Summary of Smart Brevity

University of Maryland professor Ronald Yaros has conducted eye-tracking studies that reveal most people simply scan content rather than reading it in depth. On average, individuals spend just 26 seconds on a story or update, which Yaros refers to as "time on text." Anything written beyond that is usually wasted. This finding is both frightening and liberating, as it emphasizes the importance of getting straight to the point and eliminating unnecessary information.

Readers have responded positively to this approach, appreciating the time-saving and increased understanding of complex topics. The authors have made significant efforts to eliminate extraneous details and distractions commonly found on other websites, focusing instead on writing short, essential items.

Megan Green, a real estate agent in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, attests to the benefits of brevity in her profession. When dealing with emotional buyers and sellers, she sticks to the facts and avoids wasting time with pleasantries. Green communicates through bullet points and highlights important information for clarity.

Efficiency is crucial in sales because busywork costs money. In a world full of noise, respecting people's time and intelligence is rewarded while wasting their time can be seen as annoying. Journalists are often guilty of this offense by burying valuable information deep within lengthy articles.

Yaros has developed a digital engagement model that predicts how users engage with different types of information. His research shows that most readers are in a state of continuous partial attention rather than multitasking. Even when looking at words on a screen, many readers are not fully paying attention.

Furthermore, time constraints can limit engagement even when readers have an interest in the content. Yaros warns journalists about elements that cause readers to lose interest: excessive text, jargon, too many choices, and long videos. Less is more when it comes to capturing and maintaining attention.

Yaros's findings apply universally across various forms of digital content consumption – from written communication to online videos and video games. People consume content in short bursts before quickly moving on.

Venture capitalist Chris Sacca, who has a large following on Twitter, advises condensing business emails or letters to ensure the most important information is conveyed in the first two to three sentences. This is often the only part that gets read.

To effectively communicate important points, it is essential to list them in order of importance and consider the reader's reading habits. Simplifying concepts and eliminating unnecessary words, sentences, or paragraphs saves time for the recipient and increases the likelihood of their engagement.

By following these tips and tricks for brevity, individuals can avoid eye-rolling or being ignored when presenting new ideas or messages. People will start to welcome their ideas and hear them clearly.