Long-form content performs better than short-form content in a variety of metrics.

Does this surprise you?

Vertical Measures published this infographic a while ago highlighting the many ways that long-form content is outperforming short-form content. When we look at each element of this infographic on its own it makes sense. Of course long-form content shows you’re the expert so your leads are going to increase. Long-form content is more content, so it’s not a stretch to think that engagement rates with the content will be higher as there are more chances to actually engage.

In November the Forbes Agency Council posted an article on the six marketing trends to look for in 2019. The first item on their list is long-form content, which is top of mind as my team and I prepare to discuss this with a potential client.

So what exactly is long-form content?

The exact word count for long-form content differs depending on who you talk to, but typically content over 2,000 words is considered long-form.

This number is important for a few reasons. One of which is search. The top 10 results for most searches typically contain more than 2,000 words. Maybe this is due to the simple fact that these pages have more words to be indexed. Or maybe it’s because long-form content allows creators to ensure they’ve explored a topic/question in a variety of ways. Long-form content highlights expertise. Or maybe it’s just coincidence.

Long-form content doesn’t have to just be words. In today’s world, I don’t think it should just be text. Humans are visual beings. Immersive technologies are more approachable and available. Creators who integrate multimedia assets throughout long-form content engage their audience’s senses. It allows a story to become an experience. It immerses the reader in the story.

It’s not a new concept.

Long-form, multimedia experiences are not a new phenomenon. They’ve just gotten better as the available technology has improved. “Gradually, and then suddenly,” quotes Ann Handley from Hemingway in a post about long-form content and the rate at which it’s now being produced.

One of the OG examples of this is Snow Fall from the New York Times. This groundbreaking, award-winning experience came out in 2012 and still holds up pretty well. Other organizations built on Snow Fall’s success. Today there’s plenty of examples of long-form multimedia experiences. From the Huffington Post Highline to the Washington Post to Reuters to Google to Red Bull these experiences are attracting and engaging audiences in a variety of ways across the web.

Attention spans are evolving.

I’m sure you’ve heard the rumor that attention spans are shrinking, but a 2018 study from Prezi shows that’s not necessarily true.

We make decisions quickly. If we’re not engaged we jump ship faster than ever before. We’re constantly faced with a plethora of content being presented to us. Our phones, laptops, radios, TVs, iPads, etc. are all vying for our attention. These personal devices combined with more traditional advertising on buses, at bus stops, in cabs, on billboards, and more means our attention spans had to evolve.

We live in the world of now, so we expect our digital experiences to load fast and provide clear value up front. We expect authenticity because if we can’t get it from one source there are hundreds or thousands of other places we can find it.

Audiences will always find good content.

It’s not shocking that long-form content combined with multimedia and interactive elements is cropping up more and more. Yes, they take time and planning. No, they’re not easy to produce. Investing in content that ranks well with bots, engages human audiences, and delights social communities is appealing.

The key to making these experiences truly memorable is how they combine the various elements. Steve Duenes, the Snow Fall project’s Graphics Director told Poynter that their goal was to:

“find ways to allow readers to read into, and then through multimedia, and then out of multimedia. So it didn’t feel like you were taking a detour, but the multimedia was part of the one narrative flow.”

Steve Duenes
Discussing Snow Fall

This mindset allows long-form content the opportunity to create shareable micro-moments. With text, visual elements, videos, interactive graphics and more there really is something for everyone and every platform.

Ensuring the content is structured properly, allows audiences to skim and/or read. It allows users to interact and enhance their experience when they desire and share it where they desire.

Have I convinced you of the value of long-form content yet? Here are some resources from NPR to help get you started.

1. NPR’s blueprint for storytelling is a great guide to help get your story off to the races.
2. NPR’s playbook for building immersive storytelling projects is a great guide to help take create larger, more impactful experiences.