Short-form content like emails, blog posts, and case studies are likely the crux of your content marketing strategy, but what about long-form content? Whether it’s an ebook, white paper, or guidebook, long-form content can be the crown jewel in your collection. The benefits extend beyond lead generation: with the extra word count inherent to long-form content, you can demonstrate authority in a subject matter, provide more value to your readers, and become a trusted source on the topic of your choice over time.
It can also serve as the launch pad for other campaigns and initiatives. You might use it as inspiration for a webinar or speaking event, pull graphics and stats to share on social media, or simply post it online to generate buzz. Long-form content is a great tool to build awareness of your business and can bring excellent return on investment.
But not all long-form content is made equal: no marketer wants to publish a stodgy, text-heavy white paper that’s consistently abandoned after page one, but we’ve all regrettably stumbled upon one. How can you ensure your content doesn’t fall into this category? In our experience, there are a few essential elements that, when taken into account, can help your long-form content win over attention spans and compel your audience to stay tuned in until the very end.
The perfect tone
The tone of a piece makes an important first impression, either compelling readers to read on or move on. To build trust with your audience, avoid overtly salesy or self-promotional language. In lead generation pieces, it’s typically best to avoid mentioning your business until the final call to action. This isn’t the time to close a sale; it’s a chance to establish authority and provide value to the reader. On the other hand, if your long-form content is intended for a down-funnel audience, it may make sense to dive deeper into your offerings. But still, it’s best to avoid selling too shamelessly and disgruntling your readers. Ideally, you’ll present your brand, product, or service in an objective way that invites readers to make conclusions for themselves about whether or not you’re a good fit.
Beyond avoiding salesy language, make sure your tone and word choice resonates with your audience. If you’re making a thought leadership ebook for C-suite executives, you should sound elevated and knowledgeable. If you’re writing for a technical audience, the content should match their level of expertise—and vice versa for a nontechnical audience. This is essential for keeping your audience engaged until the very end and creating a feeling of mutual understanding.
Relevance to your readers
It’s not enough to know who your intended audience is; you need to know what matters to them to capture their attention. Consider this scenario: you oversee marketing for a website security company and want to grow brand awareness among startups. An ebook about website security might be a natural fit, but maybe a portion of your target audience hasn’t even launched their website yet. A step-by-step guide for building an ecommerce site might be more useful. This topic would provide you a chance to weave in website security tips while also creating an excellent opportunity to build positive brand associations with prospects who don’t yet need your service—but likely will eventually.
Remember: if your objective is lead generation, your best performing content won’t be about your product or service. Most people don’t want to read 4,000 words about your website security solutions, and that’s okay. Use this knowledge to your advantage. By slowly building a relationship, you’re positioning yourself for success later on. You’ll become a trusted resource in readers’ minds as a result, and hopefully a trusted partner in time.
An original perspective
Everyone brings a unique perspective to the table. A chef would likely have different thoughts on how to create a winning restaurant than the front-of-house staff, but both perspectives are equally valuable. Think about the perspective you offer. What makes your business qualified to produce content on this topic? What experience or knowledge do you have that might be useful to your reader? Use the answers to these questions to generate an angle for your piece.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to rely exclusively on your perspective. Conduct research before you write, cull stats from reputable sources, and learn how others view the topic to substantiate your claims and strengthen your argument. By including external research, you’ll show your audience that your content is reputable and lay that essential foundation of trust.
Strong design and readability
Excellent design is even more essential for keeping readers engaged with long-form content than short-form. After investing considerable time and effort into writing your deliverable, the last thing you want is someone to stop reading a few paragraphs in because it’s not appealing to the eye.
Rather than pages of uninterrupted text, make your content skimmable and digestible. Frequent headers and subheaders help readers find sections that are most relevant to them, and offsetting stats and quotes in the layout or calling them out with a bold font style can underscore their importance. Wherever possible, break up large paragraphs into smaller chunks, and pepper in graphics and photos for variety.
Level up your content marketing strategy
Now it’s time to put these takeaways into action. Create an outline for that idea that’s been swirling around in your head, schedule some SME interviews to glean more insight, and start writing.
Need help brainstorming ideas, crafting content, or designing the finished product? The writing team at MarketSmiths Content Strategists has produced hundreds of ebooks, white papers, and more and would be happy to help. Get in touch today for a content partner that delivers on brand copy every time.
