As attention spans seem to decrease each day with the rise of short-form content that’s easy to consume on the go, content marketers may question whether to continue investing in long-form content. The short answer: yes, long-form content still plays a key role in sales enablement and for a myriad of general brand development reasons, and you cannot afford to not invest in long-form content. You can, however, channel your resources more effectively.
In this #ContentChat, Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter), a freelance content marketing writer, explains what long-form content is, when it should be gated content, and how to get the most value from your long-form content to best meet the needs of your audience.
Q1: Let’s start with a definition. What is long-form content, and what kind of long-form content are you currently creating?
Most of our community members are creating long-form content, but opinions vary on the definition of longform content.
Q1: Let’s start with a definition. What is long form content, and what kind of longform content are you currently creating? #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
Anything at least 1,000 words is a safe bet for being long form, since that allows enough space to dive deep with a topic.
A1: This is one of those terms where definitions can definitely vary! I consider anything over 1,000 words longform. It’s any written content that really gives you room to go in depth and cover a topic in detail. #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
I agree with this definition. For me, long-form content is anything over 1,000 words that is an in-depth look at a topic. #ContentChat https://t.co/JN0USkYhCz
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
Emphasis on the at least above. Many pros (and some research supports) that long form can be well past 1,500 words.
Why do you say 1,000 words? That seems short to me. I would have said twice as much. Not doubting you — just curious. #ContentChat
— David Simanoff (@dsimanoff) May 13, 2019
That’s the minimum, in my opinion. Often, longform is quite a bit longer. But anything under 1,000 is my cutoff. #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A1: I would say that long form is 2,000+, but that it also depends #contentchat
— Kylee Grace Schmuck (@KyleeSchmuck) May 13, 2019
A1: I would define long term content as longer than 1000-1200 words. For my reference, I think of an update on Linked as short-form (up to 1200-1300 words) & anything longer would be consider more long form. Use long form on my blog or instance where I need to detail #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) May 13, 2019
A1: I Googled for an “authoritative answer. Is that cheating? #contentchat https://t.co/0CbAYpQW2G
— Jennifer L. Dawson (@JLDContentQueen) May 13, 2019
Long-form content can take many forms. Blogs, e-books, whitepapers, case studies and testimonials are common assets that will be long form.
A1: My long-form content creation is often blog posts, but I do a good amount of ebooks and white papers as well. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
A1 pt. 2: Most of my clients are primarily using longform for blogging, as a way to improve SEO. Although I do sometimes work on downloadables like ebooks as well. #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A1. I’m mainly into writing long-form blog posts that are actionable. Have worked on some eBooks too, though those weren’t client-related work. #ContentChat
— Masooma // Content Writer (@inkandcopy) May 13, 2019
A1: Long form content goes more “in-depth” on a chosen topic. My clients usually ask for long form content when they want to improve their SEO. I have also worked on case studies and eBooks that were meant as freebies. #contentchat
— sam stevens (@samkickboxes) May 13, 2019
A1: long-form content is exactly what it sounds like, longer (in terms of word count, pages, time, etc) and often more in-depth content. Examples include white papers, e-books, case studies & testimonials (both written and on video). We make all of these. #contentchat
— Brafton (@Brafton) May 13, 2019
A1.
For us long form content
is content that is around
1000+ words or longer.We create long form
content at here at #BentleyU.-research
-case studies
-newsroom articles
-Op-eds
-etc. #ContentChat— Bentley University (@bentleyu) May 13, 2019
Long-form content isn’t exclusively digital. Print media is a valid avenue to explore, including printed booklets.
Are we including print? Admittedly, I’m so single-mindedly web focused… #contentchat https://t.co/QExMMI0Znt
— Jen Brass Jenkins (@chrliechaz) May 13, 2019
ALWAYS include #print. Or at least consider it.
Re-purposing a eBook or whitepaper into a printed booklet that gets mailed is probably the best way to get your content noticed.. and read.
#ContentChat— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) May 13, 2019
I’d add repurposing a presentation deck and script into a piece of long-form content is also a solid move. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
Love that you’re still thinking direct mail. I’ve had some great results with EDDM that I can’t replicate on digital. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) May 13, 2019
Q2: Why should you include long-form content in your content strategy?
The data shows that longer pieces drive results.
A2: Research shows blog posts over 1,000 words get more shares, Longer pieces convert 30-50% better. And posts over 1,000 words dominate page one in Google. Average word for the top spot: 1890. #contentchat
Sources all included here: https://t.co/X5JF1UIKl0
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
Why does long-form content perform better? Your audience and prospective buyers needs analysis on topics that matter to them and help them make informed decisions. Long-form content is your chance to provide an in-depth exploration of a topic and establish yourself as a thought leader.
A2: Longform content allows you to show your expertise on a topic, and provide your audience with a more in-depth exploration of a topic that helps meet their needs. #ContentChat https://t.co/QsIiqoq1lw
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
A2: Expertise! Long form content is a great way to show thought leadership over a subject. #contentchat
— sam stevens (@samkickboxes) May 13, 2019
A2: If your audience wants it, you should include it. Also, I like to use it for gated content – write a short-form teaser, and gate the long form. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) May 13, 2019
A2.
Long-form content allows you
to dig deeper and it allows you to
demonstrate your voice/thought leadership.You have more room for storytelling and in-depth analysis. #contentchat
— Bentley University (@bentleyu) May 13, 2019
A2: Long-form allows you to go more into detail (good ways to show your knowledge and expertise) on the subject #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) May 13, 2019
A2. You need long-form content in your strategy to give detailed insights to your readers. Long-form is one of the best ways to solve your audience’s problem properly, addressing each part of it in detail. #contentchat
— Masooma // Content Writer (@inkandcopy) May 13, 2019
A2. If you think of it as “thought leadership,” and not simply as “longform content,” it becomes an essential part of any content strategy. #ContentChat https://t.co/aoTTjzHLiW
— David Simanoff (@dsimanoff) May 13, 2019
A2. Why long-form #content:
Establish thought-leadership.
Establish trust via education.
Mid-to bottom funnel when prospects are going deep.
#ContentChat— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) May 13, 2019
There are SEO benefits to long-form content as well.
A2: Long form addresses different audience needs than short form. I use long form for pillar content that is evergreen on our site. It’s also excellent for SEO. #contentchat https://t.co/GeNvYfz0x4
— Jen Brass Jenkins (@chrliechaz) May 13, 2019
A2: Higher search rankings, online visibility (links and social shares), proof of expertise, meaty asset to promote. #contentchat
— Shelly Lucas (@pisarose) May 13, 2019
Q3: What are some examples of long-form content that makes sense at different stages of the buyer’s journey?
At the top of the funnel, educational blogs are key to building your SEO and making initial connections with people involved in your space.
A3: For the awareness stage: educational 101 articles are good for those just starting to learn about your industry and products. And they’re also good for #SEO and raising your online visibility as experts. #ContentChat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A3: informational and beginner-level blogs can be great for the top-of-the-funnel. Ebooks often help a little later in the buyer’s journey. Case studies, and testimonials (especially) are great to close because they can help inform that final purchasing decision #contentchat
— Brafton (@Brafton) May 13, 2019
A3: It seems like there’s a wide-open market for making instructional videos more entertaining. If a consumer is going to YouTube to see how to install a carseat or put together a piece of furniture or tech, it would be fabulous if it delighted them creatively, too. #ContentChat
— Cortez Brothers (@cortezbrothers) May 13, 2019
Middle of the funnel content should provide more in-depth analysis and details. That can include webinars and e-books, which you can choose to be gated (we discuss this more later in Q4 and Q5).
A3 pt. 3 And ebooks or other downloadable longform content help you identify the leads serious enough about buying to share with sales. And case studies help make the case to those on the cusp of purchase. #ContentChat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A3b: I like to have my webinars be more middle of the funnel to help move the buyer along through making the case to purchase. I’ve had them as top of the funnel, but they no longer seem to be great as an initial point of contact. #ContentChat https://t.co/mP5CS5Ip5B
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
A3: Great for gated content where you have the teaser, and they present more based on goals. I see lots of examples depending on where the customer is. A prospect only needs something to pique their interest & then give them more as needed #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) May 13, 2019
A3.
Different kinds of
long-form content:-Educational articles
-Educational tutorials
-Product/Service comparisons
-Product/Service how-tos
-Product/Service Q&A
-Case Studies
-Testimonials
-Ebooks#ContentChat— Bentley University (@bentleyu) May 13, 2019
The bottom of the funnel needs buyer’s guides, product comparisons, sample RFPs, case studies and other content that will help your prospects make a business case for your product.
A3: pt. 2 For those at the research stage, in depth buyer’s guides and product comparisons help people almost ready to buy make more informed purchasing decisions and position you as an authority in the industry. #ContentChat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A3a: At the bottom of the funnel, buyer’s guides with checklists and sample RFPs can work well. At the top of the funnel, 101 guides and research reports are often top performers. #ContentChat https://t.co/LLnfxDgBh5
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
A3. At the bottom of the funnel, you need to provide content that will help people make a business case for your product or service. Your reader will probably have to get money from a boss. This will probably require longform content, e.g., case studies. #ContentChat https://t.co/Ydk7KrynJw
— David Simanoff (@dsimanoff) May 13, 2019
A3: When buyers are ready to make a decision, the content you create should talk about benefits. Case studies and testimonials are all great for this stage. #contentchat
— sam stevens (@samkickboxes) May 13, 2019
Q4: Should you gate your long-form content? Why/why not?
The community agrees that you should gate some of your long-form content, but not all of it.
Q4: Should you gate your long-form content? Why/why not? #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
Start with the goals of your content and the value that the piece adds, and then decide if gating the content is the right approach. Keep in mind that keeping content ungated will help your SEO.
A4: It depends. Longform’s value for SEO means that some of it should remain publicly available on your website. But gated content still has a role to play for lead generation. #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A4 pt. 2: Make sure you understand the goal for each piece of content you create. Whether to gate depends on what you want to achieve #contentchat
More info on this: https://t.co/XbeE6Zdnv4
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A4: The answer to that depends on the goals of that content, and your audience. (I need to copy and paste this response somewhere.) I’ll generally gate mid-funnel and later content so I can market more directly to those folks. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) May 13, 2019
A4: Many reasons but here are two examples 1) generating interest and driving traffic to your specific blog or site 2) gathering data (email signup) to then give the long-form content #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) May 13, 2019
A4: It depends on the goals of the content, the value it offers, and who exactly you’re treating to reach. #contentchat
— Brafton (@Brafton) May 13, 2019
Exactly. Just because long-form content is time-intensive (& more expensive) to create, doesn’t mean all of it should be gated. #ContentChat
— Shelly Lucas (@pisarose) May 13, 2019
A4: Where to gate #content:
AWARENESS: no
LEAD GEN: yes
BOF: no, be proactive, send it out instead
#ContentChat— Tod Cordill (@todcordill) May 13, 2019
If you gate your content, there has to be a legitimate value for the audience. If the content is rich with analysis, you can gate it to secure lead details.
A4 Who really benefits from gated content? The biz gets the person’s contact info and data, and person gets … a white paper. Methinks there needs to be more quid pro quo if you gate content. An additional discount, perhaps? #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) May 13, 2019
You’re discounting the value of content. Really good long-form content has intrinsic value. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) May 13, 2019
I haven’t seen this, but it’s a promising idea. Maybe if you get to the end and there’s a 10% discount code or something? #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
Just seems like, in the age of GDPR, et al, that content consumers get a raw deal from gated offers. Especially the way the info they give up is typically used. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) May 13, 2019
A3. Blog posts shouldn’t be gated in my opinion. These are for getting your audience’s attention so gating them doesn’t make sense. However, other long-form content such as downloadable content, eBooks, case studies, etc can be gated. This helps capture lead details #contentchat
— Masooma // Content Writer (@inkandcopy) May 13, 2019
Q5: How do I know what kind of long-form content merits being gated?
Building on the answers to Q4, assess the goals of your content and where each piece of content fits with the buyer’s journey. Someone in the exploration phases likely won’t want to provide their contact information. And if you need to drive traffic to your site, gated content may not be in your best interest.
A5: A few factors to consider here. First, where your lead is in the buyer’s journey. If they’re just starting to learn about your products and their value, they probably aren’t ready to hand over personal information, or invested enough to read a 4,000 word ebook. #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A5. This depends on where your buyers are in their journey. If you’re preparing content for those further along in the funnel, then you can gate it. Also, make sure you’ve enough non-gated content to capture attention and move your prospects further down the funnel #ContentChat
— Masooma // Content Writer (@inkandcopy) May 13, 2019
A5: This comes back to the goals of your content and what you want to accomplish with gated content. Do you want to get people to sign up? Drive more traffic etc? #ContentChat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) May 13, 2019
Gated content needs a significant value add for the audience, including original statistics, actionable advice, detailed examples or unique insights.
A5 pt. 2. Next, is your content valuable enough? You need to offer something they won’t find with a simple Google search. That could mean original statistics based on new research, actionable advice based on detailed examples, or unique insights from expert sources. #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A5: we’ve all input our contact info into a form, in exchange for what was promised to be a comprehensive piece of content that instead ended up being promotional fluff. To merit gating, it needs to provide real WIIFM and value to the user. #ContentChat https://t.co/N6o8zOQjtE
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
We’ve also all put our contact info into a form and then got sales emails that weren’t relevant to us. If you *do* gate, make sure you have a good plan for what to do with that information! #ContentChat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A5: It depends on the perceived value–and how unique the content is. If prospects can get similar better content elsewhere, why should they register for it? #contentchat
— Shelly Lucas (@pisarose) May 13, 2019
And whatever you gate, make sure it’s worth the while for the person who’s willing to offer their information to get it. It’s so annoying when you fill out a form expecting something really good, only to be disappointed. #ContentChat
— Roselle Cronan (@MahoutMkt) May 13, 2019
A good question to ask yourself: would I be willing to put promotion budget behind this? If not, the content probably isn’t valuable enough to gate.
A5 pt. 3: And finally, is it worth putting real promotion effort behind? It can’t just be worth an investment from them, it has to be worth one from you. #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
Q6: What are some ways I can get more out of my long-form content once it’s published?
Repurposing and reusing your content is an essential element of any content strategy, and it should be planned from the start of the content creation.
A6: Create a promotion plan before you ever write it. Share it on your social platforms, with your email list, and on your website. Consider using paid search and social. And feature experts who will help promote it. #contentchat
More on this: https://t.co/7pA0vrmKHS
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A6: I like to create my long-form content with the repurposing I’m going to do from it in mind. #contentchat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
You can: repurpose the content for video or an infograph, share the content in newsletters, promote the piece on social media, break your long-form piece into smaller chunks for a blog or quote cards on social, discuss the content in a podcast or webinar, and more.
A6: Some of the most useful long-form content is in the how-to realm. When there are both video and text/graphic instructions in a single post, it can become a multi-platform go-to resource for consumers in niche pockets (home improvement, tech installation, etc.) #contentchat
— Cortez Brothers (@cortezbrothers) May 13, 2019
A6: Reshare and repurpose. Send it to your newsletter, do a subscriber push, share it on social. Turn an eBook into a video, or into a twitter chat, or a webinar. There are so many possibilities #contentchat
— Brafton (@Brafton) May 13, 2019
A6: Strategy for me depends on the type of content. Ebooks and whitepapers I tend to create additional assets around for social promotion. Things like extra graphics, videos or animations, etc. #contentchat
— Kylee Grace Schmuck (@KyleeSchmuck) May 13, 2019
A6. Repurpose it once it is published. Make it usable for other social channels. That’s the number one on my mind. #ContentChat
— Masooma // Content Writer (@inkandcopy) May 13, 2019
A6: If it ends up being an A+ piece of content, consider repurposing it. You could take that topic and create content like webinars or infographics for people who are more visual. #contentchat
— sam stevens (@samkickboxes) May 13, 2019
A6: Take your long form content and make short form content out of it! I go back to my belief that if you haven’t used a piece of content 3x, you haven’t gotten the ROI out of it. Goes double for long form. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) May 13, 2019
A6: Long form is a gold mine for repurposing. Smaller chunks can be used to promote on social. We do a lot of teasers across our site for related content. #contentchat https://t.co/bEAPYjAiKc
— Jen Brass Jenkins (@chrliechaz) May 13, 2019
A6. Not all readers like longform content, so remember to break out useful, timely information in different formats. A meaty ebook might be the basis for blog posts, infographics, webinars, social media posts, podcasts, and more. #ContentChat https://t.co/UECRCv65SJ
— David Simanoff (@dsimanoff) May 13, 2019
Q7: What are some common mistakes content marketers make when it comes to long-form content?
Some common mistakes include not having a promotion plan or putting enough effort toward promoting the content…
A7: Putting a lot of effort into creating it, but not enough into promoting it. A common mistake with all types of content, in my opinion, but one that’s worse with content that requires a lot more work. #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A7: No plan for how, when, and where they are going to share it. #contentchat
— sam stevens (@samkickboxes) May 13, 2019
Yes! Parking your content on a blog and depending on the magic of organic search (and nothing else) ain’t gonna cut it!
— Jennifer L. Dawson (@JLDContentQueen) May 13, 2019
Underestimating the resource intensity of great long-form content…
A7a: The biggest mistake I see with long-form content is trying to create it in-house without having the right talents (and time commitment) on the team to do so. #ContentChat https://t.co/dnH51tt6EJ
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
A7. Some mistakes I’ve noticed include:
-Not maintaining publishing consistency
-Not investing resources in the visual aspect on the content
-Not having goals or distribution strategy in place
-Not repurposing or refreshing it later on #contentchat— Masooma // Content Writer (@inkandcopy) May 13, 2019
Failing to provide enough value for the audience (especially with gated content), or writing the content with the wrong audience in mind…
A7 pt 2, And based on earlier answers here about gated content, not making it valuable enough for what you’re asking people to give up! #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A7b: The other big mistake is creating “me too” content that your audience can easily get anywhere. It’s important to understand what unique data, subject matter expertise, and tools you have at your disposal that your readers don’t. #ContentChat https://t.co/UTHiufgx6W
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
A7. One mistake I see frequently is little respect for the reader’s time. If I read marketing copy of any length, I expect to come away with valuable business information. I’m not reading your copy for pleasure — and you’re a marketer, not the New Yorker. #ContentChat https://t.co/b3eFHY3uCb
— David Simanoff (@dsimanoff) May 13, 2019
A7: I think the biggest one is just that there’s no unique angle. It’s just a ‘so what?’ – No unique perspective, research or data #contentchat
— Kylee Grace Schmuck (@KyleeSchmuck) May 13, 2019
Writing for their executives approval, not the customer
— Daniel Bliley (@Pharaohbly) May 13, 2019
A7: Overselling mediocre gated content. If I’m going to give you my info, that piece better be good. If not, I will not only unsubscribe, but I’ll tell others as well. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) May 13, 2019
A7: Not focusing on the needs of the customer. Creating content that centers the product rather than providing an answer to a prospect’s problem. #ContentChat https://t.co/DnnffTf3K9
— Marion Branch (@Branchout_coms) May 13, 2019
Trying to trendjack a topic that isn’t in your brand’s wheelhouse…
A7a: Creating in-depth content on a topic that’s popular (read: a buzzword) but that’s not really in your wheelhouse. Readers will be able to tell that you’re just trying to trend, and not really sharing valuable, well-researched info that you know well. #contentchat
— Brafton (@Brafton) May 13, 2019
Not repurposing the content so that it reaches your audiences in their preferred channels…
A7 Common mistake is creating one asset. Long-form content is not one-and-done. Find ways to break it up, repurpose, and remold it. Get as much use from LFC as you can. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) May 13, 2019
A7b: I think many forget to re-share and repurpose. They send it out once and forget about it. Especially if the content is evergreen, it’s so worth publishing and sending it out more than once. Get the reach your content deserves! #contentchat
— Brafton (@Brafton) May 13, 2019
Or trying to take a short-form topic and make it long-form.
Determining the wrong length. IMO, great long-form content works if it doesn’t read like long-form content. We have to fight to attract attention, much less keep it. A7 #ContentChat
— Roselle Cronan (@MahoutMkt) May 13, 2019
A side question that arose: are writers usually stronger with either short-form or long-form content, but not both? The community thinks they tend to be separate skills.
Q7 Excellent question and I pose another: Can long form writers, in y’alls experience also create good short form pieces? Or is it harder? #contentchat Someone recently told they believed that… https://t.co/laXB98QJMG
— Jen Brass Jenkins (@chrliechaz) May 13, 2019
This is an interesting question! I do think they tend to be separate skills. I’m definitely more skilled in research-focused longform writing than shorter, pithier writing. Don’t call me when you need help with a tagline #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
I agree to some extent. You can be good at both, but it does take practice. #ContentChat
— Roselle Cronan (@MahoutMkt) May 13, 2019
I think some writers can do both. I’m not asked to do lengthier pieces as often (usually under 1,000 words), but when I ghostwrite bylined articles for clients, some of those can be more like 1,500 words and up. #contentchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) May 13, 2019
A7: When I was able to build out an entire content team from scratch, I hired a long-form writer and a demand gen writer, and had my content marketing managers doing typical blog posts. It did seem to be its own unique skill set. #ContentChat https://t.co/210kStIZuQ
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
Q8: Share your examples of long-form content that was so good you would gladly give your contact information for it again.
When you’re developing your long-form content approach, consider these recommendations as examples to model after.
A8: Most of my favorites aren’t gated. Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO was invaluable to me when starting out: https://t.co/nRDcvcVcuw #ContentChat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A8 pt 2: And I always appreciate good longform research pieces like the ones @Ahrefs and @Backlinko often publish. #ContentChat
Some examples:https://t.co/Ec2C1UG7VFhttps://t.co/7a3EMKe8fa— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A8: And it’s old now, but I appreciated @Freshbooks ebook about charging by project rather than hourly back when it came out and I was more of a newbie freelancer https://t.co/1eCRPn8BT8
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
A8: By our definitions, most of the content on the @CMIContent blog is long-form content. And it is such great content I would happily pay for a monthly subscription. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
I have to say that @WIRED mag’s content is some of my fave as well as @HarvardBiz and they are both gated. And SOOOOO worth it. #contentchat https://t.co/bzgblgdtT2
— Jen Brass Jenkins (@chrliechaz) May 13, 2019
At least @HarvardBiz gives you a few articles per month before enforcing the gate. I think Wired does, too.
I’m not big on paywalls – you can’t subscribe to EVERY publication you want to read. #contentchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) May 13, 2019
A8: Generally, I find anything that @HubSpot puts out in long form worth giving up your info. #contentchat
— John Cloonan (@johncloonan) May 13, 2019
A8: This really comes down to who created the content and how much trust I have in them before I will give my info…couple examples of great content already @MeetEdgar @SMExaminer or @CMIContent #contentchat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) May 13, 2019
You can also use a WordPress plug-in to develop estimated read times for your content.
Some of the articles in @FastCompany can run long, but are worth the read. And I appreciate the time estimates in case I do or don’t have the availability to read them. #ContentChat
— Roselle Cronan (@MahoutMkt) May 13, 2019
Are there any WordPress plugins that can help with that? I am a fast reader and never have any idea as to how long it would take someone to read a piece I’ve written. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
We don’t use them at my work, but there is a WP plugin available: https://t.co/pKf8XGsGQ1
— Roselle Cronan (@MahoutMkt) May 13, 2019
Q9: In our final minutes of #contentchat please feel free to ask any Qs you have about creating and promoting long-form content!
Pet peeves with long-form content? Walls of text, a faceless brand voice, no supportive research, and poor writing (typos, sloppy sentences).
Similar to Q7, but what is your biggest pet peeve with long form content? #contentchat
— Kylee Grace Schmuck (@KyleeSchmuck) May 13, 2019
Walls of text all from a faceless brand voice of god. I like long-form content with a person’s byline, with a real POV, and with design elements that make it skimmable. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Marketing Consultant (@SFerika) May 13, 2019
Great question…mine is way too much copy without any creative support elements. #contentchat
— Bernie Fussenegger #Digital360Chat (@B2the7) May 13, 2019
Mine would be little to no supportive research in the content and an emphasis on the pronoun ‘I’. #contentchat
— Masooma // Content Writer (@inkandcopy) May 13, 2019
Mostly just if it’s badly written. Which is especially annoying if the information in the content is good, but they just let a lot of typos and sloppy sentences through. Proofread! #contentchat
— Kristen Hicks (@atxcopywriter) May 13, 2019
It’s SO disappointing when copy is full of typos/sloppiness. It takes away from the flow and meaning of the content. It’s distracting AND annoying. I’ll stop reading – and definitely will NOT share it. #contentChat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) May 13, 2019
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