Snackable content vs. long-form content
How to make use of the different formats
Content is king! No matter how you look at it ...
But what’s the right content? One thing is for sure: Not all content is the same. There are significant differences, in terms of length alone. That's why we’ve prepared a little showdown between long-form content and snackable content. Snackable content has long arrived in content marketing, but it is far from being old news – quite the contrary! It’s still on everyone's lips.
Snackable content can be consumed easily and without much cognitive effort. The content format is mainly found on social media, i.e. where users like to access it with their smartphones.
We have already explained in a magazine article why snackable content is anything but cliché and is especially popular with millennials.
But now back to our showdown: long-form content vs. snackable content.
Long-form content: inspiring and relevant for SEO
When we want to learn more about or be inspired by something, it’s obvious that we prefer long-form content. Because even though a short sentence written across a holiday picture can be really inspiring, we are unlikely to book the trip straight away without gathering more information first.
Your content strategy and the added value you provide for your target audience thus take centre stage when it comes to comprehensive content. Well-phrased and concise texts are essential in content marketing: whether it's web copy that needs to perform well online, blog articles that inspire your readers or magazine texts.
In addition, web-friendly texts are highly relevant for SEO, which is great news of course. After all, you want your beautiful words and products to be found on the web, right?
Now, don’t get too excited: Yes, we’re convinced good writing will never go out of style, but the platform matters too! On Instagram and other social media channels, no one – literally no one – wants to read lines of text. The motto: Brevity is the spice of life.
Snackable content: short and catchy
Let's be honest: Clever snackable content makes you smile and laugh. And it manages to grab your attention in a matter of seconds. In short: It evokes emotions. Used well, it achieves a high reach, especially on social media channels.
The good thing about snackable content? It can be anything but professional. We may be repeating ourselves when we say that brilliant snackable content must be bold, fresh and funny – but that's just the way it is. Did you know, for example, that memes also count as snackable content?
Convenient: You can use existing video and image material for your snackable content. Just make sure it matches the format requirements of Facebook, Instagram and the like. Only then can you ensure that your stories, reels, memes and so on are displayed optimally on all devices.
Another thing that bears repeating: No matter what you do, you have to keep your target group and content strategy in mind, even with snackable content. After all, you don't want your ingenious snackable content to miss your target group by a mile.
Tip: Take another look at your personas when you create snackable content. This will ensure that the outcome matches the taste of your target audience.
Snackable content and search engine optimisation
If your snackable content is well received by your target group and perhaps even goes viral, you have two reasons to be happy: On the one hand, you were able to reach users on an emotional level. On the other hand, the traffic and interactions achieved count as social signals for Google.
Thinking one step further, you can also use snackable content as a teaser for your top posts. This way, blog posts or landing pages receive new traffic sources, which in turn can have a positive effect on Google rankings.
A brief summary of the advantages of snackable content:
- Perception: Good snackable content is less intrusive than traditional advertising.
- Reach: Small content snackables are king when it comes to achieving more reach.
- Attention: Snackable content attracts attention and does so in a matter of seconds.
- Engagement: A funny GIF can quickly be liked, shared with friends or commented on.
- Production: Great snackable content doesn't have to be professional. It should be funny and make your target audience laugh.
