Overview

Susan Leland, Director of Audience Insight at NPR, discussed the importance of attention metrics in advertising, emphasizing the decline in attention spans and its impact on ad effectiveness.

Leland highlighted that traditional metrics like viewability are becoming less meaningful as people now spend only about 47 seconds on average looking at a screen. Leland explained NPR's approach to measuring attention through various methodologies, including data signals, biological observations, visual and audio tracking, and survey-based methods.

She shared that NPR's audio content, particularly spoken word, performs well in attention metrics, with studies showing higher memorability and engagement compared to other media. Leland also noted that despite audio's effectiveness, it remains underrepresented in ad spend, and she urged brands to consider integrating attention metrics that include audio in their strategies.

Core Concepts

The Decline of Attention Spans

The talk highlighted the significant reduction in attention spans over the years, emphasizing the need for new metrics to measure engagement.

Key Points:

• In 2004, the average screen attention span was 2.5 minutes; by 2021, it dropped to 47 seconds

• Advertisers struggle to capture attention with traditional metrics like viewability

• People consume about 5 hours of media daily, but only a small fraction of that time is spent paying attention to ads

Examples:

• Research from an ANA conference showed that out of 84 minutes of ad exposure, only nine minutes were actively attended to

• An IAB survey found that 36% of ad decision-makers are focusing more on attention metrics

Quotes:

Half of all experiences engaging with a screen are less than 40 seconds

It's very hard for advertisers to capture people's attention in this environment

NPR's Approach to Attention

NPR has long focused on attention, leveraging various methodologies to understand and enhance audience engagement.

Key Points:

• NPR's concept of "driveway moments" exemplifies peak attention, where listeners are so engaged they can't leave their cars

• NPR's audience research shows that listeners think better of brands that sponsor NPR and pay more attention to sponsor messages

• NPR uses a mix of data signals, biological observations, and survey-based methods to measure attention

Examples:

• NPR's sponsor messages were found to be 23% more memorable than typical commercials in a study with NeuroInsight

• Adelaide Metrics' analysis showed that NPR podcasts outperform the podcast average by up to 10% in attention scores

Quotes:

A driveway moment is that moment when you are listening to NPR on the radio or now podcasts, when what you are listening to is so engaging that you cannot get out of your car

Our listeners for many years have told us that they think better of the brands that sponsor NPR

Measurement Methodologies

The talk detailed four main categories of attention measurement and how NPR leverages them.

Key Points:

• Data Signals: Gather data from devices and ad placements, including clicks, scroll speed, and viewability

• Biological Observations: Measure physiological responses like heart rate and brain activity to understand unconscious reactions

• Visual and Audio Tracking: Use eye tracking and presence monitoring to capture where people direct their attention

• Survey-Based Methods: Collect self-reported data from brand health studies and ad effectiveness surveys

Examples:

• NPR's study with NeuroInsight used neurological measurements to show that NPR sponsor messages were 23% more memorable than commercial ads

• Adelaide Metrics' data signals approach demonstrated that NPR podcasts outperform the podcast average by up to 10%

Quotes:

The first category is data signals. This is gathering data from devices, ad placements, metadata that include things like clicks and scroll speed

The key metric that they report is detail memory encoding, an indicator of activity on the left hemisphere of the brain

Conclusion

The talk provided a comprehensive overview of the importance of attention metrics in today's fragmented media landscape. Traditional metrics like viewability are no longer sufficient to capture audience engagement.

NPR's research demonstrates that audio, particularly spoken word, has a unique advantage in retaining attention and enhancing memory retention. By leveraging a mix of data signals, biological observations, visual and audio tracking, and survey-based methods, NPR has been able to provide valuable insights into audience engagement.

These findings highlight the need for advertisers to integrate attention metrics into their strategies to effectively reach and impact their target audiences.

Food for Thought

• How can advertisers better integrate attention metrics into their overall strategies to improve engagement and effectiveness?

• What are the potential challenges and opportunities in increasing ad spend on audio platforms given their proven effectiveness?

• How can brands ensure that their messages are not only engaging but also memorable and linked to their brand identity?

Reference Tools, Platforms, and Resources

1. NeuroInsight: For neurological measurement approaches

2. Adelaide Metrics: For data signals and omnichannel attention metrics

3. Veritonic: For brand lift surveys and ad effectiveness measurement

4. IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau): For guidelines and task force reports on attention metrics