Long Form Of The Content
Nobody reads long blog posts!
How many of you have heard this utterance?
Probably most of us out there have fallen prey to this statement and owing to short attention spans over the website we are tempted to believe this myth.
Is longer content better than the shorter one? Is it necessary to write long-form content?
These are some pretty obvious questions that come to our mind when it comes to writing long-form blogs. Well, go and ask these questions to the content marketers, you may end up getting completely different responses. One might refer it to a potluck that may not guarantee long attention spans. While others may emphasize more on its importance in terms of better engagement owing to the enhanced readability and experience of the reader.
Now, the same question may be lingering in your mind; which way to go? Wait! You don’t need to panic. It’s always better to go with the basics so, let’s understand what long-form content is all about:
Let’s start with simple theory and the common perception that companies generally have.
Long-form content is in style!
What?
Then, comes Google’s Panda Algorithm into the picture.
Google Panda Algorithm certainly affected websites with thin content ever since it’s last update. And, as per the new guidelines of it webmasters are asked to review the websites based on the content quality, objectivity, and authority. That certainly contributes to the need for long-form content.
What long-form content actually is?
You might have heard a different set of definitions of long-form content. Some might consider a blog longer than 700 words while others may consider 1800 words an apt length of a blog. The specific word count may form a model or a basic approach but it is purely up to you as whatever length you wish to keep.
However, you can start with a blog post of 1000 words or fewer while completely focusing on including the keywords and optimizing them. It may help you get a lot of search traffic on your website. And, incorporating more words in your content would surely come with added benefits.
Does long-form content give you worthwhile results?
Absolutely yes!
Long-form content does extraordinarily well when it comes to increasing user engagement. However, better content promotion also contributes to the success of a brand, but a healthy dose of quality content is always the best anecdote for a relapsing website. Because it’s pretty obvious that you are writing a well-researched blog and not playing with a bunch of words to wrap such a long article without any supporting facts and figures.
Got a chance to dominate the internet!
A well researched long-form content would help you gain more traction in terms of return traffic, direct sales while keeping the bounce rate low. Moreover, it would be slightly difficult to improve your website’s SERPs without long-form blogs.
Why Prefer Long-Form Content Over The Short Snackable Content?
Dense blog posts posses an element of sophistication that comes with extensive research. It is rewarded by the general public and search engines too. Your content marketing strategy requires great commitment which comes with developing a deep understanding of the subject matter.
“If you are well informed you are halfway there”
Well, it takes time to gain expertise over the subject matter. Don’t forget to include the data and facts.
Go for well-written blog posts to propel the website you are working for which would contribute to the success of your enterprise. Try making your blogs more informative generally, people seek information when they are reading your blogs.
Add value to the reader’s experience
The subject matter is the most crucial thing when it comes to writing long-form content. If you are good at explaining your area of expertise then, you can have a better hold at explaining your part along with adding value to your reader’s experience. A deep understanding would help you serve the interest and intent of your audience.
It’s a battle of What Vs. How
People do respond to long blog posts but, the major point is: what is the subject matter? Ultimately it’s the battle of what Vs. how. People are not interested in the process rather they are concerned about the end result and the impact that end result has on their lives.
Supposedly, you are writing about the latest technologies then, don’t limit yourself to how it works rather include what it does. The way your technology would assist the common public in achieving its goals is the major point of concern.
What The Future Holds For Long-Form Content?
Hold on my friend! The wind of change is upon you.
Changes can be very uncomfortable; however, you are to leverage people’s love to your advantage through content, no matter what comes your way!
You need to understand that content creation is nothing if it doesn’t have the element of resilience in it. Trust your content creators they have the tenacity to claw out of a challenging situation through good quality content.
Interact, Interact and Interact!
If you are to write long blog posts then, interactive content is going to be the hottest trend which will be followed in the next few years. Looking at the recent shifts in the market, demand for immediate value is on the rise. So, along with interesting subjects try to include surveys, polls, quizzes, and assessment guides that may prompt readers to engage instantly.
Storytelling is the best way to convey your thoughts
Witnessing the changes that have occurred in the past few years, storytelling and the long, in-depth blog posts will be the most engaging formats for the content. If you are relying on short-form content then, it’s time to rethink your strategy. Well, you don’t need to write long articles for the sake of writing long-form content. It is better to analyze the information that you have whether it can be written that way or not.
Moreover, learn the art of storytelling. Always remember if your story inspires and motivates others then, people are going to share your content everywhere. People value in-depth and authentic information as it is hard to find. The longer, the more engaging your content will be!
Quality Vs. Quantity
According to the last update of Google’s Panda Algorithm in 2011, content marketers need to put extra time and effort into their content. If they wish to earn traffic that they had been pushing over quantity to maintain the frequency of posting blogs for the sake of increased SEO rankings of the website.
Moreover, it is good to go with journalism style long-form content that includes facts, figures, and stats along with some provocative thoughts to give an exciting angle to the blog post.
Take Home Notes
Long-form content is not the thing of the past, it is still in trend. It has become more important with time and has opened doors for innovation and experimentation with a varied range of topics. You need to understand that change is inevitable but, the message conveyed in a long-form blog post plays a major role in keeping the content alive. Keep the above predictions in mind while planning your content strategy and welcome the change that is coming.
Always remember that a well-researched piece of information is good at enticing the audience!
