Beyond Brevity: Embracing the Comeback of Long-Form Content in the Digital Age
I’ve been in business for well over a decade now, and one thing that is always a topic of discussion for small business owners is what content works to bring in customers. I’ve been enjoying Threads of late and have noticed a lot of people talking about the resurgence of the long form blog or newsletter – an antidote to the short attention spans and bite sized content we are used to consuming on Instagram and Tiktok.
Are we finally tiring of the surface-level information feed – are we once again yearning for more nuanced takes on world events as well as topics that consume us like art and writing and deeper meanings? Is the noise and the ‘busy-ness’ of the online world taking its toll on our capacity for mental well-being? Are the dopamine hits no longer working for us on the scroll?
I’m not suggesting that we will return to the heady blogging era of the early 2000s, but perhaps there is room once again for the considered article – explorations into thoughts and ideas, the presentation of something to ponder and digest rather than instantly forget.
Signs things are changing
Tiktok, the arbitrators of the 15-second video form are now allowing videos up to 10 minutes long.
Podcasts have never been more popular, with in-depth discussions and storytelling elements promoting discussion and debate.
Live Streaming is still on the rise, with many spanning hours, again supporting sharing of ideas, and the exploration of behind the scenes in real time often exposing the gaps in mainstream journalism coverage of world events.
Blogging and SEO efforts (Google and Pinterest) are once again being favoured since platforms like Instagram have been strangling the reach of small businesses, and search engines are still favouring long form (eg 1000 words +) content, with 56% of content on the first page of Google Search Results containing over 2000 words*. Today, the average blog post has 1236 words, which is 53% more than the average post six years ago**.
The arrival and popularity of monetised long form email newsletter or writing focussed platforms like Substack or Ghost.
*https://303.london/blog/11-incredible-statistics-for-digital-marketing-in-the-uk/
**https://www.scripted.com/products/blog-posts#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20average%20blog%20post,and%2057%20minutes%20to%20write.
My Experience with Long-Form Content
Personally I have found committing to a regular blogging and email newsletter schedule has transformed how I do business, how easy it is for me to generate enquiries, as well as how to utilise my email list to make sales and bookings. I have a clear strategy now that delivers what I need for my business to thrive, and it depends considerably less on social media than it used to. Which is handy given how unrewarding Instagram can feel at times, as well as the worry about being hacked or my account removed.
What’s more I can create long form content that can be packaged up into short-form, so I win on both sides of the coin.
However, I know my clients are looking for help and advice for their business, or looking for inspiration for their brand imagery, so I know I am creating content for them that helps and inspires. Where do your clients get their information from – do they search Google, look on Pinterest, sign up for newsletters? Understanding your customer preferences is just as crucial as deciding what content to create for them.
But how much do I have to do?
Blogging
I know of lot of you reading this who don’t feel confident writing will be concerned at what this means, but I promise having a blogging and/or email strategy doesn’t require more work, it’s just different work than you might have been doing with social media up until now.
I strongly believe there is no ‘must’ with content – choosing the platform and form your content takes must be down to you, however what is always true is that you need a strategy, otherwise it’s just shots in the dark which lead to overwhelm and inconsistency.
So take some time to decide where and how often you are going to show up – make it achievable within the hours you have available for your content creation. There’s no good saying you’re going to blog twice a week if the reality is it takes you 3 or 4 hours to write a blog post – it’s simply not possible if you are the only one running your business. Better to produce one quality piece of writing once a fortnight or per month than low quality every few days.
Remember, this is content that is intended to showcase your skills, expertise and creativity, not something to just ‘get done’. And if it’s really not for you then you can always consider outsourcing your blogging to a professional, or focus on other forms of content marketing altogether.
And if you needed any more persuading with the stats: long-form content, on average, generates 7x more leads than short-form posts.*
*https://curata.com/blog/the-secret-to-writing-long-form-content/
Email Newsletters
Email writing platforms can be approached similarly – if you adore writing and want to build an engaged community that loves reading your thoughts or seeing your work, then it’s worth spending that extra time making it memorable over churning out yet more Instagram posts. The conversion rate is higher and the rewards greater.
Podcasts
If writing articles and emails fills you with horror perhaps talking about all your passion topics could be the way forward? There’s never been a greater interest in podcasts as a whole and talking about the things that excite you, inviting others to come on your show or interview them too can help leverage greater audiences. Podcasts can be digested on the go leading to longer attention spans than simple reading of text. The average podcast listener stays connected for 22 minutes on average.* How often does someone stay on your Instagram feed for in comparison?
*https://buffer.com/library/optimal-length-social-media/
Longevity of your content
I shall leave you with some more personal experience of mine: I have blog posts from 3 years ago that are still generating client enquiries. I have pins from 10 years ago pointing to old blog posts that still bring me business. My newsletters generate several personal replies every week – I get so much satisfaction and support from the community I have there. Long-form content allows you to show up with all the layers of yourself and your business - not just surface sound-bites.
Long-form content requires playing the long game. But it works.
