Short-form content rules the world of digital marketing. Bulleted or numbered lists, quick how-tos, three-minute videos; this is the stuff the Internet is made of. However, every once in awhile you may need to create a piece of long-form content for your brand, whether that takes the form of a white paper, sponsored content on a web site, or a longer piece of video content. If you are used to making short-form pieces, long-form work might take some getting used to. Here are some tips to get you started when you decide to go long.
Be succinct
It may seem counterintuitive but when you write a long-form piece, remember to be succinct. Read through the draft of your document and find ways to say what you need to say in fewer words. Make sure you do not repeat phrases and points over and over. Efficiency of language is key to creating a document that will be easily understood by your readers.
Make it look good
Remember when you lay out your long-form content to think of how it looks and not just how it reads. Create a layout and use fonts that are pleasing to the eye. Do not overuse images but insert a few really high quality images to give your readers a compelling reason to look through your entire piece.
Sections
Break your content up into sections with bolded headlines. Obviously you want your readers to read through your entire piece and not just skim it for what they think are pertinent detail but some readers will skim, and you want them to be able to get the gist of your content too.
SEO
Long-form content can be a great way to improve search engine optimization on your web site. Search engines are getting better at identifying rich content like long-form articles. It is still necessary to take the steps to optimize your content for search. Research topics and keywords to find out what your fans want to read.
Engage
The single most important thing you can do to improve your long-form content is make it engaging. Write something funny. Write something compelling. Write something that makes your readers angry. Do not write dry, boring, technical content, unless you want people to stop reading after the first paragraph.
