The Economics of Attention (theory)

The Economics of Attention is a theory that views attention as a limited resource in an information-rich world. In essence, while there is an abundance of content—news, social media, advertising—people can only focus on a finite amount of information at once. This scarcity drives competition among content creators, advertisers, and platforms to capture and hold users’ attention. As a result, the value of information and marketing depends not just on quality, but on its ability to stand out and engage amidst the noise. This dynamic shapes how resources are allocated and how content is designed in the digital economy.