In the ongoing battle for attention, crafting the right content strategy is critical for reaching, engaging -- and making an impression on your target audiences. One of the most important decisions you’ll make is whether to create something short and quick-hitting – knowing more people will likely engage. Or...
Craft some longer, in-depth content that gives readers the answers and the kind of information they are craving — and can’t find anywhere else. Both approaches have advantages. Let’s break them out so you can decide which one is right for you.
The Benefits of Short, Quick-Hitting Content
Short and snappy content, the kind you find on social media, has become the go-to approach for many modern marketers. These bite-sized bits of buzz-worthy content are popular because they offer:
Instant Engagement: In a fast-paced digital world, short content captures your reader’s attention quickly, making an immediate impact on them. It's ideal for conveying concise messages and breaking through the noise.
Mobile Compatibility: Everyone is on their phones (you're probably on yours right now), so short content fits seamlessly into this on-the-go
lifestyle. This can give readers a better user experience. And with the small time investment required, more people will engage to see if what you have to say actually interests them.
Shareability: Quick bits of content are easy to share, increasing the potential for your creation to go viral (of course, it has to be excellent content to begin with). An impactful tweet, unique point of view, novel idea, or a visually striking Instagram post can spread quickly across social networks.
Brand Recall: The concise nature of your short content is conducive to strong brand recall. A well-crafted tagline or a memorable image can plant your brand into the minds of your target audience for days... weeks... even months.
Adaptability: Short-form content lets you pivot quickly and react to trending topics and events. Like the famous Oreo Super Bowl tweet. This helps brands to stay relevant in real time. And if you can pull that off, you be miles ahead of the pack.
A survey by HubSpot revealed that 72% of marketers considered social media to be a crucial part of their marketing strategy, showing the importance of short content in their marketing strategy.
Ok, that’s a pretty good case for short, snappy, quick, clever bits of information. People are more likely to read it and share it and we can change gears to keep our messages timely. Let’s do it… But wait, what about long-form content? Surely it has some merit. Let’s see what that can do for us.
The Advantages of Long-Form, In-Depth Content
Ok, yeah. Short-form content captures attention quickly, and that’s great. But long-form, in-depth content serves a different purpose altogether and it has its own set of unique benefits that many readers are searching for. Here are some ways longer content can help you:
72% of marketers considered social media to be a crucial part of their marketing strategy
Authority Building: Long-form content shows your expertise on the topic at hand and positions you as an authority on the subject. In-depth articles, white papers, eBooks, and comprehensive guides showcase your brand's in-depth knowledge and understanding. Very often when people/businesses are searching online, they're searching for answers — solutions to their problems. They want to know that you are qualified to satisfy that need. High-quality, long-form content that lets you display your knowledge gives them confidence in your ability to solve their problem.
SEO Optimization: Search engines tend to favor longer, more comprehensive content. Well-written, in-depth pieces offer the opportunity to incorporate relevant keywords and key phrases, which improves overall visibility by the search engine.
Audience Education: Again, people looking for answers to complex topics will want more detailed explanations. In-depth content lets you educate the audience and answer their questions completely. They don't mind spending five, 10, or 30 minutes reading your material if it's providing value to them.
Engagement and Dwell Time: Logical, informative, long-form content tends to keep users engaged longer and this increases the amount of time they spend on your page/site and helps reduce bounce rates on your websites.
Conversion Potential: Long-form content can help guide readers through the buyer's journey, giving them the information they need to make educated decisions, which means more conversions in the long run.
77% of marketers considered blog posts to be an effective content marketing tactic
A study by the Content Marketing Institute showed that 77% of marketers considered blog posts to be an effective inbound marketing tactic, which means long-form content is here to stay.
Striking a Balance for Success
In reality, the most effective content strategy is usually a blend of both short, quick-hitting content and long-form editorial content. The balance between the two depends on factors like your particular target audience, long- and short-term marketing goals, and the specific industry you deal in.
Whether you choose short and snappy or longer and more in-depth consider the nature of the content and what your audience is craving at the moment. The key to success lies in knowing the strengths of each approach and using them in a synergistic way to create a more valuable and effective content strategy that hits home with your audience.
How To Get Started
Are you looking to improve the content in your next campaign? Or maybe you’re looking to increase the performance of a program you’re already running. Well, J&C has over 40 years of experience and would be happy to learn more about your company and your goals. Contact J&C today. That way, we can give you an honest assessment of how we can work with you to achieve better results.
Topics: Direct Marketing, Direct Mail, Creative
