Scour the net and you will find ‘countless’ content pieces on…
1. Reasons why longer content is better (for example here, here and here)
2. Why longer content is better for rankings (for example here, here and here)
3. Statistics / case studies with evidence on why longer content is better (for example here, here and here).
BUT…
What about ‘3 Plain English’ reasons why longer content is better?
And that is ‘3 reasons’ that you can easily:
Absorb
Understand
Motivate yourself (and each time)…
To Take Action on…
And focus on what truly matters and that is:
Content Marketing that Maximises Return on Investment.
And now (without further hesitation) let’s dive straight into it and discuss……
3 Plain English Reasons Why Longer Content is Better!
Longer Content Allows Greater Topic Focus
We breathe.
We live.
We stop breathing (and die).
Cruel? No.
Reality? Yes.
But the point (and we know you want it quickly) is…
By focusing on longer content, you immediately ‘narrow your focus’ to the:
– Hot (e.g. Google Hot Searches)
– Trendy (e.g. Google Trends), and
– Bigger Picture
Topics in your market that:
REALLY matter.
Gone are the
days where you simply:
Open your
keyword spreadsheet (eyeballing it)
Choose a
highly searched keyword (most likely with low competition), and
Pump out a
blog post on that keyword (and then rank for it).
Then…
Wash
Rinse
Repeat.
And by focusing
on ‘topics’ (as opposed to keywords) you
can build:
Trust
Respect, and
Authority (the
holy grail of SEO) far quicker.
But what are
Topics??
A topic
is exactly what it sounds like = a broad concept.
A keyword
= component of that concept.
Just think
of your local grocery store as an example…
You have:
1. Produce, Meat and Dairy (at the highest level)
Then within ‘produce’ you have:
2. Fruit and Vegetables (as sub-topics)
And within the sub-topics:
3. Apples and Oranges (are the keywords)
If the difference is still not clear to you between ‘keywords’ and topics – check out this comprehensive explanation by MarketMuse.
But Why
Focus on Topics?
Simple.
The consumer is always changing.
But not
always how you think (as pointed out in this great resource by Deloitte Insights).
But fundamentally
(again as reported by Deloitte here) and from the biggest-picture point
of view they:
1. Have less
time (surprise surprise), and
2. Are more
conscientious (looking not just for more – but the right information!).
Therefore,
by focusing on ‘topics’ (rather than ‘keywords’ you immediately go to):
The top of a
bushy-tree (by focusing on what matters – the big picture topic).
Rather than
your competitors…
Who are more likely to focus on the branches (less important – the keywords).
And the end-result is that by broadening your ‘focus’ on a topic you can create:
Better content that (that is likely to rank for more keywords too)
Resourceful content (that your customers absolutely love), and ultimately
Authority content (key to high rankings in Google).
That is Greater “Topic” Focus discussed (Plain English reason #1 / 3 of why longer content is better) and next let’s discuss why…
Longer Content Solves More Problems!
Longer Content Solves More Problems
That is
obvious.
Every word /
sentence / paragraph (provided it is not fluff):
Gives you
another chance to solve one.
Any by
‘solving more problems’ you are far more likely to be seen as an:
Authority
(by your prospects).
And more
authority = more sales = more revenue.
BUT STOP
FOR A MOMENT.
Because just
because you are going ‘long’ (with the content) does not mean:
You are
solving the right problem.
As the great
Albert Einstein said…
“If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it”
According to Time (read more here) you need to consider the following when solving problems:
Why does the problem need solving?
Establish reasoning first.
Is there a clear need to solve this problem?
This will ensure time is not wasted.
What is the context of solving the problem?
From approaches tried to what others have done to constraints on the solution.
What is the problem statement?
Take answers to all (above) and layout the problem (including scope, requirements of a
solution and who will be involved).
But above all (from the biggest picture) always:
Go straight to the root cause of a problem.
Mind Tools (in this great resource) outline 5 steps to doing this and they are:
Step One: Define the Problem
Step Two: Collect Data
Step Three: Identify Possible Causal Factors
Step Four: Identify the Root Cause(s)
Step Five: Recommend and Implement Solutions.
For brevity purposes the ‘root cause’ of a problem goes beyond this blog post – but again check out more about the process here).
You should note though (as Forbes points out in this resource) – solving the problem ‘permanently’ is key.
Because when
you solve problems permanently:
You learn
from it (as a business)
Alter (the
way you do business), to ultimately
Avoid the
same problems in the future.
Because yes
‘longer content’ definitely gives you a greater chance to solve more problems.
But it is
only when you combine…
Longer
Content with Solving More of the Right Problems
And
ideally (permanently)
That you can
truly ‘win’ with your long content marketing strategy!
That is “Problem Solving” discussed (Plain English reason #2 / 3 of why longer content is better) and finally let’s discuss why…
Longer Content Creates Evergreen Content!
Longer Content Creates Evergreen Content
The beauty of evergreen content is that it is not ‘time sensitive’ and will remain relevant regardless of:
Time
Date, or
Year (at some point in the future).
Buzz Sumo reports on six benefits of evergreen content here but essentially its number 1 benefit is that it’s:
Valuable long after it is released.
This is much
like a plant that keeps its green leaves all year around (how the ‘evergreen’
name came about).
And Longer Content is More Likely to Lead to Evergreen Content.
But…
Of course, only when you have mastered:
The ‘80% of Copywriting’ (discussed in this top blog post)
Followed the ‘3 Golden Keys to Success in Copywriting’ (discussed in this top blog post), and ultimately
Solved the ‘right problems’ (discussed earlier in this blog post).
But what
does the data say??
Neil Patel points out in this data-driven guide about why 3,000+ word blog posts not only get more traffic but:
Set you up as the authority (to win)
Generate leads (for a longer timeframe), and ultimately creates
‘Beautiful’ and ‘timeless’ evergreen content.
And as Neil Patel says (again in this data-driven guide) long-form content allows you to:
Go further (beyond just scratching the surface of a problem)
Beat your competition (who only focus on short-form content), and ultimately
Provide enormous value (without ‘wasting’ any words!).
How Do You Go About Crafting a Winning Piece of Evergreen Content?
Any piece of content can be evergreen but some great examples of ‘evergreen content format’ (in this guide by Backlinko) are:
Ultimate Guides (covering the most important elements of the topic)
List Posts (top 3, 5 or 10 for example)
Case Studies (evidence something happened)
Videos (can accumulate more views for many years after going live)
Checklists (an extremely valuable resource)
How-to Guides (always work).
These formats are a great starting point in your ‘quest’ for evergreen content.
But again (absolutely any piece of content)…
Short
Long, or
Whatever Format…
Can be evergreen!
But remember
(and this is a biggie):
Just because you ‘hit’ publish and have poured hours (and maybe even thousands into it) does not mean…
Parts of your ‘evergreen content’ will never go out of date.
Always ensure you do a content audit ideally at least every 3-6 months (as recommended by Portent in this resource) to stay on top.
Stay tuned for a future blog post on evergreen content (coming soon).
But if you are looking for:
More Information on ‘Evergreen Content’ and Its Enormous Benefits
Check out this great guide by Ahrefs (very comprehensive).
That is “Evergreen Content” discussed (Plain English reason #2 / 3 of why longer content is better) and now let’s…
Quickly wrap this blog post up!
3 Plain English Reasons Why Longer Content is Better Wrap Up
Short content
Medium content
Long content.
It does not matter.
Because (as discussed in this blog post) what matters most is ‘user intent’ and fulfilling user intent with your content.
But if you choose to go for ‘long content’ you more easily can focus on:
Topics (and what truly matters – from trends to statistics to core data)
Solving More Problems (and ultimately the right type that will not reoccur)
Evergreen Content (that provides enormous value for a long time)
And by doing this:
Trust
Respect, and ultimately
Authority
Can be yours much quicker…
And set you on the path to:
Succeeding with your Content Marketing Strategy!
Over to You…
Do you agree or disagree with the discussed 3 Plain English Reason Why Longer Content is Better? Would love to hear from you in the comments – any feedback is greatly appreciated.
Want to Talk Copywriting or SEO?
Please contact me and let’s have a chat!
