Everywhere you look, content is shrinking. It has to. We live in a world of information overload and mobile-first internet access. To survive, we’ve had to put speed and convenience over depth. But does that mean there is no place left for long-form content? Absolutely not.
In this article, I'll be exploring the advantages of developing short and long-form content, and how you can use the latter to create communications that count.
Why the world loves short-form content
It’s official. A goldfish has a longer attention span than us humans. In fact, if the latest data is to be believed, the average social media post holds our attention for just eight seconds (for the record, a goldfish can focus for nine). The time you have to catch it? That’s more like two.
More than just clickbait, short form content is crucial because it fits our fast-paced lives. It delivers messages quickly and effectively, capturing attention with intriguing hooks, headlines, visuals and crazy-impressive copy.
Short but sweet, this brevity helps keep content memorable and actionable. It is, without a doubt, the perfect tool to capture our attention in the rapid-fire of fleeting moments that dominate our time online.
What is long-form content, and why do I care?
Long-form content, on the other hand, is there to do something a little bit different. Definitions of vary, but for me, long-form is anything that creates space to offer that little bit more detail, and build a deeper connection with the reader.
Done well, long-form content goes beyond just conveying information. Whether you're writing an impact story, blog, op-ed, whitepaper long-form content is tool to:
Build trust and credibility: When content delves into detail, it naturally feels more authentic and reliable. Long-form pieces offer a platform to showcase your organization’s expertise and insights, helping to establish your voice as a trusted authority in your field.
Foster thought leadership: Long-form content allows for a deeper exploration of ideas and perspectives, positioning your organization or yourself as a thought leader. By sharing well-researched opinions and strategies, you invite readers to engage with your work on a more intellectual level.
Create an emotional connection: People connect with stories. Long-form content provides the space to share narratives that resonate emotionally, making your message more relatable and more memorable. These stories help humanise your cause and engage your audience on a personal level.
Educate and inform: Complex topics can be intimidating, but long-form content—like whitepapers—allows you to break down intricate information in a way that’s accessible and engaging, empowering your audience with the knowledge they need to take informed action.
Build the case for action: In longer content, there’s more room to weave a compelling narrative that guides readers toward a specific outcome. With thoughtful, strategic arguments and calls to action, long-form pieces can inspire your audience to act, whether that means donating, volunteering, or getting involved in other ways.
How long-form content can boost your SEO
For digital tools, long-form content is also a great way to boost your SEO. Let’s take blogs as an example. When I first started writing, best practice for the average blog was to hit somewhere between 500-800 words. Then it rocketed to 3,000 (and is quite rightly referred to as “Skyscraper content). Now, the ideal length is somewhere between 800–1,500.
The basic premise is that well-crafted, long-form content can engage readers for longer periods of time — reducing bounce rates, and signalling to search engines that the content is valuable. Long-form content is also more likely to receive back-links, and stays relevant for a longer period of time. This in turn can lead to higher rankings, increased organic traffic, and better visibility for targeted keywords. Not to mention conversion.
Imagine, all that from a blog!
Some tips to help make your long-form content count
The key word here, though, is “well-crafted”. The danger with long-form content is waffle. No one wants to read long, dense, paragraphs full of technical terms and jargon. Or words that have been written for the sake of it. That’s not long-form content. That’s boring.
To make long-form content count, you’ve got to make it as accessible — as readable — as possible. To do this, we need to borrow a few tricks from our short-form sister:
Start with a strong hook: captivating titles and headings grab your readers’ attention and set the tone for the content.
Be concise and clear: using plain English and avoiding jargon ensures your message is easily understood.
Break up bodies of text: dividing text into smaller sections and using bullet points improves readability and keeps readers engaged.
Tell a story: about more than fairly tails, even the most complex information needs to tell a story and have a clear and logical flow.
Invest in design: good content is like a good meal. If it looks good, you’re going to want to read it.
Have fun with it: injecting personality and enthusiasm makes the content more fun to write and enjoyable to read.
A match made in heaven
Of course, you can have the greatest piece in the world, but that doesn’t mean people are going to read it. The rule here is to make your content as long as it needs to be to get your point across. Good long-form content will be the sum of ideas. It will be rooted in a firm understanding of your target audience, a broader content strategy, and will offer your readers something of genuine value.
To make sure they find that value, you will also need to create some shorter, spin-off content. That’s right: we’ve just gone full circle. But if you want to get your message out there, you need to make sure people see it.
Why not try:
Creating social media teasers to pique interest and drive people to your site
Making a quick-access summary or sharing key takeaways on LinkedIn or Facebook
Spotlighting quotes, stats, infographics and photos to catch people’s eye
Sharing bite-sized video clips or animations to highlight key points
Using your newsletter to direct your audience to the full content
(Spoiler alert: there’s a whole post on this subject coming soon!)
Of course, when you’re posting don’t forget to include a clear link and call to action so people know exactly what’s wanted, and where they should go.
Hi, I’m Jen
I’m an ex-fundraiser turned long-form content creator helping health social impact organisations make a difference.
Drop me a line at copy@writtenbyjen.com to find out how.
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