It’s no secret people have shorter attention spans than ever. Some may think readers need more time or patience for lengthy blog posts, but research suggests that long-form content remains favored amongst readers and an essential strategy for content marketers.
Content marketing strategy involves helping your target audience solve problems and introducing them to your brand. But it takes more than a good idea for your next long-form piece. Content creation takes time, but the payoff is worth it. Your content can connect with your readers on a particular topic and take a small step toward converting them into customers.
If you invest time and money into your content marketing program, it is essential to understand how to do it right. Don’t worry! I help with the 3P Process: Produce, Publish, and Promote. Let’s start with the first part of the long-form content marketing process: how to produce long-form blog posts. And here is an overview of the process: 6 Steps To Produce Long-Form Blog Content (Infographic)
What is long-form content?
A helpful way to look at long-form content is in comparison to short-form. Long-form content thoroughly examines a topic, typically 1,000 words or more. While there is some debate over the official word count, this is a good rule of thumb.
Long-form blogs focus on an audience that wants in-depth content covering a complicated issue.
In contrast, short-form content is brief, under 1,000 words, and easy to digest. Short-form content goes into far less detail, and by the nature of shorter pieces having fewer words, the probability of appearing in specific search results decreases.
Longer content’s greatest strength is its ability to drive traffic to your site and push your content to a higher ranking in the search results. However, long-form content can also come in various forms, making it flexible and adaptable to your brand’s needs.
Some examples of long-form blogs include:
- How to Guide – These serve as a breakdown of how to execute a task or action. Like most long-form content, How to Guides are helpful when completed with pertinent graphics.
- Ultimate Guide – Long-form articles that include the best information on a given topic and provide the most relevant and factual information compared to other top results.
- Tutorials – Unlike a how-to guide, a tutorial is an educational tool; rather than guiding someone through how to complete a task while in process, it teaches someone how to do something.
- Resource Lists – Another way to establish your business as the authority on a topic; these lists include industry recommendations with click-through links with potential monetization.
- Interviews – A Q&A with relevant industry or professional experts on a topic.
- Comprehensive FAQs – content formed around the most asked questions on a particular topic, naturally guiding the reader through the learning process with questions.
Why does your target audience love long-form content?
Long-form content appeals to an audience that is already interested in the topic. While your long-form content may appeal to only some readers browsing, it will appeal to the audience you’re trying to attract.
People who need or value the information you provide will spend more time digesting your content and browsing your web pages. Conversely, your target audience will only stick around if they see your content as applicable. With six helpful steps later, I’ll ensure your content is as valuable and relevant as possible.
What are the benefits of long-form content for your brand?
BRAND AUTHORITY
One of the slow-burn effects of generating specific long-form content is setting your brand up as an authority. A robust series of long-form blogs on your area of expertise will make your web pages a one-stop shop for intrigued readers and potential customers.
ON-SITE ENGAGEMENT
Readers spend twice as much time on pages with long-form content. As your long-form portfolio grows, you can use internal linking to reference other relevant long-form posts on your site.
SOCIAL SHARES
A benefit of establishing your authority over a topic is that people will see you as one and be more inclined to share your content. Whether their reason is to help others learn more or to prove they are an expert with great sources – both are to your benefit. Studies also show that long-form posts get more shares.
INBOUND LINKS
Once you’ve established yourself as an authority on a topic, other sites will also refer to you. Creating excellent and informative content increases the probability of being linked to other web pages, ultimately driving more traffic to you. These inbound links, called backlinks, increase your domain authority.
ORGANIC TRAFFIC
Long-form content drives more organic traffic than short-form content. This is because long-form blogs lend themselves to including more long-tail and short-tail keywords.
LEADS AND CONVERSIONS
There are many ways long-form posts can generate new leads and conversions. An easy way to generate leads is gated content. With gated content, you can get the reader’s email address before they proceed to the web page and build a list of relevant contacts.
Long-form blog posts can also help nurture conversions as potential customers seek the information you provide in their consideration phase.
How to Produce a Long-Form Blog Post in 6 Steps
Effective blogging will help attract your target audience and make it easy for them to access information about your company’s products and services. As a result, your website blog may become your brand’s most impactful traffic source if done correctly.
You can follow these steps to produce high-quality, long-form copy for your website blog as part of the 3P Process: Produce, Publish, and Promote. And here is an overview of the process: 6 Steps To Produce Long-Form Blog Content (Infographic)
1. BRAINSTORM THE IDEA
All content creation starts with an idea. Below I’ve come up with a few questions to help you begin brainstorming your piece.
What is the problem that you are trying to solve?
Asking this question will help narrow down your focus topic. The problem and issue should be related to your industry and valuable information to your reader.
How will this piece of content help the reader solve it?
Your piece can be great content simply by providing your reader with a solution to their problem. We’ve discussed value propositions and their importance in your content marketing strategy. Think of longer content as a way to show that value without it coming across like a sales pitch.
Is there a repeatable outcome that is the takeaway from the long-form blog post?
Nothing establishes rapport like a proven methodology, especially in ultimate guides, how-to guides, and tutorials. Great content is accurate, provides valuable information, and is an excellent way to show your readers you create results.
2. RESEARCH THE TOPIC
Conduct thorough research on your chosen topic to create high-quality, informative content. This process involves several steps, grouped into four primary categories, to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and valuable insights for your audience.
DISCOVER YOUR IDEA
Investigate the context of your chosen subject to uncover existing content gaps and sharpen the direction of your focus.
- Google Your Idea: Search for your topic using Google or another search engine.
- Browse popular blog posts, articles, and resources related to your subject.
- Understand the current landscape.
- Identify gaps in existing content.
- Refine your focus
ANALYZE CONTENT & TRENDS
Review existing content and recent case studies to understand what resonates with readers and align your writing with current trends.
- Analyze Existing Content: Examine the style, structure, and key points covered in top-performing content pieces on your topic.
- Understand what resonates with readers.
- Tailor your writing to meet their needs and preferences.
- Prioritize Recent Case Studies: To ensure up-to-date and relevant information, use recent case studies.
- Include examples from the past few years.
- Align with current trends and developments in your field
KEYWORD & DATA RESEARCH
Use third-party tools to identify relevant keywords, gather reliable data to support your arguments, and optimize your content.
- Identify Relevant Keywords: Utilize tools like Dashword, Headline Studio, and SurferSEO to find relevant keywords for your topic.
- Analyze keyword data
- Optimize content for visibility in search results.
- Access additional features like content analysis and optimization suggestions
- Gather Data From Reputable Sources: Incorporate data from reliable sources to support arguments and provide credibility to your content.
- Click through multiple links to find the original dataset.
- Verify the accuracy and validity of information
SYNTHESIZE RESEARCH
Examine and integrate the gathered information to identify key insights and create a compelling narrative for your audience.
- Identify patterns, trends, and key takeaways.
- Organize findings in a structured manner.
- Create a coherent and engaging narrative for your readers
3. CREATE CONTENT BRIEF
A well-crafted content brief can streamline your content strategy and focus your long-form piece, even if you write the article yourself. Organize the key elements of a content brief into the following categories:
CONTENT STRUCTURE
- WORD COUNT: Determine an average based on popular articles found during research; longer articles should be at least 1,000 words, with top results between 1,500-2,000 words
- OUTLINE: Create a strategy before starting the base copy to focus on elaborating talking points instead of figuring out the content structure
- SUBTOPICS: List essential subtopics to be included in the content, especially helpful when outsourcing to someone less familiar with your industry or expertise
TARGETING AND SEO
- AUDIENCE: Define the target audience with information about demographic, reasons for seeking content, and other relevant details
- KEYWORDS: Compile keywords identified during research to help the writer incorporate them effectively into the content
RESEARCH AND RESOURCES
- RELEVANT ARTICLES: Compile all the information collected during your research into a readily accessible document, which will aid in referencing and fact-checking throughout the writing process. This can include:
- Data and Statistics: Collect relevant data, figures, and statistics to support your claims and arguments. Ensure that these are up-to-date and come from reputable sources.
- Quotes and Expert Opinions: Gather quotes, expert opinions, and thought-leader perspectives to add credibility and authority to your content. Make sure to attribute these sources correctly.
- Visual Assets: Identify any valuable visual assets, such as infographics, charts, or images, that can be included in the content to improve comprehension and engagement.
- Competitor Insights: Analyze competitors’ content to understand their approach and identify gaps or opportunities for improvement in your content.
4. WRITE THE BASE COPY
Once you have established your goals, developed your ideas, and completed comprehensive research, the next step is to create an effective long-form blog post. Concentrate on these essential aspects, which are grouped into three main categories:
CONTENT CREATION
- MAGNETIC HEADLINE: Craft a captivating headline that hooks the reader. Utilize lists or questions for a definitive answer and aim for 14-17 word headlines, as they generate higher social media shares.
- COMPELLING LEAD: Begin your content with an exciting and enticing introduction that demonstrates the value of your post and encourages readers to continue reading.
- INFORMATIVE BODY: Present well-researched, organized, and insightful information that addresses the needs of your target audience. Use precise language and compelling storytelling to keep readers engaged.
PRESENTATION
- GRAPHICS INTEGRATION: Enhance content with relevant images, infographics, or videos, considering visual learners and social media sharing trends. Graphic elements can break up large blocks of text and make the content more appealing.
- FORMATTING: To improve readability, organize your content with subheadings, bullet points, and numbered lists. This approach ensures that your content is easy to scan and digest.
- CONSISTENT STYLE: Adhere to your brand’s style guide, using compatible fonts, colors, and formatting throughout the post. This helps create a cohesive and professional look.
CONVERSION
- POWERFUL CALL-TO-ACTION (CTA): Encourage specific actions, such as subscribing to a newsletter, sharing the post, or making a purchase, to raise brand awareness and drive conversions. Place CTAs strategically within the content and make them visually distinct to attract attention.
By focusing on these essential aspects in content creation, presentation, and conversion, you can craft an engaging and effective long-form blog post that resonates with your target audience and achieves your content goals.
5. REVIEW THE WORK
As you review and refine your content, separate the critical aspects into three categories: Content Quality, Readability & Engagement, and Technical Optimization.
CONTENT QUALITY
- REVIEW FOR CLARITY: Identify any sections where the writing may be awkward or overly verbose. A quick check can help you spot areas that require improvement.
- CONSISTENCY: Ensure the content adheres to your brand’s style guide and maintains a consistent voice. This includes formatting, typography, and any specific terminology your brand uses.
- FINAL PROOFREAD: Conduct a final proofread to catch any remaining errors or inconsistencies. This step is essential for polishing the content and ensuring its overall quality.
READABILITY & ENGAGEMENT
- ENGAGING BODY: Maintain reader interest with a casual tone and avoid jargon-heavy content. This approach ensures that your audience remains engaged throughout the piece.
- SCANNABILITY: Cater to reader preferences for scannable content by breaking up text with listicles, short paragraphs (three sentences), and valuable subheaders. This makes it easier for readers to grasp the main points quickly.
- RELEVANT INTERNAL LINKS: Include links to related content on your website to increase traffic on other pages, decrease bounce rate, and boost brand awareness. This also helps improve the user experience and encourages further exploration of your content.
TECHNICAL OPTIMIZATION
- EDITING TOOLS: Utilize editing resources like Grammarly to check for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style errors. These tools can also provide suggestions for enhancing readability and eliminating wordiness.
By categorizing these steps, you can create a blog post that is engaging, scannable, and aligned with your content brief’s goals while maintaining high content quality and optimizing technical aspects.
6. OPTIMIZE FOR SEO
Maximize the visibility and reach of your content by optimizing it for search engines using specific long-tail keyword phrases, strategic placement, and AI-powered SEO tools. Maintain an engaging user experience while implementing these SEO techniques.
SELECT LONG-TAIL KEYWORD PHRASES
Target niche audiences with specific long-tail keyword phrases, as they face less competition and lead to higher conversion rates due to targeted traffic.
STRATEGICALLY PLACE KEYWORDS
Ensure seamless integration of the chosen long-tail keyword phrase in your content, including the blog post’s title, headings, and subheadings, while maintaining natural language flow.
UTILIZE AI SEO TOOLS
Leverage AI-driven SEO tools like SurferSEO to analyze keyword density, optimize tags and headings, and receive content length and structure recommendations.
SurferSEO leverages AI technology to help users insert keywords in their content effectively and naturally. It analyzes the keyword density, distribution, and prominence of top-ranking pages for a search query. Based on this analysis, SurferSEO provides recommendations on where and how to include the target keywords within the content, ensuring seamless integration without affecting readability.
This AI-driven approach helps create user-friendly and optimized content for search engines, increasing the chances of higher rankings and visibility.
MAINTAIN CONTENT QUALITY
While optimizing for SEO, prioritize user experience by avoiding keyword stuffing, keeping content engaging and informative, and balancing readability with optimization.
MONITOR AND ADJUST STRATEGIES
Regularly track the performance of your SEO efforts using analytics tools and adjust strategies based on data-driven insights, staying updated with the latest trends and best practices.
In Summary
Creating long-form content is a research and data organization exercise that can yield a great payoff. If you’re ready to take on the world of long-form content, check out this Checklist for Publishing a Blog Post on WordPress.
And here is an overview of the process: 6 Steps To Produce Long-Form Blog Content (Infographic)
