Why Content is King, But Snacks Are Emperor.

The year was 1996. Bill Gates, the presiding emperor of the tech universe, declared, "Content is King." And forevermore, marketers knelt at the feet of long-form, SEO-optimized, keyword-stuffed content. But if you ask me, I'd say Gates got it half right.

Content, sure, it's still King. But let's not forget the Emperor in the room - the bite-sized, easily digestible, so-quick-you-can-consume-it-while-waiting-for-your-microwave-popcorn kind of content. Yes, my fellow marketers, I'm talking about snackable content.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting we toss out long-form content like yesterday's bell-bottom jeans. But, if you're not weaving snackable content into your marketing strategy, you might as well be trying to sell a record player in the Spotify era.

Here's why:

• The Goldfish conundrum: Microsoft revealed that our attention span has fallen from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight seconds today. A goldfish reportedly boasts of nine. That's right, marketers, we're losing to goldfish.

• Mobile-first world: Over 61% of the global population owns a mobile phone. I don't know about you, but reading a 2,000-word article on my phone sounds as appealing as a Tea Party at the Boston Harbor in 1773.

• Social media rules: 3.96 billion people use social media worldwide. That's more than half of the global population. And we know most aren't scrolling their feeds looking for Moby-Dick-length posts.

Let's put it into perspective, shall we?

Imagine you're throwing a party. Long-form content is your main course – the roast beef or the vegan lasagne. It's hearty, satisfying, and takes time to consume. But snackable content? That's your cheese cubes, your mini-quiches, your deviled eggs. It's quick, tasty, and keeps your guests munching between the main meals.

So, how do we, the marketers of the 21st century, cater to our audience who are seemingly always in snacking mode?

Here's a little riff off the oldies:

• Think bite-sized: Craft content that is short, to-the-point, and easy to understand. Think of it as the Twitter of content strategies. Or, if you're a Beatles fan like me, think of it as the 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' in a world of 'Hey Judes'.

• Visual appeal: A picture might be worth a thousand words, but a well-crafted infographic is worth a thousand shares. Capitalize on the visual nature of snackable content to share info in a more compelling way.

• Embrace variety: Don't be shy about mixing it up. Graphics, short videos, memes, headlines, quotes, and quizzes are all part of the snackable content snack pack.

In conclusion, my marketing comrades, while content is indeed king, the true emperor in our fast-paced, mobile-first world is snackable content. So, let's sharpen our content knives, stock up on virtual snacks, and serve our audiences the bite-sized, swiftly consumable content they're craving.

And remember, even the Beatles knew the power of a good snack: "All you need is love