Science Communication in the Attention Economy

Ever feel like you’re shouting into the void when you share your science online? You’re not alone. Welcome to the Attention Economy, where attention - not information - is the scarcest resource. Platforms are designed to reward what captures focus, not necessarily what is true or important.

From Scarcity of Knowledge to Scarcity of Focus

Previously: Information was scarce. Access to knowledge was the main barrier, controlled by a few gatekeepers like academic journals and traditional media.

Today: Information is abundant - even overwhelming. Social media, blogs, newsfeeds, and AI-generated content create a flood of data.

The challenge is no longer access to information, but access to people’s attention.

The Battle for Attention

Every entity - from corporations and influencers to media outlets and (ai-)bots - is competing for the same finite resource: our time and focus.

This is not a level playing field. Platforms are built on a specific logic:

• Money Amplifies Reach Commercial actors can outspend public institutions and individual researchers to gain visibility.
• Algorithms Prioritize Emotion Content that triggers awe, outrage, or curiosity is rewarded. Nuanced, data-driven messages often get lost.
• AI Fuels Content Abundance Tools like ChatGPT and other large language models make it extremely easy to generate polished text with little effort or skill. This leads to an explosion of content further intensifying competition for attention.
• Speed Outweighs Accuracy Being first matters more than being right. Quick reactions spread faster than evidence-based communication.
• Filter Bubbles Narrow the Lens Audiences are shown information that reinforces their beliefs, making it harder for science to break out of niches or challenge misinformation.

Why This Matters for Your Research

The environment we communicate in is optimized for speed, emotion, personalization, and monetization — almost the opposite of how science communicates: accuracy, nuance, responsibility, and context.

This creates two challenges:

• The Effort vs. Reward Gap Rigorous, peer-reviewed content requires high effort, yet struggles to compete with low-effort, high-emotion posts.
• The Science–Platform Mismatch Scientific replies require verification and careful wording, but viral debates move too quickly.

The Crucial Takeaway

In the Attention Economy, it’s not the best message that wins — it’s the one that captures the most attention.

This does not mean sacrificing credibility. It means adapting our strategies so accurate, credible messages are actually heard.

To do this, researchers need to focus on essentials:

• Audience First: Who am I trying to reach, and why should they care?
• Clear Key Messages: What’s the single most important takeaway?
• Strong Hooks: How do we grab attention in the first 3 seconds?
• Compelling Visuals: How do we translate complex data into engaging stories?
• Strategic Storytelling & Dialogue: How do we tell our science stories in ways that fit platform logics and invite real interaction?

In Short

Your research is a valuable contribution to knowledge. But in today’s world, visibility is the prerequisite for impact.

To be heard, scientists must communicate not only with accuracy, but also with strategy.

How do you balance accuracy with visibility in your own communication? Do you feel science communication is adapting to the logic of digital platforms - or are we still lagging behind?