Generally, when writing top tier content, business owners are agitated about the word count that makes it valuable. However, the target should not be meeting a specific word count. It should be to deliver a comprehensive piece of writing.
Nowadays, it is wrongly assumed that readers have a shorter time. But in reality, modern consumers are looking for something that provides them with complete knowledge about a topic.
The analysis of the top ten results on Google shows that short content appears much further down the search results than its long form counterpart.
Long form content is not about writing a ton of words. It’s about creating a piece of work that ranks higher in search engines, boosts conversion rates, increases your authority and most importantly, gives users a reason to stay on your website.
What is Long Form Content?
If you browse the internet, you most certainly get overwhelmed by the numerous definitions of what makes a content long form. Some people consider 1500 words long form, and others suggest 3000-4000 words.
However, the general idea is simple, content that provides in-depth knowledge about a particular topic without requiring you to visit several other websites.
Apart from the word count, several factors are involved in compiling a detailed piece of writing. Such as in-depth research, critical analysis, and contextuality. Additionally, blog posts are not the only form of long form content. Others include:
- Articles
- Guides
- Case studies
- White papers
- EBooks
Ultimately, long form content explores a topic thoroughly. It gives the reader all the information they need rather than just an overview. Websites use long form content to give their audience invaluable information, enhancing website traffic and user engagement.
Advantages of Implementing Long Form Content:
Now that we know long form content, let’s discuss how creating one or more can benefit your website.
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Increase Dwell Time
It is pretty apparent that lengthy articles take more time to read. However, fluffing words in your article isn’t what defines creating long form content. Your aim should be to create something beneficial for your audience.
According to Pew, readers spend more than twice as much time with articles over 1,000 words than short articles. If you give your audience valuable information, they will take their time to understand your piece of work fully.
Moreover, increased time on site has direct involvement with higher search engine results, as Google prefers websites with higher user engagement.
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Better Search Engine Results
One of the most important aspects of a successful website is higher rankings. However, you must add elements, such as targeted keywords, internal linking, and much more to rank your article.
Long form content solves all this as it provides more room for keywords and adds information that describes the topic thoroughly.
Backlinko went over 11.8 million Google search results to determine which factors helped rank on the first page. According to their findings, the average Google first page result contained 1,447 words.
Better search engine results are a crucial factor in gaining organic traffic. You open doors to hundreds of opportunities when you provide your audience with something better than your competitors. SEO has proven to be a driving factor in increasing content ranking, generating more traffic, and discoverability.
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Enhances a Brand’s Authority
Another benefit of long form content is that it brings out the best in every brand. When business owners spend their time and effort creating content with higher value, people start to trust them. Business is a direct relation of trust. As your audience declares you trustworthy, your services start to skyrocket.
Additionally, when you take charge of a niche and offer explicit content. Your authority as a subject matter increases. In return, not only customers but also businesses approach you with opportunities.
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Growth in Social Media Shares and Backlinks
In today’s world, social media is an important marketing tool. And with the increasing competition, you need to involve this potent tool in your content marketing strategy. Customers are looking for helpful information, and when they come across it, they are inspired to share it with their peers.
Hubspot’s content analysis also found that long form content was more likely to get social shares than short-form pieces.
Secondly, Long form content has better chances of getting backlinks from other websites. Everyone prefers detailed, complete, and high-grade content. When you produce a piece of work that stands out, content creators are likely to link to your website. This not only makes your website trustworthy but also increases your ranking.
Research shows that in-depth content is more likely to earn quality backlinks, significantly improving search rankings.
Tips to Create Long Form Content:
Creating long form content isn’t an easy task. It requires ample research and clear thoughts. Here are some of the essential aspects of creating long form content.
1) Utilize Evergreen Topics
Evergreen refers to topics that can stay relevant for an extensive period of time. Instead of creating something new from scratch every time. You need to understand the power of these topics.
Companies often mistake evergreen topics as being monotonous. This slight misunderstanding leads to a massive loss in opportunities.
There are a few tips to remember before choosing such topics:
- Find the right keywords that broadly relate to your topic or theme
- If you’re unsure whether a topic is an evergreen, search Google Trends for high-ranking keywords.
- Optimize your content because it can’t indeed be considered evergreen if nobody can find it.
- Update your content by periodically returning to it and adding more recent outbound links and data points.
- Reshare and repromote your content on social media channels.
2) Work Out an Outline
An outline is a plan for your content that helps you organize your thoughts and arguments. It includes the main topics, subtopics, points to be covered in your post, and a catchy conclusion. A good outline will help you answer your topic’s what, why, and how.
An outline has three sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction includes the topic of discussion, the main points that will be discussed, and any background information related to the topic.
The body is where you present your points in detail. Finally, the conclusion wraps up what has been said in the previous parts of the outline with a final statement or thought on why this topic is necessary or relevant.
3) Quality Over Quantity
Writing lengthier content can be daunting even for experienced writers. Hence, you need to level up your research skills to simplify your project. Researching is a significant piece of the bigger picture. It not only helps you to maintain a high quality but also aids you in keeping track of what you are after.
Remember, long form content isn’t writing for several hours. It’s about creating art that reflects what the audience is seeking. Delivering your audience with poor quality content can severely damage your website’s overall performance.
4) Images: A Writer’s Ally
Long form content can become dull if it is not presented correctly. Hence, you must work on your presentation to please your audience with your material.
There are several ways to enhance your site’s visuals. However, images are by far the most effective form of visuals. Choosing the right images comes down to two choices, professional images or stock photos.
Professional images, as the name suggests, aren’t everyone’s forte as they are expensive to obtain. On the contrary, you can opt for stock images, a more budget-friendly option.
Stock photos are a great way to make your content aesthetically pleasing. Yet, choosing stock images correctly requires some effort. To find the perfect images, you need to know what reflects your brand’s personality and what attracts your audience.
Images are a great tool to convey messages beyond words. They help people understand content from another perspective. They are what connect your audience to your content.
Final Verdict!
Content marketing has been on the rise for the past several years. From major businesses to small startups, everyone’s on the lookout for a unique ingredient to rank their content among the top 10 google search results.
Long form content is a great way to tell your audience how much you value them. It isn’t only about pulling your sleeves up to write a 1000+ word article. It’s about the desire to create something that provides the general audience with what the industry lacks.
Now that you have an understanding of long form content, the only thing left is to put it into action. Remember, don’t force yourself. The results will be more rewarding if you indulge yourself in the process. Good Luck!