--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being effective at social media, whether…" description: "\"Being effective at social media, whether for business or personal use, means capturing people who have short attention spans. They're only a click away..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/alexis-ohanian-4303_attention_being-effective-at-social-media-whether_2672036.png" --- # Being effective at social media, whether for business or… ![“Being effective at social media, whether for business or personal use, means capturing people who have short attention spans. They're only a click away from a picture of a funny cat, so you have to make your thing more compelling than that cat. And that can be a high bar.” quote by Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/alexis-ohanian-4303_attention_being-effective-at-social-media-whether_2672036.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/alexis-ohanian-4303_attention_being-effective-at-social-media-whether_2672036.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f6/alexis-ohanian-4303_attention_being-effective-at-social-media-whether_2672036.png) > “Being effective at social media, whether for business or personal use, means capturing people who have short attention spans. They're only a click away from a picture of a funny cat, so you have to make your thing more compelling than that cat. And that can be a high bar.” [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success on social platforms requires instantly grabbing attention before users drift to trivial content. **In simple terms:** Capture attention quickly to stand out. Key Takeaway Make your content instantly compelling. Themes attention media marketing competition attention span Mood energetic strategic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - product launch - personal branding - advertising campaigns - content creation Key Concepts psychology of attention viral content branding Questions to Reflect On - How can you convey value in under five seconds? - What visual hook beats a cat meme? A Different Perspective Short attention spans limit depth of engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Attention span](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention-span/) [Bars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bars/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Clicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clicks/) [Compelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compelling/) [Effective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effective/) [Effective Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effective-social-974120/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Means Capturing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-capturing-2510865/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Short attention spans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-attention-spans/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-media/) [Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twitter/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Using me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/using-me/) ## Related quotes > [“..the family motto, after all, is 'To Have and To Hold'. We were always a warrior breed, but we don't fight solely for lands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-laurens/the-family-motto-after-all-is-to-have-and-to-hold-we-were-always-a/) [Stephanie Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-laurens/) > [Mid-grade readers don't have short attention spans, they just have low boredom tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/mid-grade-readers-don-t-have-short-attention-spans-they-just-have-low/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [As a person who has a pretty short attention span I think of music like that, completely. That's why I can quite happily change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thighpaulsandra/as-a-person-who-has-a-pretty-short-attention-span-i-think-of-music/) [Thighpaulsandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thighpaulsandra/) > [Children from like 8 and even up to the college age - Spider-Man appeals to a fairly broad demographic but, like I said, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haden-church/children-from-like-8-and-even-up-to-the-college-age-spider-man/) [Thomas Haden Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haden-church/) > [I guess I have a short attention span! I'm interested in new worlds, new universes, new challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-cuaron/i-guess-i-have-a-short-attention-span-i-m-interested-in-new-worlds/) [Alfonso Cuaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-cuaron/) > [I don't think people really do listen. We plug into music, and we have short attention spans. We tend to download individual tracks from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/i-don-t-think-people-really-do-listen-we-plug-into-music-and-we-have/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [Americans continue to suffer from a notoriously short attention span. They get mad as hell with reasonable frequency, but quickly return to their families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-alterman/americans-continue-to-suffer-from-a-notoriously-short-attention-span/) [Eric Alterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-alterman/) > [A short attention span makes all of your perceptions and relationships shallow and unsatisfying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/a-short-attention-span-makes-all-of-your-perceptions-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Do you know why language manifests itself the way it does in my work? It's because I understand short attention spans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/do-you-know-why-language-manifests-itself-the-way-it-does-in-my-work/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [I want people to be drawn into the space of the work. And a lot of people are like me in that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/i-want-people-to-be-drawn-into-the-space-of-the-work-and-a-lot-of/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [The ultimate pitch for an era of short attention spans begins with a single word - and doesn't go any further.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/the-ultimate-pitch-for-an-era-of-short-attention-spans-begins-with-a/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Land of snap decisions, land of short attention spans, nothing is savored long enough to really understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/land-of-snap-decisions-land-of-short-attention-spans-nothing-is/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [My short attention span has allowed me a life of diversity in work and place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/my-short-attention-span-has-allowed-me-a-life-of-diversity-in-work/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [I sometimes worry about my short attention span, but not for long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/i-sometimes-worry-about-my-short-attention-span-but-not-for-long/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [One of the great things about being an actor is it serves a short attention span, which is something I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-mack/one-of-the-great-things-about-being-an-actor-is-it-serves-a-short/) [Allison Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-mack/) ## More by Alexis Ohanian > [Our competition has always been anything that is wasting your time when you're bored at work. In a broad sense. We want people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/our-competition-has-always-been-anything-that-is-wasting-your-time/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Everything is derivative. Everything is a remix, and we all stand on the shoulders of giants - a great phrase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/everything-is-derivative-everything-is-a-remix-and-we-all-stand-on/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Let's say you're all worried about student-loan debt and you need to have steady income. That doesn't have to be your everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/let-s-say-you-re-all-worried-about-student-loan-debt-and-you-need-to/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I'm probably the worst Silicon Valley insider ever. I don't hang out with Silicon Valley people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-m-probably-the-worst-silicon-valley-insider-ever-i-don-t-hang-out/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Every founder has to delude themselves into thinking, "Yes, it's going to be big. It's going to take over the world."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/every-founder-has-to-delude-themselves-into-thinking-yes-it-s-going/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Love making jewelry? Awesome! Find blogs that inspire you, follow people on social media who have great taste, start an Etsy store, and borrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/love-making-jewelry-awesome-find-blogs-that-inspire-you-follow-people/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Hundreds of these companies I've seen since the beginning stages - including Dropbox and Airbnb - one of them has actually been crushed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/hundreds-of-these-companies-i-ve-seen-since-the-beginning-stages/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Until we actually get legislation that protects our rights online, we will continue to fight against stupid, lobbyist-bought legislation. We want bills that protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/until-we-actually-get-legislation-that-protects-our-rights-online-we/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I often think of a quote from entrepreneur Jim Rohn: 'You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-often-think-of-a-quote-from-entrepreneur-jim-rohn-you-are-the/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Because it's so empowering, I want people to think about being entrepreneurial regardless. They don't have to start companies, but that's what makes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/because-it-s-so-empowering-i-want-people-to-think-about-being/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [People want a remarkable experience; it's what they'll talk about, largely because the bar has been set so low by so many companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/people-want-a-remarkable-experience-it-s-what-they-ll-talk-about/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [My entire career has been built on the understanding that I am not only not the smartest person in the room, I am definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/my-entire-career-has-been-built-on-the-understanding-that-i-am-not/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [If I didn't believe in rooting for founders and investing in founders, I'd be a bit of a hypocrite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/if-i-didn-t-believe-in-rooting-for-founders-and-investing-in-founders/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I try to help founders as much as I can, but so many of us we won't even take meetings with people who still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-try-to-help-founders-as-much-as-i-can-but-so-many-of-us-we-won-t/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [The first version of everything is janky,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/the-first-version-of-everything-is-janky/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) [Explore all 113 Alexis Ohanian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being effective at social media, whether for business or personal use, means capturing people who have short attention spans. 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