How to grab learner’s attention from the first slide

First impressions are lasting impressions. You’ve probably heard the saying ‘you only get one chance to make a first impression’. This is no different when it comes to eLearning.

According to a study by Microsoft, the average human being now has an attention span of 8 seconds. In a world of digital overload, with so many distractions around your learners, you need your content to stand out. So, how can you make an instant impact and grab your learner’s attention from the first slide?

Use thought provoking and compelling statements

Opening your course with an attention-grabbing statistic helps to build an immediate connection between your learners and the content. The stat is likely to catch them off-guard, making them excited and interested about what’s to follow. Make sure that the statistic or statement that you do decide to use, ties into the course content, as relevance is always key.

Excite learners with Storytelling

Stories help build an instant emotional connection. It is the best way to hook your learners’ attention from the beginning. But not just any story will do. In order to ensure that storytelling has the desired effect, start with a story that is related to the learning content and the learners interests. You can create a character who is facing a similar challenge to guide your learners through the course. Personalise the story, but also make sure it’s believable in a real-life scenario.

With its extensive range of eLearning assets, Vyond is the perfect tool to help you create high-impact storytelling videos.

Learning path

Another way to engage your learner early in the course is by offering a tailored learning pathway. This demonstrates that their time is valued and that the course has been designed with them in mind. One way you can make sure that you are providing a personalised learning experience is by inviting your learners to complete a quick self-assessment before they start the course. It creates a great first impression and shows that you’re giving more than you’re taking.

Show the gap

A fantastic way to answer the ‘What’s in it for me?’ question is to show learners what they know now versus the knowledge they will have gained once they complete the course. Take, for example, learning to operate a new software. Talk to them about the difficulties they are facing now and how they can overcome these challenges with the skills they learn in your course.

Using these four tips will help you create a truly attention-grabbing course introduction. Remember, the more time you invest in creating an intro that grabs learner’s attention and creates excitement for the course ahead, the easier it will be for you to combat the roadblocks that get in the way of course completion.