Make Your Content More Snackable
We’re no longer the family of the 1950’s and 1960’s all gathered around a single TV set for our news and entertainment. Those days are long gone, and our new reality is so much different.
Today everyones’s attention is divided. I know in my own home, everyone has their own devices and is engaging with different media. It’s not unusual for my three grand children to each be surfing on their own iPads while their parents are scanning their phones.
While my 5 yo grandson binge watches Ryans toy videos, his older cousins are playing Fortnite or checking out the latest gymnastics videos on YouTube. The adults are busy checking Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram, on their phones. We’re constantly bombarded with endless new content to keep us preoccupied and disconnected from actually living. That’s why all devices are banned from the dinner table at my house, to give us all a chance to connect personally.
Content Comes at Us in Multiple Streams
According to eMarketer, millions of American’s are surfing the web while they watch TV. Consumer attention spans are now measured in seconds, with most spending less than a minute on any website. Mobile technology, where brief content is gold is a growing segment of internet traffic. Mobile now accounts for over 56% of all traffic on the internet.
Brands are fighting harder than ever to attract and retain consumer attention, while attention spans are at their lowest. Engaging a distracted audience requires a strategy using the concept of “content snacking”. You need to be delivering small but highly relevant bits of information that people can consume on the go.
Following are four tips for making your content more snackable.
Add Multimedia Using Different Formats
GIF’s are a great example of snackable content that we’ve seen emerge over the past few years.
“Marketers are creating GIFs to help consumers express themselves through these humorous, snackable videos, which make them a shareable utility versus an ad,” Moving Image & Content Founder Quynh Mai said. “GIFs are an economical way for consumers to express their moods, and smart brands are creating GIFs as a utility for that purpose, making these shareable personal expressions and not just a six-second video.”
There’s a world of snacking possibilities beyond just GIFs. Creating content in multiple formats will help you reach consumers in whatever way is most convenient for them.
Text-based content is the easiest to produce, but you should consider creating visuals such as easy-to-digest charts, infographics, audio, video or even live video content. Remember, though, to always tie it back to your audience’s needs. The type of content that works best for you depends on who you’re trying to reach. Millennials, for example, are more likely to connect with a funny meme, while Baby Boomers may be more interested in an informative infographic.
If you end up creating text-based content, make “easy-to-skim” your mantra. Rather than deliver a wall of text, use bold formatting, numbered lists and clear, easy-to-understand language to get your message across.
Deliver Value to Create Brand Loyalty
You can’t just deliver a funny meme or GIF and call it a day, particularly if the delivery is disruptive. If you want to promote your brand, your content needs to be snackable delivered in small bites. It’s also critical that your audience finds your content to useful.
Don’t bombard consumers with irrelevant marketing messages, it’s like forcing them to eat their vegetables. According to research from Google, a full 51% of smartphone users indicated that they’ve changed a purchasing decision simply because one brand proved itself useful. Google also found that 73% consumers said useful information was their deciding factor when making a brand choice.
Bottom line, make your content snackable and “thumb-worthy.”
Cater to Various Consumption Habits
We all understand that consumers do approach content in different ways, adjust your strategy to deliver on those different preferences.
Make it easy for consumers to save your content for later consumption. Don’t limit user engagement to just those able to react in the moment. Integrate your content with tools such as Flipboard, Pocket, or Feedly and enhance user accessibility and engagement.
Double down on accessibility to your content. Include closed captions on your videos for those who might want to watch but not listen, and create audio versions of your long-form text content for those who prefer to listen, rather than read.
Always look for ways to refine your marketing strategy and make it easy for consumers to find you. Ensure that your content is optimized for search engines. Be sure to optimize for all types of searches including image search, mobile search and voice search. Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant are growing in popularity, and by 2020, it’s predicted that 30% of browsing will be conducted via voice.
Diversify Your Distribution
If you want your snackable content to be truly convenient, you can’t host it all in one place. Your audience members should be able to easily find you, regardless of where they surf. Maximizing your content amplification early, such as during the first three days following publication, is critical to long-term visibility.
First, consider your owned media, which includes promoting content via your website, email list, blog and social media pages. Then, work on earning mentions from credible third parties like industry blogs, independent media publishers, Reddit users or social media influencers. Content creators and PR teams should coordinate their efforts to find effective third-party partners.
Great Content Continues to be Relevant
Distribute your content as long as it’s relevant, you can even breathe new life into older pieces of content when there is a surge in relevancy or interest. Use A/B testing to determine what headlines attract the most clicks.
You’re Competing for Content Views
With so much new content spewing from the internet these days, the competition for consumers’ eyes is fiercer than ever. Brands can’t expect consumers to invest in long-form blog posts.
Adjust your delivery methods, cater to consumers’ cravings for bite-sized pieces of content. If your brand succeeds now, you’ll connect with users more effectively as their consumption habits continue to evolve.
