Table of Contents
Are you fed up with the increasing bounce rate of your website?
If you answered yes, it is time to dissect the content plan of your site and look for the loopholes. While there may be multiple factors causing people to abandon your page without scrolling further, you will find the post length to be a significant reason.
In the digital marketing world, long-form content is an excellent band-aid to fix many ‘website’ relevant issues. It helps a brand establish its value in the market and allows it to climb the search grid ranks. But before we discuss more perks of long-form content, let’s start from the basics.
What is Long-form Content?
Long-form content, as the term suggests, is based on an extensive number of words. It offers detailed information on a given topic and clarifies readers’ concerns.
According to core DNA, this type of content varies between short stories and novelettes. The average length should range between 700 and 2000 words. However, it is generally based on factors like scope, focus topic, intended aims, and the target audience.
It takes extensive critical thinking to create long-form content. It isn’t an article that is stuffed with keywords. Instead, it should be contextual and well-researched. The authors must be specialists in the chosen subject and know how to capture the readers’ attention. The writings should have substance and purpose to rank highly and be considered beneficial by the readers.
Additionally, brands should ensure that their content is sticky to attract visitors. The narration and flow of the article play a significant role in keeping the audience glued.
Producing long-form content helps you gain market credibility and enhance your reputation. For example, if you want higher engagement on your social media channels, you can write content that includes industry stats and embed the share buttons at the bottom.
Why Do You Need Long-form Content?
On the surface, long-form content may not seem like something that hooks the audience. After all, who has the time to read thousands of words on a single topic? But, the current statistics show us the other side of the coin.
The SEMRush State of Content Marketing 2020 states that long-form content is more engaging, shareable, and better for SEO. It discovered that 7000+ word content drives 4X more traffic than articles of average length (700-1200 words). Take Neil Patel as another example. The Crazy Eggs and Kissmetrics founder uses more than 4000 words in most of his articles.
Facts like these draw marketers’ attention toward long-form content, and rightfully so. Here are a few reasons why you should consider adding this type of content to your website:
Improves Search Engine Ranking
Studies show that lengthy content dominates the first page ranks on search engines. This is because it allows you to target a range of keywords and topics. However, these days, SEO isn’t as straightforward as before. You can’t stuff keywords randomly in your article and expect it to rank high. Instead, you must place them strategically on your website.
Unlike short-form content, long-form content can use various keywords on a given topic. This expands your ranking potential and pulls in more leads.
Google is constantly rolling out new changes to help users. For example, a recent update they introduced allows readers to jump directly on the topic they are looking for. In addition, long-form content can cover all the relevant topics and provide answers to the readers.
Check this screenshot as an example:
Google will automatically lead people to the paragraphs where they can find the desired information. Moreover, covering all angles of a given topic makes the readers endorse your authority and return for additional answers.
More Backlinks
Research reveals that long-form content has a higher probability of attracting quality backlinks. This factor also creates a marked difference in your SEO ranking. The following graph by Hubspot shows the correlation between backlinks and the content length:
Source: SWEOR
Google understands that users don’t want tidbits of information. They are looking for comprehensive information from a single source. Embedding quality links in long-form content ensures that all their answers are only a few taps away. They won’t have to perform a mini research project every time a piece of short-form content fails to provide solutions.
Therefore, content that takes a deep dive into the chosen subject matter will attract more backlinks, contributing to improved search ranking.
More Social Media Shares
According to Search Engine Land, long-form content outperforms short-form content in social media sharing. Further, Quick Sprout discovered that content with over 1500 words receives more shares and likes than shorter posts. This, in turn, brings new readers and helps the site grow.
Since people love to share stories and news articles on social networks like Facebook, long-form content has a higher chance of going viral. As a result, some platforms offer a specific publishing platform or application that allows users to post editorialized posts linked to social media profiles.
Using custom photographs or stock images will enhance the long-form content and help it steal more eyeballs. In addition, there are several online libraries with affordable, high-quality images. Integrating these photos into the long-form content helps to break the paragraphs and maintain readers’ interest.
Establishes Authority
Providing complete coverage on a subject can significantly improve your reputation when writing SEO content for brand engagement. People interested in your niche will make repeated visits when they want to clarify some concerns. They are more likely to trust your expertise when you can speak to great lengths and prove your data with research.
Eventually, this credibility establishes your brand as an authority in your industry or subject. This ultimately leads to better recognition and more online sales.
Stays Evergreen with Regular Updates
If you plan effectively and keep an eye on the industrial trends, long-form content can become your entryway to the industry fronts. All you need is to embed the current details in the content and release it repeatedly.
For instance, if you detailed an ongoing study in 2021, you can tweak the information to add more insights in 2022. It is essential to learn how to increase your content’s shelf life. Avoid adding dates that indicate the article is obsolete. Plus, write about evergreen topics to extend the content longevity and let users keep coming back.
Verdict – Your Content Should Be Really Awesome!
Content length is part of a solution but only partially. When you include data worth the attention and utilize all the tactics to keep readers hooked till the end, you will find a stark difference in the conversion rate.
Ultimately, most visitors have the attention span of a goldfish. Therefore, you must provide them with unique and valuable information to solve their problems. The rewards you earn are better search engine ranks, higher engagement, and more brand visibility.
So, what are you waiting for?
Get your creative juices flowing, and plan to grab as many eyeballs as possible!
