Hong Kong is a place known for its fast-paced lifestyle. This fast-paced environment has led to the emergence of a phenomenon called “snackification.” Snackification refers to the trend of people consuming information and content in small, bite-sized portions, much like how one would consume a snack.
A decade ago, the mainstream social media platform was Facebook, which primarily featured lengthy text posts accompanied by one or two photos. However, as attention spans shortened, newer social media platforms gained popularity. A few years ago, Instagram became a popular choice, where users typically post a few photos with short captions.
Nowadays, reading lengthy content has become increasingly time-consuming and difficult for many people. In response to this, social media and streaming platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook have started to promote and prioritize short-form video content, often referred to as “reels” or “shorts.” These videos typically range from 15 to 60 seconds in length, allowing users to consume a significant amount of information within a short timeframe.
The rise of short-form video content can be attributed to the growing trend of people becoming increasingly busy or even lazy in their consumption of media. As a result, the attention span of the average customer has become a scarce resource for content creators and platforms. To capture and retain the audience’s interest, advertisements and entertainment must be quick, engaging, and information-dense, enabling viewers to absorb a large amount of data within a minute.
Reels and similar short-form video formats are the most representative manifestations of this “snackable media” trend, catering to the modern consumer’s preference for easily digestible, visually appealing, and time-efficient content. As technology continues to evolve and attention spans continue to shrink, the demand for snackable media is likely to only increase, further transforming the digital landscape and the way we consume information.