You know you should offer educational content to build your brand, educate your customers and highlight the unique aspects of your business. But are you using the right type of content to achieve your goals? There are several differences between short-form and long-form content, including when best to use them.
What Is Short-Form Content?
Short-form content consists of text, images and sometimes video, and it is typically published online through blogs, email campaigns, social media, videos and websites.
Short-form content is written for quick, on-the-go reading. It should be informative, but it should also be entertaining and engaging.
Types of Short-Form Content
There are several types of short-form content that you can use to increase brand awareness, including:
- News
- Blog posts
- Case Studies
- White papers
- Tips and Tricks
- Top Ten Lists
- Infographics
The Advantages of Short-Form Content
Short-form content has several benefits when you want to increase brand awareness:
1. It’s Cost-Effective: Short-form content costs less to produce, as it requires less staff time to create in the first place.
2. It’s Shareable: Short-form content is often more shareable than longer-form content. It’s easy to put a short-form piece of content on your site, and it’s easy for your customers to share it on social media channels.
3. It’s a Busy Person’s Favorite: Busy people love short-form content. They don’t want to spend all day reading a lengthy blog post, making it perfect for busy people. It’s quick, easy and to the point.
What Is Long-Form Content?
Long-form content consists of text, images and sometimes video, and it is typically published online in long-form blog posts, white papers and eBooks.
Long-form content may include a lot of information, but it doesn’t necessarily have to. It can be as short as a blog post that consists of a few paragraphs or as long as an eBook that includes a comprehensive list of information.
Long-form content is excellent for getting in-depth information about your company, industry, and services. Long-form content is also great for providing a lot of information about your customers’ industry.
Types of Long-Form Content
There are several types of long-form content that you can use to increase brand awareness, including:
- In-depth Blog Posts
- Case Studies (Longer Than Blog Posts)
- EBooks
- White Papers
- Trade Show Bags
- Trade Show Displays
The Advantages of Long-Form Content
Long-form content has several benefits that make it an excellent tool for increasing brand awareness:
1. It’s Longer-Lasting: Long-form content is generally more long-lasting than short-form content. It’s easy to find long-form content on the web, and it’s easy for your customers to take the content and share it with others.
2. It’s a Detail-Lover’s Favorite: Detail-lovers love long-form content. They want to read information in-depth and find out all of the information about the product or service you are offering.
3. It Helps Build Trust: Long-form content can help build trust with your customers. Long-form content allows you to display your authority in your industry and your expertise with your services.
Conclusion: Choosing Between the Two
Short-form content is generally easier to create and easier to implement. It’s also easier to find and easier to share. It’s also more cost-effective than long-form content. Long-form content is generally better for in-depth education, and it can help you build trust with your customers. Match their best usage with the exact goals you aim to achieve.
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