[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Have you ever had a presentation where the audience just didn't look interested, or they seemed interested at first, then suddenly switched off? In 2003, the average person's attention span was 12 seconds. But thanks to social media, in 2015 our attention span dropped to 8 seconds. That's lower than a goldfish. 

Researchers say the optimum time you can hold a human's attention during a presentation is 18 to 20 minutes. Attention is split into three sections, sustained, selective, and alternating. Sustained is the ability to focus on a specific task or activity for a prolonged period of time, like when you're playing a game. Selective is focusing on one activity among others. Imagine being at a cocktail party talking to a friend. Someone says your name. You hear it but didn't realize you were paying attention. Alternating is when you're alternating between two or more tasks. 

So how can we ensure we make more engaging and memorable presentations which captivate and maximize audience attention? We have a few tips and tricks to show you. Telling a story is way more effective during presentations than cold, hard facts. It takes the brain a quarter of a second to process and attach a meaning to an image, whereas it takes around 6 seconds to do this with words. This is how long 6 seconds really is. 

[HUMMING] 

That's because we're visually wired. Ideas presented graphically are easier to comprehend. So why are we still flooding our audience with words and facts? You need to remember even if the audience's attention span is 20 minutes, it will slowly decline as you go through the presentation. It's good to change things up. Why not find an interesting video to show? 

Or even ask the audience questions. Talking with the audience allows you to get a sense of whether they're paying attention. Also, getting them involved in the conversation will make them remember and feel like they're collaborating. Audiences remember 80% of things they see or do. Twice as many customers say interactivity is more memorable than statistics. So why not keep them on their toes? 

Studies say 50% of audiences are persuaded by visual presentations. And 67% were persuaded by verbal and visual presentations. You see? Making your presentations more engaging and visual will help keep your audience awake and interested. So next time you make a presentation, keep it visual. Keep it quick. And use a story. You'll be sure to win them over. 

[PARTY FAVOR BLOWING] 

[CROWD CHEERING] 

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