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ore than 20 million videos hit the internet every day, and people’s attention spans have dropped a quarter over the past 16 years. In this noisy landscape, Hilary Billings, co‑founder and CEO of Attentioneers, argues that the key to standing out is genuine authenticity that sparks real connection.
Billings observes that many users simply copy what they see, becoming performative rather than authentic. “We adopt a host voice, polish our image, and then wonder why it falls flat,” she told a session on social media marketing at NAR NXT in Houston. Real‑estate agents often fall into this trap, and the result is disengagement.
Her own experience proves the point. She grew a following from zero to 400,000 in 40 days and amassed over a billion organic views in a year. Now she helps agents and businesses boost engagement dramatically. “We’re in a war for attention,” she says. “There’s never been more opportunity to reach audiences, yet it’s harder than ever.”
Agents can’t ignore this shift. By 2026, Gen Z will be the largest consumer group, and 95 % of them rely on social media for information. “If we’re not meeting them where they are, we’ll miss the market,” Billings warns.
Your online presence is now your front door. Are you easily searchable? Are you active? Do you produce trustworthy content? Consumers form judgments before they even reach out, and they need more than a single glance to move forward.
Billings cites Google’s 7–11–4 rule: buyers decide based on accumulated familiarity, not a single moment. On average, customers need:
* 7 hours of your content
* 11 touchpoints (e.g., separate posts, videos, stories)
* 4 different locations (Instagram, podcast, newsletter, blog)
Inconsistent posting, fragmented messaging, and siloed platforms can break that journey before it starts.
The “SCIENCE” framework explains why some posts outperform others. It breaks down the psychology of attention into seven elements:
1. Sensory stimulation
2. Curiosity
3. Importance
4. Emotion
5. Novelty
6. Connection
7. Experimentation
While all are important, connection is the most powerful—and many miss it. Authenticity is the foundation of connection. Billings says great content communicates two clear things:
* **Values** – what you care about (family, sustainability, community, design, etc.). If sustainability is core, your followers expect eco‑friendly tips, upcycling ideas, or green home features.
* **Voice** – how you communicate. Are you funny, warm, edgy, or direct? Your tone should be unmistakable.
When values and voice align, the right people find you and want to work with you. Those who don’t simply disqualify themselves, which is beneficial. Agents don’t need to appeal to everyone; they need to attract the right audience.
“The content you create should be a window into what it’s like to work with you,” Billings adds. It showcases your differentiator and shows how you do your job.
Before publishing, ask yourself:
* Does this post clearly express what I care about?
* Does it clearly communicate my personality?
If both answers are yes, you’re building a brand that’s memorable, trustworthy, and primed for growth.
