In 2023, creating long-form content that stands out is critical. Here, we’ll explore how to write long-form content and provide real-world examples.

What is long-form content?

The definition of long-form content varies depending on whom you ask. In general, long-form content is a marketing asset with a word count of over 700 words. Some industry publications argue that the starting word count should be higher (e.g., 1,200 or 1,500 words) to qualify as long-form content.

Long-form content comes in many forms, including:

• Blogs
• News and trends articles
• Email newsletters
• Listicles
• How-to guides
• Interviews
• Case studies
• eBooks
• White papers

Gated vs. un-gated content

Marketers can make long-form content gated or un-gated. Un-gated content allows your audience to access resources at any time. For gated assets, readers must enter specific information—such as their email address or phone number—to access them.

Un-gated content is ideal for all stages of the customer journey. At the top-of-the-funnel, this type of content helps build brand awareness. As customers move through your marketing funnel, un-gated content helps potential customers learn more about your brand or nurtures relationships with existing customers.

Creating gated content allows you to collect more information for leads. This method is better suited for customers at the bottom of the funnel. People unfamiliar with your business may hesitate to provide their information and abandon your website.

Why does long-form content work?

Whether creating content for a B2B organization or B2C brand, long-form content is a valuable way to boost visibility, increase customer engagement, and drive revenue.

Let’s take a look at a few reasons why long-form content works.

Long-form content generates authority

Long-form content allows you to demonstrate your expertise. These assets are well-researched and contain relevant resources for your customers. They also help position your product or service as a solution to your customer’s challenges.

Long-form content builds your audience

By creating long-form content, organizations nurture customer relationships and build an engaged community—especially on social media. Semrush found that blogs with over 3,000 words receive 24% more shares on social platforms.

At the same time, long-form content gives your employees something to share. Employees are often the best brand ambassadors, but they may feel intimidated expressing themselves on LinkedIn or Twitter. With long-form content, businesses make it easy for employees to participate on social media.

Long-form content improves search engine rankings

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for driving traffic to your website. Backlinko found that the first organic search result is 10x more likely to receive a click than the result in the tenth spot. And the top three Google Searches receive 54.4% of all clicks.

Long-form content improves your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). First, long-form content increases the time your audience spends on your site. The same study by Backlinko found that increasing a visitor’s time on a page by three seconds correlates to ranking a single position higher in search results.

Long-form content also receives more backlinks, which boosts SEO rankings as well. Semrush found that long-form content of average length (900-1,200 words) received 75% more backlinks than short-form content.

Long-form content generates better leads

According to DemandMetric, long-form content generates 3x as many leads as traditional marketing. By providing valuable information to prospective customers, long-form content helps attract the right prospects and encourages them to take action.

Long-form vs. short-form content (+ when to use each)

Before we explore how to create long-form content, let’s examine the differences between long-form and short-form assets. While both can be powerful elements of a content strategy, their use depends on the topic and the user’s intent.

Short-form content is quick to consume and usually between 400 to 600 words. Examples of short-form content include

• Short blog posts
• Press releases
• Infographics
• Email marketing
• Social media captions

Short-form content is ideal for conveying a single message. This content requires fewer resources and can be quicker to produce. And short-form content may be more mobile-friendly.

Alternatively, long-form content is more educational. Organizations can use long-form content to dive deeper into a topic or provide a more in-depth answer to their audiences’ questions.

6 steps to create long-form content

Creating long-form content that resonates with your audience and ranks on SERPs takes time and effort. Here are six steps to follow when creating long-form content.

1. Brainstorm topics

Understanding your audience is critical to brainstorming topics that will resonate. If you have an existing blog or email newsletter, start there. What has been working? What topics are popular with your readers?

Next, conduct keyword research. You can use keyword research tools—such as Google Keyword Planner or Semrush—to identify words and phrases your target audience might search for.

You can also generate ideas by looking at your audience’s pain points. Consider connecting with your customer service and sales teams. Are there any common challenges that clients experience?

Finally, look at the topics covered by your competition. Create content based on the unique features of your product or service.

2. Complete research

Next, you should research your topic. It’s best to create a single document—sometimes referred to as a “dump doc”—to keep track of all your findings and relevant statistics.

While Google can be a valuable tool, consider alternative resources to find new ideas and information, such as:

• Internal data or existing case studies
• Quotes and unique insights from your network
• Industry reports
• Email newsletters
• Follow people and organizations on social media related to your industry
• Podcasts

3. Outline

Outlining is an ideal way to organize your thoughts before you start writing. Creating an outline can identify any holes in your research and expedite the writing process.

Start by outlining your headings and subheadings. Then build out each section. Ensure each segment is relevant to the topic and adds to the conversation.

4. Write a rough draft

Blank pages can be intimidating. When you start your first draft, don’t worry about being perfect. Instead, focus on following your outline and putting words on the page. This will help avoid the dreaded writer’s block.

It’s best to write your first draft in one sitting. If you get stuck or find holes in your research, make a note for yourself and keep writing. For example, you can write “Insert statistic here,” or use the comment feature to record your thoughts.

5. Edit

Once you have a first draft, it’s time to edit. Take a break between writing and editing to approach the piece with fresh eyes.

There are several frameworks for editing. Whatever method you choose, break down the editing process into steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Structural editing

Structural editing examines the flow of the piece. Start by reviewing your topic and keywords, and then read the first draft.

Consider the following questions:

• Does the piece speak to your topic?
• Is it easy to read and organized?
• Does your audience need any additional information to understand your message?

Copy editing

Next, it’s helpful to edit line by line. Each sentence should support the prior and following sentences. While editing, look for opportunities to cut unnecessary words or sentences.

You should also edit your content for readability. Most people scan content while reading online. It’s best to break up large sections of text to keep your readers engaged.

Use the following to help your readers consume your content:

• Additional sub-headings
• Short paragraphs
• Bullets
• Images and charts
• Bold and italics to highlight important information

Review your heading, introduction, and conclusion

Your heading, introduction, and conclusion are essential pieces of long-form content. Be sure to allocate extra time to review these sections.

• Heading: Your heading or title is the first item readers notice when scanning SERPs. Your title must catch the audience’s attention and compel the reader to click.
• Introduction: Your introduction should provide a brief overview of the topic and encourage further exploration. If your introduction is weak, readers will likely click away—hurting your search engine rankings.
• Conclusion: While it may be tempting to summarize your topic, your conclusion should motivate readers to take the next step. Make sure to include a call-to-action and end on a high note.

Proofread for grammar and punctuation

Grammar and punctuation errors can undermine your credibility. Use an editing tool—like Grammarly or ProWritingAid—to help you catch mistakes.

Fact check

Before publishing, review your sources and verify all data. You should also check that all active links work and that all images include alt text.

6. Create a content distribution strategy

Don’t just publish your content and walk away. Your hard work will go to waste if no one reads it. Instead, plan how and where you’ll share your content.

Some ideas for content distribution include:

• Optimize for SEO: Start by reviewing your title, title tag, meta description, and URL to ensure your page will show up in organic search results.
• Use owned media: Promote your content on your website and email newsletter.
• Post on social media: Share content on your social media channels. You can also post the content in relevant LinkedIn or Facebook groups.
• Consider sponsored content or paid ads: Use paid media—such as industry newsletters, Google ads, or LinkedIn ads—to promote your content.

Examples of long-form content that work

The most compelling pieces of long-form content resonate with the target audience. Here are a few long-form content examples.

Klaviyo

Klaviyo is an email and SMS marketing platform. Klaviyo’s resource hub includes its blog, podcasts, case studies, live training, guides, and industry reports.

Klaviyo’s post—Text Your Customers Without Annoying Them: 6 SMS Marketing Ecommerce Experts Give Their Hot Takes—explains why and how marketers should use SMS marketing.

Why it works:

• The heading resonates with customers. The fear of annoying customers prevents many brands from using SMS marketing.
• Weaves quotes from experts to boost authority
• Addresses audience’s paint points—including how to use email and SMS together, tips for personalization, and how often to text customers.
• Includes real-life examples of effective marketing text messages

WHOOP

WHOOP is a fitness and health wearable that monitors sleep, training, recovery, and health. WHOOP’s blog includes articles about improving your health and research studies.

This article—Patrick Mahomes: The Data Behind an NFL Season with WHOOP—analyzes the WHOOP data of a quarterback in the NFL.

Why it works:

• Showcases the product’s use in a very visible way
• Builds authority by featuring a high-profile athlete
• Weaves an explanation of the product throughout the post and explains how Mahomes uses the data to improve his performance.
• Uses charts and images to break up content

Grammarly

Grammarly is an AI writing assistant that proofreads content for grammar and punctuation errors. Grammarly’s blog covers writing tips and grammar lessons for students and professionals.

This long-form piece, A Guide to Writing a Job Description, breaks down how to craft a description that will attract candidates.

Why it works:

• The topic is relevant to Grammarly’s audience
• The article uses headings and subheadings to create a clear structure
• Includes examples of high-quality job descriptions and pitfalls to avoid
• Showcases how the tool can help you edit your job description

Banknotes minted by #Paid

#Paid is a creator marketing platform that matches brands with creators. Its news and trends blog—called Banknotes—provides insights into ecommerce and the creator economy.

A recent post, Tiktok Trends From A-Z for 2023, provides an overview of TikTok marketing for the new year.

Source: Banknotes covers trends across social media platforms.

Why it works:

• Speaks to their target audience (i.e., social media marketers and creators)
• It uses a fun format that aligns with the nature of TikTok
• Provides actionable tips and tricks to grow on the platform in 2023

Create long-form content with GatherContent

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