5 Best Practices for Writing Long-Form Content

As a content writer or marketer, you probably spend most of your time working on short-form content like social media posts, infographics, or quick blogs. But if you’ve been in the industry for long enough, there will inevitably have been instances when you’ve been tasked with creating long-form content. The thought of crafting something beyond 700-1,000 words can seem daunting, especially in today’s social-media-dominated world.

However, long-form content holds significant advantages, particularly for SEO and audience engagement. While some may debate over the exact word count, most would agree that anything over 1,000 words qualifies as long-form content. This format not only helps your content rank higher on search engines but also boosts user engagement by allowing you to provide valuable, in-depth insights. Additionally, consistently publishing high-quality long-form content can help build your reputation as a trusted authority in your field.

Although it may seem overwhelming, writing long-form content doesn’t have to be a tedious task. Think of it as solving a puzzle—once you break it down into manageable chunks, it becomes an engaging challenge rather than a burden.

Here are the 5 pieces you need to complete your puzzle. You might want to stick till the end for a few bonus pointers. 

1. Choose your Topic Wisely

Not all topics are suitable for this format.

While some topics will allow you to write 2500-5000 words, there will be topics where you can barely touch the mark of 1000. 

For eg: if I take the topic “How experiential marketing elevates B2B brand success” then I can most probably write a good 700-1000 word article. It would probably be smart to stop after that as I would not add value to the readers beyond that. After this point my content would be fluff and fillers. 

Whereas if i write on “The 3 New Es of B2B Marketing: Experimental, Experiential and Emotional” or “Emotional Branding – How it Works, What it is, and How to Create One” I will easily be able to write 2000-2500 words, while engaging my audience and keeping them hooked. This is because I will be able to add H2 and H3 throughout the article and maintain the freshness till the end. 

Sow how do you choose your topic:

• Choose a topic which is complex, so you can walk your audience through different parts through the content. 
• Be specific in what you want to explain. 
• Uncommon or unique knowledge. Your audience shouldn’t have a deep understanding of your topic going in, because the knowledge is unique or uncommon to them.
• Think about your audience 

• What kind of information is your audience looking for when they search for this topic?
• How much information do they need to understand it?
• How much information about the topic is satisfying to a searcher looking for answers?

2. How many words?

Not too many, not too little; just the right amount. 

You can find out what is the word-count of the top 3 articles on the search engine for the topic that you want to write about. That is your magical number. 

Tools like Word Counter Plus can help you find the word count of articles on the search engine. Based on the topic you choose, take a smart decision of how many words you want to include in your article. As you nose-dive into these articles. See what is the the already published articles are missing and fill these gaps. Your content will stand out from the rest only when it includes everything that the existing articles possess and information above and beyond that. 

3. Create an outline

Stay on Track, Don’t go Astray From the Topic. 

Creating an outline is essential for organizing your content and keeping you on track. It helps prevent you from veering off-topic and eliminates unnecessary fluff. For long-form content, having a well-structured outline is crucial for maximizing readability and engagement. By outlining, you establish a solid framework for your piece.

Your skeleton outline also highlights key areas for headings in your final article. Each major point and sub-point should be accompanied by a heading. This not only organizes your post but also breaks up the text, making it easier to scan and read. Additionally, well-structured headings can improve your content’s SEO.

Here’s a breakdown of the headings to use in your long-form content:

• H2: For section titles and main ideas.
• H3: For supporting points related to the main idea in your H2.
• H4: For additional sub-points that elaborate on an H3

4. Don’t forget your target audience

What do they want to know? And not What do they need to know about the topic? 

For example, if you are reading this article, 5 Best Practices for long form content writing, I am assuming you know what long form is and you know what content you want to write. What you would look for in this article is how you can elevate your article in simple steps. So rather than writing a long article on how you can write good content, I would stick to the most essential checkboxes you need to tick to ensure you deliver a top-notch 1000+ word article. 

By intentionally catering to your audience’s needs you can deliver the right kind of content. By concentrating on these essential elements, I can provide concise, targeted advice that addresses your immediate concerns. This approach not only respects your time but also equips you with practical tips you can implement right away. When you align your content with your audience’s expectations and needs, you foster a deeper connection and enhance the overall impact of your writing.

Answer the Whys, Whats and Hows

• Why Should someone care about my content?
• What would someone gain from this?
• How is my content adding value to someone?

If you are writing a long-form content, it is important to ask yourself these questions after every paragraph. If you have reached this far in this article, ask yourself why are you reading this? What are you gaining from each paragraph? How is it adding value to you? Keeping you captivated has taken some mindful effort. Phew!

5. Adding visuals and tables

Visuals speak louder than words

When writing long-form content you need to keep your audience engaged. To make your content engaging you can add visuals and tables. While this box cannot be ticked for all topics, you can surely tick it for others. While this checkbox is not ticked in every case, it does buoy up your article whenever ticked. 

For example, in articles such as “Guide to modern day Bathroom Decor”, you can easily add reference images. In fact, if you’re creating content on architecture and Interior Designing, it can have a reference image to explain to the audience. Additionally, any article with multiple statistics can use an infographic rather than boring numbers put in sentences. 

In content where you would be unable to use images or tables, you can captivate your audience by placing your headings creatively. Just like you glanced through the headings of this article before deciding to thoroughly read it, your audience will most likely do the same. Your headings are your chance to compel the readers to read your piece. To tell them that this article has something you will not find anywhere else. 

As I bring this article to a conclusion, I would like to mention a few don’ts before I call it a day. 

Don’t fluff– This not only disinterests the audience in reading your content but also reduces your credibility. 

Don’t astray– You will be tempted to deepdive into some aspects when writing a long-form. But ensure you are not taking a detour from the main topic as you will lose your audience. 

Don’t dilly-dally– Prefer a few 100 words less than muddling up your otherwise amazing article. 

Mastering long-form content is a blend of creativity and strategy. It requires not only the ability to dive deep into a topic but also the discipline to stay focused and provide real value. By knowing which topics you need to explain in detail and when you need to touch-n-go you can truly master the art of long-form content writing. By selecting the right topic, aligning your content with your audience’s needs, structuring it effectively, and incorporating engaging visuals, you can transform complex ideas into compelling narratives. The true power of long-form content lies in its ability to inform, engage, and build trust—ultimately positioning you as an authority in your field.