In the context of content marketing, long form content refers to blog posts, articles or any written content that generally exceeds 1000 words*. We’re talking comprehensive, original, in-depth and juicy information on a specific topic. Long form content is a much deeper dive into the subject at hand, beyond surface-level and really getting into the nitty-gritty.
*According to HubSpot, Google has a preference for content sitting around the 1900 - 2000 words marker. Check out the word count chart below to see the correlation for ranking in Google:
What are the types of long form content?
There’s a whole host of long form content types, and it doesn’t have to just be the written word either. With transcription tools popping up here, there and everywhere, it’s easier than ever to repurpose audio and video content into other formats.
Here’s a list of long form content types that you can use in your business:
Blog posts
Podcasts
E-books
Guides
Masterclasses
YouTube videos
Thought pieces
PDFs
Tutorials
Case studies
Articles
The purpose of long form content is to provide ladles of value, educate your audience, and establish yourself as the expert in that particular domain.
By really delving into a subject in this way, you can explore different aspects, provide supporting evidence, and offer a hand-on-heart comprehensive understanding of the topic. This builds trust with your audience and positions you or your brand as a thought leader in your field.
On the other side of the coin, there’s short form content - like social media posts and email newsletters. We like to think of short form as bitesize nuggets, the starter - if you will - that leads your audience to their main course of long form content.
Content creation can genuinely be the bane of a lot of business owner’s lives, and we totally get it. The pressure to be an ideas factory in order to keep up with algorithms, engagement and make sure you’re being visible is no joke in the online space. Social Media is a full time job in itself, but it really shouldn’t be sucking the joy out of running a business and building a community.
PSA: prioritising long form content is going to make you see content creation in a whole new light.
10 benefits of creating long form content:
Boost search engine rankings: creating long form content turbo charges your SEO big time. Sharing regular blog posts improves your search engine rankings, making your content (and brand) more visible to anyone searching for relevant topics.
Community and collaboration: Long form content, such as blog posts, brings the opportunity to link out to other businesses or websites. This creates the space for community, collaboration, conversation and partnerships, which is what it’s all about, right?
The Holy Grail of Social Shares: long form content is more likely to be shared on social media platforms, which boosts your reach, and potentially attracts a larger audience (giving the opportunity for fresh eyes to find you!).
Authority building: deep diving into the topics that align with you positions you and your brand as a thought leader or expert in your industry. You become a trusted source of information and the go-to person for that topic.
Backlink opportunities: another SEO green flag, the trusty backlink. This is when another website links to your content, giving search engines a nod and a wink that your website is credible and trustworthy.
Keep ‘em hanging: long form content keeps readers engaged for a longer duration - in other words - people hanging around on your website for longer. This is yet another green flag for search engines, as increased time spent on a page positively impacts your SEO.
Higher conversion rates: yes. we said it. With more room to elaborate, long form content allows you to tie in engaging, thoughtful Calls to Action (CTAs) that can genuinely lead to higher conversion rates.
Your very own goldmine of content to repurpose: This is the best bit. You don’t have to create a whole load of content for your socials now, you can simply repurpose your long form content into delicious nuggets. Find out exactly how to repurpose your content here.
Resonates with different learning styles: In the realm of content creation, it is really important to acknowledge different learning styles. Some learners thrive on quick takeaways, while others would rather pour a brew and get lost in long form pieces.
In a nutshell, long form content refers to comprehensive and in-depth written material that exceeds 1000 words. It goes beyond surface-level and provides a thorough exploration of a specific topic.
Creating long form content offers a whole goody bag of benefits, from boosting search engine rankings and building authority & trust, to attracting social media shares and generating backlink opportunities. It also keeps readers engaged for longer, leading to higher conversion rates.
And of course, we couldn't finish this post without reminding you that long form content can be repurposed into so many different formats, allowing for a wider reach and catering to different types of learners. If you want to start getting some real mileage on your content then prioritising long form content is a game-changer.
Wanna learn how to repurpose your long form content? Head here.
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