively allocating their attention and expect brands to respond with relevant, culturally attuned content. Marketing leaders must build strategies informed by current social sentiment and emerging values to remain credible and resonant.
