A Guide To Writing Long-Form Content
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Long-form content is something many people don’t want to do. It can be quite a daunting task for some people and remind them of the days of long essays back in school and college.
Writing long-form content can be a straightforward task as long as you have an interesting topic. Yes, it will take longer than the usual short piece of content or article but there are numerous benefits to long pieces of content. In this article, we will take you through a step-by-step guide on how you can improve your long-form content.
Topics Matter
The right topic not only keeps readers engaged but also keeps you engaged when writing it. Not everything can have thousands of words written about it. There is an end to every story and some are shorter than others.
Before you start writing about your topic, you must clarify three things. One of them is the complexity of the content. Ensure there are a lot of steps to take the reader through. Furthermore, make sure that a small explanation cannot describe the content and finally, make sure your knowledge is unique. To do this, research the topic thoroughly and provide facts and statistics that will educate the reader.
Research The Search Intent Of Your Topic
Once you have your topic and understand the different parts that can be discussed, research the search intent. Find out the information your audience will want, how much information they require and how much information satisfies the reader. To do this, search your topic and look at how much content other websites will write about the subject.
Get an average of the other articles that have been published and are at the top of the SERPs. Once you have an average, look at what the other articles discuss and try to find gaps. See what you can discuss that the others do not mention. How do you make it unique? Nonetheless, don’t forget the basic information that a reader will require.
Structure The Content
The structure is essential to a good article. You are not reporting a football match. Furthermore, you should already have a few notes when looking at the other articles that websites have written that will help with your structure. Long-form content needs to be structured or it won’t make sense.
Have a rough outline for your content and then see if it flows. Are the following points linking to each other? Additionally, this should be separated into H2s, H3s and H4s. H2s will be the main sub-headings and then H3s will be the points you want to make about your H2s. Structuring your content correctly will make it much easier to read.
Don’t Forget Your Audience
As you research your topic, plan your article and write your content, you should always have the reader in mind. What are the questions that they want to be answered throughout the content?
A great way to do this is to look at the PAA (People also ask) on the SERPs page about your topic. Sometimes, there can be many questions that a reader may have and that you might not have even thought about.
If you are an SEO Manchester-based agency writing about a trending topic in the industry, remember that they understand your industry already. For example, you do not need a section about what is SEO? when it is targeted at those who work in SEO. Try and find the answers to their questions about that topic and educate them on it.
Expand On Your Points
Once you start filling in your headings and content, expand on your points and answer the question, why should I care? But from the user’s perspective. Explain to your readers why they need to know that information, why it will benefit them and why that piece of information will help them.
Visuals, Images and Videos
If your article can benefit from imagery or even an external video from your social channel, you must include it within your article. Furthermore, users don’t want to read endless pieces of information. They want to see imagery that makes the content more appealing.
Sometimes, you can’t explain something by using words. You may need a drawing or a video to explain this information. If that is the case, research online to see if you can implement videos or images to help the reader understand more. Sometimes, imagery can take the content to the next level and keep the reader interested in your article.
A Contents Table
If you believe that endless pieces of information within the content can be overwhelming, it may be worth creating a contents table. This contents table will help you structure your article and also help your readers get to the section they want to know/read.
A contents table is extremely helpful for any reader, no matter what industry they are in. Furthermore, you give an overview with this contents table, showing the different topics you cover within your content.
A Final Round-Up
Writing a large piece of content isn’t easy for some people. If you are one of those who struggle with writing long pieces of content, follow this guide. It will keep you interested in the article and help write something informative for your reader.
