Choosing the ideal content format for your brand's marketing strategy can be challenging.
For starters, you have to consider the purpose of your content marketing tactics to make the right decision. You also have to be hyper-aware of your target audience's wants and needs. Plus, you must optimise each post to ensure it has the highest chance of appealing to your future customers.
And, of course, the challenge of choosing the ideal content format isn't just about picking between blogging, video production, or something else. You also have to consider content length. Unfortunately, there's a lot of conflicting information regarding how long and detailed your posts need to be.
So, if you're on the fence between investing in short-form vs. long-form content and want to know which to use and when, here's a guide to answer all your questions.
The line where a short piece becomes long-form content can be fuzzy.
If you look at data from a few years ago, the line was drawn at the 800-word mark, making anything longer than that an in-depth article. Nowadays, with the average blog post length being 1,427 words, it's clear that for a piece to qualify as long-form, it needs to go into much more depth than any other resources covering the same topic.
Fortunately, word counts don't matter if you're investing in video or audio content. If you choose to produce and distribute the former, anything below the 10-minute mark will count as short-form and anything over it as long-form. As for podcasts, the consensus is that an episode becomes long-form once it passes the 30-minute point.
Now that you understand the (fuzzy) distinction between shorter and longer pieces, it's time to consider how each option can benefit you and your brand.
Short and long-form content perform in different ways. Both can lead to outcomes that are beneficial to your business. Nonetheless, you will require a precise idea of what you want to achieve to choose the best format for your needs.
"Short and long-form content perform in different ways."
If you intend to primarily invest in blog posts, longer may be better.
According to several studies conducted by Backlinko, long-form articles get 77.2% more shares than their short-form counterparts. Furthermore, the average Google first page result is 1,447 words long (showing that ranking high on SERPS requires sufficient detail to answer audience questions). And if you're trying to generate organic traffic, Semrush's research suggests that creating a 3,000+ word article tends to yield the best results.
"...long-form articles get 77.2% more shares than their short-form counterparts."
However, if you're investing in multimedia formats like videos and podcasts, shorter pieces may help you get better results.
Wyzowl's research suggests that 30-60 seconds is the sweet spot for video marketing. Riverside discovered that the average podcast length of 25-30 minutes reflects the typical commute time. However, neither format can yield high user engagement rates if the resource doesn't hook listeners within the first few minutes.
While it would be amazing if we could give you a generalised recommended course of action to answer this question, that approach won't work. Ultimately, the ideal piece length (and format) hugely depends on your target audience's needs, their position in the sales funnel, your preferred outcomes, and the distribution platforms you intend to use.
So, instead of trying to identify the best type of content marketing format, try to work to align your strategy with your goals.
If your content marketing strategy primarily consists of blog posts, you'll want to invest in short and long-form articles. Yes, you could focus on one of the two content types. However, as both offer exceptional benefits, the best thing you can do is distribute your creation efforts between the two choices.
"...you'll want to invest in short and long-form articles."
The primary benefit of investing in short-form written content is that it's a great way to get your point across quickly without wasting your target audience's time. Furthermore, as it usually focuses on communicating a single message, this type of article is an excellent way to quickly convey an important piece of info or direct your audience in the right direction.
"...it's a great way to get your point across quickly without wasting your target audience's time."
For example, check out Prosperity Media's Award-Winning SEO Agency announcement. It's a piece of short-form content meant to inform prospects that the agency received the prestigious Best Agency in Australia award at the Semrush Search Marketing Awards. It's to the point. Informative. Most importantly, it's optimised to rank for the target keyword 'award-winning SEO agency Sydney."
Or, if you look at Whole Wood Cabins, you'll see that the Cabins collection page includes a small content section. The main objective of this piece of text isn't to introduce consumers to the pros and cons of investing in this type of construction. Instead, it's to quickly communicate the brand's offer's strengths and move ready-to-convert prospects to the bottom stage of the sales funnel.
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Source: wholewoodcabins.com
On the other hand, if you know that solving your audience's pain points requires a more in-depth approach, you'll have to take a deep dive into your topic. It's the only way to present your prospects with value and outperform your competitors, who are likely targeting the same search terms as you are.
"...solving your audience's pain points requires a more in-depth approach..."
Producing longer articles allows you to pack them with educational value (which boosts conversions by 131%). They can also be a fantastic content marketing format to build your brand's authority — especially if you can find and hire expert guest writers to contribute to your blog. Plus, they can effectively encourage your target audience to trust your business.
One of the best examples of long-form content comes from Breaking Eighty. In its Best Golf Launch Monitors post, this business provides readers with 4,800+ words of well-researched, data-backed content. Moreover, seeing how it utilizes page-jump links and various visual formatting techniques to boost readability, this is an unmatched resource for those shopping for this type of tech. Finally, note how the brand includes videos in most sections, knowing consumers prefer to watch content than read. This design choice makes the guide highly effective at empowering consumers to make a buying decision.
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Source: breakingeighty.com
When incorporating video in your content marketing efforts, the choice between short and long is slightly more straightforward.
According to Semrush's latest State of Content Marketing Report, 43% of marketers singled out short-form video as the most effective format. And that's not much of a surprise.
"...43% of marketers singled out short-form video as the most effective format."
Shorter videos are the norm on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. They're also highly engaging, entertaining, and, most importantly, shareable.
With this in mind, consider ways to add 60-120-second videos to your strategy. For instance, you could do something similar to Pinch and use these clips to introduce your brand's services and guide them through the booking process.
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Source: bookpinch.com
Of course, the fact that shorter videos perform so well doesn't mean you shouldn't experiment with longer formats. Google's research shows that Gen Zers don't mind immersing themselves in long-form video content. The only prerequisite is that they're passionate about the subject.
"...Gen Zers don't mind immersing themselves in long-form video content."
So, if you want to win over your ideal customers by connecting based on their interests, don't hesitate to produce longer, more detailed video essays or even documentaries.
For example, Patagonia does this beautifully on its YouTube channel. By creating short films on subjects its target audience cares about, it doesn't just provide followers with well-made content. Even more, it encourages consumers to get immersed in the active lifestyle it represents, ensuring that each prospective buyer associates an active, explorative lifestyle with the Patagonia brand.
The Meaningless Pursuit of Snow | Patagonia Films
Source: youtube.com
When choosing whether to invest in short or long-form content, don't forget to consider the versatility of longer videos.
With the right editing techniques and tools, you can transform lengthy resources into snackable content for TikTok and other social media channels. Furthermore, these short excerpts from your long-form video content can be an effective hook for instantly engaging viewers (and getting them to consume a more in-depth resource), which is what Mailchimp does in the example below.
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Source: instagram.com
Finally, as you consider the pros and cons of investing in short-form vs. long-form content, it's essential that you know how to make the right choice (length-wise) with any format your brand employs. Generally, a good rule of thumb is to consider your target audience's desired outcome.
"...a good rule of thumb is to consider your target audience's desired outcome."
For example, your prospects might need entertainment that will allow them to make their commute go by more quickly. In that case, doing something similar to Nutrition Diva and presenting them with audio content that entertains and educates them could be the right choice for your business. This content creator does a marvelous job of using 10 to 25-minute podcast episodes to present listeners with handy tips on improving their eating habits. The shorter format is perfect for on-the-go listening. And the language used is ideal for non-expert listeners, making this an excellent type of content for maximising brand reach and engagement.
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Source: quickanddirtytips.com
On the other hand, if your target audience needs to solve a pain point, you can help them accomplish the goal with short and long-form resources.
"...if your target audience needs to solve a pain point, you can help them accomplish the goal with short and long-form resources."
For example, an interactive tool or calculator — like the one below by Strength Level — can be a great way to provide instant answers based on a few pieces of customer-provided information. They're a superb way to quickly solve consumer needs and capture leads.
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Source: strengthlevel.com
However, if your audience's questions revolve around more niche topics, creating a long-form webinar may be the better option for your brand. You'll still achieve the same results. However, the longer time frame you have to interact with prospects will give you the opportunity to provide more value. It will improve your potential client's understanding of the topic. And it will maximise your brand's credibility and industry authority.
As you can see, short-form and long-form content both need to have a place in your content strategy. How you choose between the two depends on your goals and audience.
So, to ensure the best possible results, do your best to approach your content production and distribution efforts tactically. Do your research. Prioritise quality and user value over word count. And don't forget to analyse each piece of content to discover opportunities for improvement for your future endeavors.
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