Who knew? Humans have a shorter attention span than goldfish -- So what?

Humans have a shorter attention span than goldfish. What can journalists do to capture that attention?

Plenty. There are a multitude of visual tools that can help us tell stories and make them stick. That was the message from Stacey Miller, a senior manager at Help a Reporter Out, who offered tips at an Aug. 28 National Press Club luncheon.

We’re exposed to more hours of media than there are in a day, Miller said: Twenty-plus hours from the Internet, more than two on our phones and five in front of the TV. “Readers” are now watchers and lookers who constantly are multi-tasking.

To get their attention, stories must be visual. Viewers spend 100 percent more time on pages with video, Miller said, and readers process visuals 60,000 faster than text. Pinterest has become the fourth-largest driver of Web traffic worldwide, she said.

Here are some pointers for journalists looking to cut through the clutter.

Cross post

It’s not enough to put a story on your website and tweet it out. News and other content has to be posted across different social media to reach the maximum number of people. And each platform has a different audience. Your content should be tailored to the medium for maximum effect. Rewrite, summarize and visualize, Miller said.

Always add a visual to Twitter, for example. On Facebook, try writing a question to engage readers. When sharing on LinkedIn, dash off a quick preface. Get to know more specialized sites, such as Slideshare, which reaches a more academic audience, and Pinterest, with its highly visualized board format. Pinterest isn’t just for DIYers anymore.

Use tools

Experiment with Canva, Pixaboy, Piktochart and other free visualization services. This stuff isn’t just for millennials. They’re intuitive, powerful programs that can up your story’s impact.

Use a scheduling tool to publish content at night and on weekends, when social media audiences are paying attention. Don’t just push the button once. Publish, republish and repeat.

Tell a story

Good journalism is still the bottom line. Pictures and charts should accentuate your story, not replace it.

For more detail, check out #getitonline. Miller can be reached at [email protected]. For more of her tips, see @staceylamiller.