By Emma Dent, Account Director - Jargon Group Manchester
Snackable content is the online equivalent of a bag of crisps: not as satisfying as a whole meal, but a quick fix and easy to share.
It’s the quotes that make you think of your friends. The memes that go viral. The gifs that communicate a complex range of emotions in a three-second loop. And it’s becoming an increasingly important part of digital marketing strategies.
The Core Elements of Snackable Content
Bite-sized, visually engaging, and designed to make a lasting impression on your scrolling audiences, snackable content comes in various forms:
Memes
Creating a successful meme is deceptively tricky. It’s easy enough to put one together, with many free online generators simplifying the process, but hitting the right note is something of an art. Like any form of communications activity, memes need to resonate with your audience. Tap into trends or capitalise on nostalgia, engage with user-generated content and don’t overdo the branding. Here’s a great example from Telfar:
Gifs
Versatile and shareable, gifs add flair to your content strategy. Whether showcasing short-form videos or product snippets, original gifs can elevate your brand's personality. Not limited to social media, gifs can also be used in email marketing to create cut-through in cluttered inboxes. Here’s a tasty example from YO! Sushi
Infographics
Convey informative and meaningful content with infographics—perfect for quick consumption without sacrificing depth. Ideal for 'how-to' guides, facts and statistics, infographics make complex information easily digestible. Here’s a good example from Independent Women’s Forum:
Postcards
Delivering short facts or information snippets, a combination of graphics and texts serves the message in a bitesize piece. Visually appealing and simple to understand, viewers don’t have to work hard to absorb the information presented. Less shareable without humour, postcards are a great tool for delivering information at an individual level. Here’s one we made for our clients ESA and BPF:
Benefits of Snackable Content
As preferences continue to shift towards visually engaging content, snackable formats can prove more impactful than traditional long-form content, especially on social media. Short-form content with visual components extends reach and longevity. Its shareability enhances engagement, making it a preferred choice for modern audiences.
Integration with Inbound Strategy
Snackable content can be seamlessly integrated into your inbound marketing strategy, attracting attention and encouraging engagement. Consider using it as a way to draw people to your website to access gated content or to whet customers’ appetites with snippets of what you can deliver for them.
Snackable Content Creation Considerations
The objective of snackable content is to offer immediate entertainment, prompt social sharing and attract new leads as a result. Here are some considerations when devising your content strategy.
Get to the Point
Think of snackable content as a bite-sized message. Clearly communicate the content's purpose at a glance, getting to the 'why' quickly.
Make Existing Content More Digestible
Break your existing content into smaller, engaging pieces. Convert blog posts, press releases or product specs into videos, infographics, or GIFs to make the information more interesting.
Optimise for Mobile
Since most social media users access content via mobile devices, ensure your snackable content is easily readable and shareable on mobile devices. Ensure that fonts and images are legible and that the type size is appropriate when viewed on a smartphone.
Monitor and Refine
Regularly evaluate the performance of your snackable content. Use metrics to refine and improve your approach to ensure continued engagement. Use A/B testing where possible, trialling different colours, formats and copy to find the sweet spot with your audience.
If you’re hungry for more advice about creating a social media content strategy, get in touch with us today.
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