Your PR agency in Düsseldorf explains … Snack Content

Snack content is a term that is being used more and more frequently. But what is it actually about? And what does it involve? We explore these and other questions in our article.

Snack content: general definition

Snack content alludes to the entertaining nature of the material: It should be quick to consume. It is primarily video content, but it does not have to be an audiovisual format. Examples include 360-degree photos, stop-motion videos, cinemagraphs or GIFs, etc. Snack content is produced quickly, usually with a smartphone, it is not perfectly produced, but it is entertaining and gets to the point in just a few seconds. It thrives on creative ideas and often visual punchlines.

What is snack content good for?

As already mentioned: snack content is intended to satisfy the extremely short attention span of the average user. According to a Microsoft study from 2015, a user on social networks only spends around eight seconds on a piece of content. The validity of this duration is now being questioned, but the fact is that readers decide within seconds whether they are interested in content or not. Snack content must be short and captivate as quickly as possible. Only then does it have the much-vaunted “thumb-stopping power”, i.e. the ability to make users pause as they scroll through the timeline.

Why should I use Snack Content?

In addition to the reasons mentioned above, there is a very banal one that is all too often disregarded. Snack content is format-specific and adapts to user behavior. This format-specific production is basically arch-conservative and has a long tradition. Whether in the cinema, on television or on a games console – content must be adapted to the medium. Snack content refers explicitly to the behavior of social media users. Snack content is also suitable for making companies appear likeable, approachable, because after all, with my snack content I am on an equal footing with the consumer.

What should be considered with snack content?

New game, new luck – you could almost say. Of course, a short video does not completely distance itself from all its audiovisual history. Nevertheless, there are a few tricks that can be found almost exclusively in this format.

• “Classic” snack content is a maximum of 30 seconds long. Every additional second is surplus production.
• Snack Content does not follow a traditional dramaturgy. Forget “exposition”, “rising action”, “climax” and the like. Snack content is a single climax that must hit with immediate effect. It gets straight to the point. And that’s easier said than done.
• Snack content sometimes only works in context. The posting text can help, but never forget: the user only wants to invest a little time there too! Less text is always better.
• Snack content can be rotated in portrait format again and again. Why? Because it is primarily consumed on smartphones and social media channels support the format. The user simply scrolls through the timeline and is shown video content in (portrait) full screen.
• Video is increasingly replacing the still image in social networks. However, the photo is extremely helpful as a first impression, as a teaser for the snack content. For short videos, use a thumbnail that both introduces your story and arouses the user’s curiosity.

Snack Content – Examples

We at SMART PR in Düsseldorf have already produced many small snacks for our clients. With great pleasure and great success. Here are a few impressions of our latest snack content productions: