Marketing’s 10 second timeframe

This week in class our professor asked “What is the ten second rule for building a website? Do you still think it applies in today’s world of high-speed connections – why or why not?”. Of course, there were several answers in regards to companies having 10 seconds for their website to establish a visitor as a potential customer by keeping them on their website. Typically that’s how long it takes for us; as visitors, to decide if we are going to remain on that website or move on to the next company’s website.

This, in turn, spurred a debate on whether or not this was still relevant in today’s high speed internet world. I believe this rule doesn’t only apply to how quickly the website loads for a visitor. It is about reaching the customer on a level in which they are intrigued enough with what your company is about, what services your selling or what your message is about that they want to stay and perhaps eventually buy into what you’re selling. And by “buy into” that could mean physically making a purchase or signing up for an email campaign distributes your message. For example, I subscribe to several blogs regarding marketing, viral marketing, social media and brand reputation. Their message on their blog caused me to want to read more. Due to their 10 second capture of me as a reader they now have me as a subscriber.In marketing, this 10 second rule is crucial!

Luckily, marketing and communications departments have Web 2.0 technologies like Twitter and Facebook in order to help capture the attention of potential consumers prior to those consumers making their way to the website. So in some aspects the 10 second rule doesn’t necessary apply. However, when it comes to SEO and reaching those visitors that are coming to your website through alternate channels other than Twitter or other Social Media avenues then it’s imperative that the marketing site is optimized for speed as well as content.

You will know when you are doing it right when you have consumers spreading information about your brand. Good marketing/good company will breed “brand evangelism”.

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