It’s a common question, especially in the digital arena. The answer depends on your goals and your audience’s needs. Short-form content refers to text under 1,200 words, videos shorter than three minutes and audio under 10 minutes. Because it’s shorter, it typically takes less time and money to produce. It can also be more appealing to audiences with short attention spans. All other content is considered long-form. It gives you the chance to diversify your presentation, combining text, images, video, audio and infographics to create a potentially more engaging piece. And since long-form content is easier for search engines to understand and index, it’s often better at meeting SEO goals. So, how do you choose between short and long-form? Ask yourself these questions.
What type of content does your audience respond better to: quick facts or detailed information? Where will they consume this content: while scrolling through their social media feed or after clicking a link to your blog post? Where will they be in the buying cycle when they encounter this content: just getting to know your company or ready to conduct in-depth research? It’s good to experiment and then analyze the results, but typically the closer people are to buying and the more intentional they are with looking for your content, the longer and more informational your content should be. |
