5 reasons to keep believing in long-form content in 2024

If you haven’t opened TikTok or Instagram Reels and lost half an hour in a self-improvement spiral, are you even a real person?

There’s no denying the allure and prevalence of snack-able content on social platforms, however; it’s fueling theperception that attention spans are getting shorter. The Policy Institute and Centre for Attention Studies revealed that 47% believe “deep thinking” has become a thing of the past — yikes!

Without “deep thinking”, is short-form content the future of marketing? And how does it fit in the B2B sphere where you need to articulate technical subject matter? 

We’re here to explain why long-form content still has a very important place as a B2B marketing tool, and 5 reasons why we shouldn’t be afraid to invest in it.

1. Rise through the (SEO) ranks 

The higher your SEO rank, the more traffic you’re likely to generate. Getting onto the first-page pedestal of search is crucial, as this attracts 92% of traffic — whereas slipping to the second page nets a measly 5%. 

But how does this relate to long-form content? Google’s ranking algorithm favours long-form content on searches overall, which will certainly increase your chances of joining the top-10 club. If you’re not quite willing to take my word for it, get this: The average post in Google’s top-10 search results is over 2,000 words long — case closed. 

The ‘Beginners Guide to SEO’ by Moz is a prime example of long-form content’s ranking power (and practicing what you preach I might add). Spanning a colossal 25,000 words, this comprehensive guide has consistently ranked top 10 on Google since 2008 — and is still going strong. 

2. Go viral

It’s usually the term we’d associate with the latest celebrity social media blunder, but what makes marketing content go viral? 

Thankfully, BuzzSumo answered that question. After analysing 900+ million articles, it revealed longer content garnered 56% more social shares than sub-1,000 pieces — because in-depth content provides deeper solutions to problems, so readers are more likely to share it with their network. 

If you want your copy to be the centre of attention, it’s clearly best to go long. But that isn’t to say you should overlook quality over quantity — ensuring your content is well-researched, informative, and engaging throughout is equally important to strike a chord with your audience. 

3. Engagement opportunities 

Lengthier posts give you more space to play with, and I’m not talking about cramming in as many buzzwords as possible. It’s about how you want to influence your audience’s literary journey. 

The strategy here is an oldie but goldie: backlinks. Long-form content provides plenty of opportunities to direct readers to other content you’ve created. It’s a simple but effective tactic to drive further engagement and potentially guide readers further down the funnel. 

But what does effective link building look like? HubSpot’s blog post ‘The Ultimate Guide to Video Marketing’ is a great example of putting this strategy to good use. Throughout the blog, Hubspot includes numerous backlinks to other relevant articles and resources across its website. This not only enhances the reader’s experience, but also helps to establish Hubspot as a proven source of knowledge. There’s a reason why the CRM platform is trusted by over 184,000 businesses. 

4. Carry authority 

You must demonstrate know-how to position your brand as a thought leader in the B2B environment. 

So how do you do it? 

By getting down to the nitty-gritty of your niche. The key ingredients you’ll need here are industry knowledge, awareness of current events, and an understanding of both problems and solutions.  

This is where long-form content gives you the scope to cover all bases and cut through the noise. It’s a platform for experts in their respective fields to develop a thought-leadership position and give far more than just two cents’ worth. 

A great example is the “Internet Trends” report by Mary Meeker. The 2019 edition of the report, packed with over 300 slides, was widely covered by major media outlets like Bloomberg and Forbes — cementing Meeker as a leading authority in the tech industry.

5. Build trust 

Painting a detailed picture helps to build a relationship with the reader and, more importantly, establish brand trust. Edelman’s 2022 Trust Barometer report found that two-thirds of respondents buy brands based on their values in what is being coined ‘belief-driven buying’. Clearly, one of the best ways to attract your audience is to earn their confidence.

This is where long-form is your friend. You can resonate with your audience by providing and explaining answers to the pain points they are experiencing, which conveniently creates the springboard to pitch your solutions. 

When it comes to trust-building through long-form content, Buffer does this well through its blog page. With comprehensive guides like ‘5 Steps to Creating Your Social Media Marketing Strategy for 2024’,  Buffer doesn’t offer generic advice; it provides recommendations with insights from business experience and industry research to ease readers’ social media growing pains. The impact is clear to see: Buffer attracts over 100,000 monthly blog readers and now boasts over 140,000 customers. 

Less isn’t always more 

We need to get out of the habit of thinking that our audiences will only glance and scan rather than read and absorb. Short-form content has its place, but we shouldn’t forget that long-form is just as important for maximising marketing strategy. Every brand has a story to tell, and you’ll be rewarded with engagement for explaining it in detail.

At Branch Road, we are well versed in producing long-form content with the depth and quality to resonate with readers. So, don’t hesitate to get in touch and find out more about working with us.