Many marketers resort to writing short, 500-word blog posts thinking that’s all their audience wants or needs. But sometimes, this type of content doesn’t benefit your readers and may not help you achieve your business goals.
The better strategy may be to set yourself up as a thought leader with long-form content instead. Generally speaking, anything over 1,000 words can be thought of as long-form content and writing those lengthy tomes is very important for your website’s rankings.
By taking the time to create long-form content, you can position yourself as an expert in your field and attract more leads and customers. To reap the fruits of long-form content, you must provide value and educate your readers.
If you’re unsure how investing your time and money in detailed blogs will turn out, we hear you. This guide will help you write long-form content that engages your readers and helps you achieve your marketing goals.
Stick around to learn more and crush your competition in the battle for organic traffic!
What Makes Long-Form Content a Smart Choice
When you’re looking to create content for your blog, it’s important to consider the long-term impact. If you want your content to rank in search engines and bring in traffic, you should look to the top ranking pages for your particular topic for inspiration. In many cases, they’ve probably covered the subject in great detail. If your top-ranking competitors are leveraging long-form content then it’s time for you to jump on the bandwagon too. Let’s explore the benefits of this content form and find out why it should be a part of your marketing strategy:
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It’s Good for Your Social Accounts
If you want to boost your visibility on social media, publishing long-form content can help you with it. Why? For starters, long-form content tends to be more shareable than shorter pieces. In addition, it allows you to include more keywords and hashtags, which can help you reach a wider audience.
And because long-form content is more detailed and well-researched, it can help you establish yourself as an authority in your field. If you want to increase your social media reach, publishing detailed evergreen content is a smart strategy for any brand.
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You’re Likely to See a Lower Bounce Rate
When a visitor on your website “bounces,” it means they’ve looked at a single page and left without taking any action. High bounce rates indicate that visitors are coming to your site and quickly losing interest; not what you want from your marketing, right?
One solution to this issue can be good-quality, long-form content.
Comprehensive content with a high “content grade” easily outperforms shorter blogs. By publishing well-researched, thoroughly reported articles, you’ll see a lower website bounce rate. Sure, several other factors go into retaining a low site bounce rate. Still, detail-oriented content can be your first step.
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Long-form Content Provides More Value (But Only if Done Right)
In the age of clickbait, sponsored posts and listicles, it’s easy to forget the value of quality content. But the truth is that readers are still looking for in-depth, well-researched articles that provide new insights and perspectives. This is especially apparent for complex topics or questions.
A good long-form article can help distinguish between a casual reader and a loyal follower. To improve your ranking and build a following, you should start creating quality content that educates your readers.
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You Have More Leg Space for Experiments
One advantage of publishing long-form content is that it gives you more opportunities to experiment with your SEO strategy. You can add more links and target multiple keyword groups with the extra space. This allows you to reach a wider audience and increase your chances of ranking higher on search engine results pages.
Targeting a broader audience in one go can surely boost your SEO and increase your relevance. Say, we’re talking about a detailed how-to guide that answers everything about ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets. This guide then explains the complete cabinet assembly process and covers this topic in one go.
In that particular piece, you can include different keywords, backlinks, and video tutorials to ensure the reader has enough information on the subject. Ultimately, this can lead to more conversions and higher levels of customer loyalty.
How to Create Long-Form Content That Supports Your Goals
Studies show that long-form content gets more shares and backlinks than shorter pieces. But creating long-form content is no easy play, especially when you want to stand out. Now that you know the power of this content type, here are some tips for creating long-form content that engages your readers and drives traffic to your site:
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Stick To Your Prime Objective
Any successful piece of long-form content must have a clear objective. An example of this could be raising awareness about an issue or promoting a product. Once you have determined your objective, you can plan the rest of your content around it.
This planning might involve interviews, case studies, and extensive research to support your argument. However, you should ensure that all of this content must work together to achieve your prime objective. Experimenting with different content types is suitable for engaging your audience, but ultimately, everything should work towards your central goal.
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Make a Content Outline and Follow it
Creating long-form content may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. By following a few simple steps, you can create valuable and engaging content for your readers.
The first step is to identify a subject that you are passionate about. This will make the writing process much easier and more enjoyable. Once you have selected a topic, it is time to start researching. Make sure to look for reliable sources that provide accurate information.
After you have gathered your research, it is time to start writing. Begin by outlining your article. It will help you stay organized and keep your content on track. Include a catchy headline and subheadings to break up your text.
As you are writing, keep your audience in mind. Make your writing informative and interesting. Remember to proofread your work before publishing it.
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Break Your Content into Understandable Chunks
When writing long-form content, it’s important to include engaging and informative visuals. This is because your readers will likely lose interest if they’re just confronted with a wall of text. You can engross your readers by breaking up the text with visuals while providing additional information.
You can include several types of visuals in your content, so choosing ones that are appropriate for the topic you’re writing about is essential. For example, photographs are the go-to resource for explaining ideas. They are also attractive and make the content skimmable. While original photographs are ideal for establishing authority, you can also buy stock photos from reliable online websites.
However, if you are giving an analysis, charts and graphs would be an effective way to visualize that information. Explainer videos are also helpful for demonstrating a product or service.
No matter what type of visuals you choose to include, ensure they are high quality and add value to your content. Otherwise, you risk turning off your readers and losing their attention.
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Promote it Like Anything
If you’re investing the time and effort into creating long-form content, you need to have a strategy for promoting it. Your audience won’t just find it on their own. You need to work to bring your content in front. But don’t worry; promoting your content doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. With a bit of planning and effort, you can get your content seen by the people who need to see it.
Here are a few tips for promoting your long-form content:
- Share it on social media
- Email it to your list
- Reach out to influencers in your industry
- Promote it on your website
You must share your content on social media, using relevant hashtags and tagging relevant accounts. Another tip you can follow is starting a dedicated email campaign to promote your blog series. This way, you give the readers a gist of the content awaiting them and eventually bring them to your site.
Finally, don’t forget to reach out to influencers in your niche – if they share your article, it could reach a whole new audience.
Wrap Up
Most businesses today focus on creating short-form content that readers can quickly consume. While this type of content has its place, it’s also important to remember the value of long-form content. Not only does long-form content allow you to go into greater depth on a topic, but it also allows you to build a better rapport and gets more shares.
When you take the time to write a detailed and well-researched article, you’re showing your readers that you value their time and attention. As a result, they’re more likely to stick around and continue reading your work in the future.
So, if you want to create valuable content, don’t be afraid to go long! Follow these tips and make long-form content work for you! Good luck!
