su_authorOne of the myths of modern marketing is that attention spans are getting shorter, and it follows that the only way to cut through the noise is by going viral with a TikTok dance.
The good news is that this isn’t true. As Brendon Hufford puts it, people don’t have short attention spans, they have short consideration spans and, in 2022, they have a lot to consider.
Great longform content still has the capacity to capture and keep the attention of a busy audience. But there, also, is the catch: it has to be great. And the definition of what counts as ‘great’ content on the web is changing. Audiences now expect longform pieces to combine immersive visual content like multimedia and interactive elements, with excellent writing and UX design.
What does this look like? Read on to find out:
- What longform content is.
- 4 benefits of longform content.
- How to create an excellent piece of longform content.
- 5 examples of great longform content, and 3 reasons why they’re so good.
What is longform content?
Longform content dives deep into a topic and is typically longer than 1000 words (although it’s not all about the word count). Longform content can be a magazine article, a blog post, a piece of investigative journalism, a white paper, trend report, or a long interview that lets readers immerse themselves in a particular subject.
Traditionally, longform content on the web took two forms. First, it was published in a PDF, available to be downloaded from a website. Second, it was a long piece of journalism told simply in big blocks of text, with perhaps a few images.
But audience expectations are changing — and to meet them, the best content creators are using modern content creation platforms. With the rise of platforms like Shorthand, content creators can develop longform content that is immersive and interactive, featuring video, imagery, infographics, maps, and more.
What do the BBC, Tripadvisor, and Penguin have in common?
They craft stunning, interactive web content with Shorthand. And so can you! Publish your first story — no code or web design skills required.
Get started.
4 benefits of longform content
- Longform content is the backbone of your content marketing strategy. When you create one longform content piece, you can break it up into a bunch of short-form content that can be used across a range of digital marketing channels: emails, social media, and your website.
- Longform content sets you apart on the internet. Going deep on a particular topic allows you to demonstrate your point of view to your target audience. People with opinions stand out on the web, showcasing you as an expert and attracting people who want to hear your take.
- Longform content gets you found in search. Google has a number of quality indicators, one of which is time on site. If someone spends more time reading your piece of longform content, the feedback to Google is that your content is valuable. The result? Google is more likely to suggest that page, which can lead to other benefits: more organic traffic, increased conversion rates, and backlinks from other trusted sites.
- The longform format allows you to build a reputation for quality content. Showing your depth of thinking allows you to build authority, and your brand.