The optimal word count for a piece of written material on a website or blog is sometimes a source of difficulty for small and medium-sized business owners. The length of published posts has steadily increased over the last five years, according to data. And it appears that the shift is taking place for a good cause.
By 2017, for instance, the typical article length was 500 to 1,000 words, with only about 10% of bloggers authoring long-form (2,500+ word) articles. Things, on the other hand, appear to be extremely different now. According to an Orbit Media study, 63 percent of bloggers create posts that are longer than 1,000 words, with 30 per cent to 36 per cent of those who go beyond 1,500 words claiming "good outcomes."
What Is Long-Form Content, and What Does It Mean?
Long-form content, like a slew of other digital marketing concepts, does a fantastic job of eluding description.
Long-form content is defined by some as any piece of written content with a word count of more than 750 words. Others consider the designation to be reserved for articles that exceed 2,500 or even 3,000 words. In reality, there is no universal solution. It's only reasonable that each format adheres to various standards. After all, a lengthy case study cannot be compared to a basic "what is" blog post that provides readers with a quick approach to obtain knowledge while simply scratching the surface of a topic.
The Advantages of Long-Form Content Publishing
SEO
In the most basic terms, a larger article body offers for better search engine optimization, allowing you to:
- Incorporate your focus phrase (naturally) without resorting to methods like keyword stuffing.
- Make your copy more keyword-friendly by including synonyms and long-tail versions.
- Increase readability by incorporating several headings, internal and external links, and multimedia.
Obtain the Featured Snippets position on Google.
Increase the Authority of Your Brand
Investing in high-quality content is one of the most effective methods to establish your brand as an authority in your industry.
By concentrating your production efforts on in-depth content, you effectively share your thoughts and know-how with audience members seeking value.
Obtain Backlinks and Increase Social Media Shares
If you're still not convinced of the benefits of long-form content, consider the following two data from Backlinko's examination of 912 million links.
Validate Conversations About Your Product
These are some of the challenges of maximising your content marketing approach is that blog posts aren't always the best location for a sales pitch – especially if you're targeting search terms that aren't directly linked to your products and services.
Long-form content, on the other hand, allows you to match user intent, add value, and squeeze in some room to draw the reader's attention to the benefits your business provides. You also get to do all of this without coming across as overly sales-y.
This is what TimeTackle accomplishes with its editorial calendar guidance. The brand's writers found a unique way to incorporate TimeTackle's app in a part that analyses the benefits of Google Calendar to assign, track, and schedule content distribution while explaining the process and highlighting the finest solutions for developing a content strategy.
Gain the Trust of Your Readers
Finally, when we explore the advantages of long-form content, keep in mind that customers appreciate it when brands are helpful. According to studies, people choose to support brands that provide the most value, demonstrating that sharing your knowledge and unique ideas pays off in the long term.
According to studies, people choose to support brands that provide the most value, demonstrating that sharing your knowledge and unique ideas pays off in the long term.
Investing in instructional content, sharing your experience, and empowering your readers is a wonderful way to approach your content development plan if you have the resources (and know-how).