{"id":1837,"date":"2019-05-06T09:00:36","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T09:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.industrialfx.com\/?p=1837"},"modified":"2020-11-17T21:48:05","modified_gmt":"2020-11-17T21:48:05","slug":"what-is-long-form-content","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.industrialfx.com\/what-is-long-form-content\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Long-Form Content? (What Industrial Companies Need to Know)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Almost 90 percent of business-to-business (B2B) marketers<\/a> use content marketing. In your industry, it\u2019s a useful strategy for developing brand awareness, attracting high-value leads, and building client loyalty. A lot of content marketing strategies, however, forget long-form content.<\/p>\n

What is long-form content, though?<\/p>\n

Long-form content is a proven way to improve your content marketing strategy<\/a> and its results. In this blog post, you can get the complete story on long-form content, from what it is to why it matters to how to write it. Get started now!<\/p>\n

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The definition of long-form content<\/h2>\n

Marketers define long-form content by its length, which generally ranges from 700 to 1200 words<\/strong>. As more companies adopt long-form content, however, it\u2019s becoming more common for marketers to focus on content with 1200 words or more.<\/p>\n

\"Long-form<\/p>\n

With its high word count, long-form content can cover a variety of topics. It can address complex procedures, designs, policies, and more. Or, it can take an in-depth look at a simple topic, like the uses of a piece of equipment or hardware.<\/p>\n

The versatility of long-form content makes it useful for companies in a variety of industries. Whether your company operates in the industrial, manufacturing, or oil and gas industry, you can take advantage of long-form content.<\/p>\n

3 reasons long-form content matters to industrial businesses<\/h2>\n

Industrial businesses adopt long-form content for a few reasons, including:<\/p>\n

1.      USERS RESPOND TO IT<\/h4>\n

Companies in the marketing sector have completed numerous studies on the impact of long-form content. In each of these studies, they found that users respond better to long-form content versus short-form content.<\/p>\n

A study by WordStream, a provider of online advertising software, demonstrates how users react to long-form content. After WordStream adopted long-form content, it tripled its average time on site<\/a>, which means users stayed on their website longer to read content and browse related articles.<\/p>\n

When it comes to content marketing, you want this level of interaction from users. It shows that your company\u2019s created not only relevant content but also captured the attention (and possibly trust) of your target market, which can result in new leads and sales.<\/p>\n

2.      SEARCH ENGINES LOVE IT<\/h4>\n

While your content focuses 100 percent on your audience, it depends on search engines. Without a search engine like Google or Bing, users unfamiliar with your business will probably never find it on the Internet.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why search engine optimization (SEO)<\/a> is a critical part of content marketing.<\/p>\n

\"Publishing<\/p>\n

With SEO, your team (or digital marketing agency<\/a>) optimizes your content for users and search engines. Your long-form content, for example, may feature keywords that capture the topic you\u2019re writing about, like the different grades of stainless steel.<\/p>\n

For reference, a keyword is a word or phrase that people use on search engines. Someone looking for a breakdown on stainless steel grades, for instance, may search, \u201cstainless steel grades,\u201d which your team could then use as a keyword for your long-form content on stainless steel grades.<\/p>\n

Publishing user-focused and search engine-friendly content helps your company maximize the impact of your long-form content strategy. You\u2019re not only writing content that users want (and need) but also helping them find that content through search.<\/p>\n

In the B2B sector, search is valuable because 71 percent of B2B clients<\/a> start their product search there.<\/p>\n

3.      INDUSTRY LEADERS NOTICE IT<\/h4>\n

No matter your specific market, it\u2019s essential for your business to earn the trust of potential clients. Longform content can help your company accomplish that, especially when your competitors aren\u2019t producing any content for their site.<\/p>\n

A well-produced long-form guide, for example, can capture the attention of not only business leaders but also staff members who work with them. Via word-of-mouth recommendations, your website and blog can get noticed by some of the highest value leads in the industry.<\/p>\n

Earning the attention of these valuable business buyers can make your company a top choice when they\u2019re ready to buy. From your content, they know your team understands the industry, as well as their challenges. That\u2019s why they call your business, rather than a competitor.<\/p>\n

How to write long-form content for your industrial company<\/h2>\n

Now that you know what long-form content is and why it matters, are you ready to write some? While your team won\u2019t draft your first piece of long-form content today, this six-step walkthrough for creating long-form content can help get you started.<\/p>\n

1.      Research your target buyer<\/h4>\n

Before your company starts producing long-form content, you need to understand your target buyer. For long-form content that performs, your team needs to understand the pain points, questions, and needs of your audience.<\/p>\n

\"For<\/p>\n

In most cases, your business will likely have some on-hand information about your ideal buyer. While it\u2019s helpful to reference this information, it\u2019s beyond valuable to research your audience online and see what they\u2019re discussing and asking right now.<\/p>\n

A few ways you can research your audience online include:<\/p>\n