In our digital world riddled by 8 second attention spans, where short-form content has long dominated our screens, a shift is happening as long-form content is quietly resurfacing as a trusted way to foster brand trust, build meaningful connections, and improve SEO performance.
Long-Form on the Rise
Over the last year, 68% of marketers and 64% of creators have increased their output of long-form content. From podcasts to articles, newsletters and livestreams, creators and brands are increasingly investing in formats that go beyond surface-level engagement.
Why the change? Because audiences are changing. Many are tired of the swipe-bait and are craving authenticity, depth, and genuine connection - all of which long-form provides.
Short vs. Long: Attention vs. Trust
Short-form content (typically under 60 second videos and under 500 word texts) is primarily designed to grab attention and works well for virality, trends, and visibility.
Long-form content, on the other hand, goes deeper as it:
- Offers insight and education
- Builds credibility, authority and trust
- Encourages longer engagement
More than just extended word counts and timestamps, long-form content is an in-depth storytelling tool offering brands the opportunity to create richer narratives and deeper emotional connections through detailed insights and enlightened discussions.
Changing Social Platforms
Although short-form content is still predominant, recent social media platform updates indicate a shift towards longer-form content. For instance, Instagram increased its carousel limit from 10 to 20 slides and its Reels length from 3 minutes to 20 minutes. Similarly, TikTok recently extended its maximum video length from 3 to 10 minutes, encouraging longer engagement.
These shifts further indicate that audiences are willing to slow down and invest their time on longer-form content that has value.
Building Trust Through Storytelling
Characterised by in-depth information and explanations, long-form content does have value, when done well, and has been linked to 34% increased conversion rates thanks to its ability to build trust and authority.
Patagonia is a great example of a brand using long-form content as a core element of its marking strategy. Through film and documentary, Patagonia uses purpose-driven storytelling to cement its brand values and connect to its audience in a deeper, more meaningful way over a shared passion for outdoor culture and environmental activism.
Boasting 616K followers on YouTube, with content ranging from featured films on famous climbers, to documentaries on the extinction of wild salmon, Patagonia uses long-form content not to sell products, but rather, to tell stories, raise awareness, and inspire actions, all of which cement it as a trusted voice within a larger community that shares those same values.
Community-Building Content
With long-form platforms such as Substack increasing their subscriber base by 25% in just six months, it’s clear that creators and consumers alike are ready for content with substance.
Rare Beauty and its Substack channel, Rare Beauty Secrets, alongside its newsletter, Rare Insider, are perfect examples of a brand successfully utilising long-form content to build their community. Authored by MacKenzie Kassab, Rare’s Director of Creative Strategy, the channel offers beauty exclusives such as on-set behind the scenes and product development journeys. With an intimate and insightful tone, this exclusive content gives fans the feeling of belonging inside the brand - a deep and rich experience that cannot be captured by Instagram grids and 15 second video clips.
Increased SEO Performance
With articles over 2,000 words ranking 56% higher than shorter ones, long-form content is also a powerful format from an SEO perspective. Here’s why:
- It allows for more keyword density
- It answers search intent more thoroughly
- It includes more backlinks and internal links
- It produces longer dwell times (which Google interprets as an indicator of quality).
The Long and Short of It
In essence, with long-form content, people stay longer, learn more, and trust your brand better. If you’re wondering how to incorporate more long-form content into your marketing strategy, or even just trying to keep up with the ever changing world of content, contact us today at hello@thedigitalage.co.uk.
