When discussing long-form content with two content marketers, you’ll likely receive two contrasting viewpoints. One might argue it’s risky, given people’s limited attention spans, while the other might champion it as a powerful tool for engagement, value, and a fulfilling reader experience. The advocate for long-form content has it right. This post will explore:
- What constitutes long-form content?
- Why is long-form content effective?
- Five examples of long-form content
What Is Long-Form Content?
Defining long-form content can be subjective. Some consider 700+ words sufficient, while others require upwards of 1,800. For our purposes, let’s consider 1,200+ words as long-form. Contrary to some marketers’ beliefs, many readers seek substantial articles, and publishers are responding. For instance, Quartz, a business news site, avoids the typical 500-800 word news format. Kevin Delaney, their Editor-in-Chief, believes too many sites adhere to it. He even created the Quartz Curve model, based on article length, to guide their content approach:
Why Does Long-Form Content Work?
We were once skeptics, too, typically publishing around 1,000 words or less with a heavy SEO and keyword focus. The downside? Abundant search traffic, but minimal return visits, direct traffic, brand searches, and low engagement metrics like bounce rate and time on site. Incorporating longer articles into our strategy aimed at boosting engagement proved incredibly successful.
The graph above shows our blog’s average visit duration increasing steadily from late 2012, coinciding with our shift to long-form. While factors like better promotion and unique content played a role, creating in-depth, valuable content for our audience proved highly successful, tripling our average time on site from 1:33 to 4:35. Our longest posts often performed best. For example, our top post last year, “Find Your Old Tweets: How to See Your First (Worst?) Tweet,” at over 2,300 words, garnered over 100,000 views in recent months with an average dwell time of almost 8 minutes! Long-form content can also positively influence search engine ranking. The serpIQ data below shows the top-ranked content at approximately 2,450 words, signifying substantial content.
Search engines aren’t the only ones rewarding long-form; readers respond well too. Medium, a blogging platform, analyzed its top-performing articles based on average time on page relative to length and average reading time. Their findings suggest the ideal blog post is around 1,600 words, taking seven minutes to read:
Content length can also depend on the topic. ViperChill, a marketing blog, analyzed average word counts for blog posts across various industries, revealing interesting insights:
5 Examples of Excellent Long-Form Content
Now that we’re (mostly) on the same page, let’s examine examples of great long-form content. While journalism often exemplifies this (e.g., image-rich features in The New York Times), these cases illustrate how brands and marketers can leverage long-form content for traffic, leads, and brand building.
1. IBM – ‘Memphis P.D. Case Study’
“Big Data” has become a ubiquitous yet often misused term in tech. While many claim to embrace it, few can provide concrete examples of its practical application for improving lives. IBM, a major player in big data, recognized this gap and created a case study showcasing how it helped the Memphis police department. Instead of boasting about its technology or overwhelming readers with technical jargon, IBM opted for storytelling. They highlighted the challenges faced by Larry Godwin, Director of Police Services for the Memphis P.D (PDF), who grappled with budget constraints, rising crime, and public skepticism. Just as effective ads address customer pain points, the case study outlines Godwin’s struggles before demonstrating how IBM’s predictive analytics helped the police identify crime hotspots – connections officers might have missed.
Why It Works
IBM understood a dry corporate piece wouldn’t attract customers or generate interest in predictive analytics. People care about results, not just the technology itself. By illustrating the real-world impact on Memphis residents, IBM emphasized the potential of predictive analytics through a relatable human-interest story.
2. Chevrolet – 100 Years of Icons
Brands often provide some of the best long-form content examples, like Chevrolet’s “100 Years of Icons,” a nostalgic journey through a century of this iconic American brand. Starting in 1914 with the Royal Mail Roadster, the article chronicles not only automotive advancements but also Chevrolet’s unique place in American culture. Striking visuals of iconic models like the El Camino, Camaro, and Corvette complement the surprisingly concise text.
Why It Works
This piece cleverly caters to car enthusiasts with detailed specifications (horsepower, cylinder count, original price) while reinforcing the idea of longevity, both for the brand and its vehicles. By guiding readers through its history, Chevrolet appeals to the desire for a reliable yet stylish car in an informative and entertaining way.
3. Patagonia – Climbing in Iceland with Loki the Deceiver
Patagonia truly understands long-form content. While just another activewear brand, Patagonia’s content strategy sets it apart. Posts like this demonstrate how engaging long-form content can be compelling and build brand affinity. In “Climbing in Iceland with Loki the Deceiver,” Kitty Calhoun, founder of Chicks Climb, a women’s ice and rock climbing organization, recounts her expedition with three others into the Icelandic wilderness. The post, resembling a professional travelogue, features stunning photos capturing Iceland’s beauty and mystique. Far from glorifying a glamorous adventure, Calhoun’s account reveals the hardships they endured: harsh weather, risky climbs, and the fear of the unknown – elements of a captivating narrative.
Why It Works
Patagonia recognizes the power of immersive experiences in building credibility and resonating with their target audience’s adventurous spirit. This post isn’t about selling; Patagonia’s apparel isn’t even mentioned. Instead, it showcases the lives of their customers, appealing to their drive and desire for challenges. The result is a captivating read, even for non-outdoorsy types. Even the author bio is strategic. Calhoun, a “Patagonia ambassador,” reinforces the image of their customers as bold explorers who genuinely endorse the brand, not just buyers.
4. Quick Sprout – The Definitive Guide to Growth Hacking
Neil Patel, co-founder of KISSmetrics and Crazy Egg, is a startup growth expert. In our fourth example, he and co-author Bronson Taylor offer a comprehensive guide to everything they know about growth hacking. This 10-chapter eBook, available online or as a PDF, delves into various growth hacking aspects, from pull/push tactics and the growth hacker funnel to engagement and retention. It goes beyond explaining concepts, providing actionable examples for readers to implement, making it highly valuable.
Why It Works
Patel and Bronson chose to share their knowledge freely. They could have gated the guide behind a lead generation form but opted for accessibility, a crucial consideration for content creators. As one of the lengthier examples, it shows their commitment to providing comprehensive information, choosing the ideal format rather than squeezing it into a blog post or compromising depth. Finally, their expertise lends credibility, further establishing them as thought leaders in the startup space.
5. Airbnb – 2012 Annual Report
Annual reports are typically dull, but Airbnb took a refreshing approach to showcasing their impressive growth with an interactive annual report. This proves even mundane corporate documents can transform into engaging long-form content. At first glance, it might not seem like long-form, but it’s a treasure trove of data about the company’s expansion. Beyond investor-focused information, it features real stories from Airbnb users, both travelers and hosts. Embedded audio and images of users sharing their experiences allow readers to scroll through the company’s 2012-2013 journey, showcasing the positive impact and cultural exchanges facilitated by Airbnb.
Why It Works
This piece succeeds by transforming a traditionally boring document into an interactive growth story. Visually engaging and informative, it doesn’t sacrifice essential data. Including user stories adds a much-needed human element. For a business centered around people and travel, statistics alone wouldn’t suffice. Airbnb chose to show investors the impact on people’s lives, not just tell them. Hopefully, this post has sparked ideas for your content projects and highlighted why long-form content deserves a central place in your content strategy.