Google appreciates longer articles – as do readers
Google’s search algorithms favor relevant written content. The greater the relevance, the higher the ranking among the search results, generally speaking. While Google continuously learns more about image and video content (and its potential relevance to users), substantial, informative articles will very often be at the top of the search results. And for good reason, as Google will assume that this is the material that provides the user with what he or she is looking for. Longer, well-written, search-engine optimized content marketing articles are thus right in line with the kind of material Google seeks to elevate.
Not only can these longer, informative articles yield better search results, they are shared more often on social media as well. When the content marketing site BuzzSumo analyzed millions of online articles, they found that it was in fact the longest articles that were shared the most on social media. BuzzSumo also looked at and compared articles from news sites BuzzFeed and The Guardian, both known for their long articles. Yet again, the longest articles were the ones most frequently shared on social media. By quite a wide margin, in fact.
Great content marketing makes your customers curious for more
Opinions differ as to how long a content marketing article should ideally be. A thousand words, two thousand, five thousand or more? What matters is that you communicate relevant, useful information, and publish it on a page or blog where it is easy to find for your customers, Google and Google users.
A two or three page article allows you to elaborate on a subject, without having to cover it in its entirety. Follow-up articles can provide additional angles and insights, and link to your other articles to make your content marketing more coherent. Almost any subject you choose to cover can (and often should) be elaborated on in more than one article or context. Anyone who has read a great book knows that a well-written text encourages the reader to continue on – to learn more. A clear and easy-to-read disposition makes any article easier and more enjoyable to read, no matter how long or advanced it is. Google appreciates informative subheadings, so use them to present and clarify your most important ideas or arguments.
Longer content marketing articles provide important context
No matter what your company does, most people can probably relate to your products and/or services in one way or another. Talk about key insights you have gained, lessons learned from unexpected assignments, how your solutions make a difference for your customers; all the things that show the value of what you do. This makes it easier to further elaborate on key subjects in upcoming articles, and present more aspects of the work you and your colleagues do. Never lose sight of the customer perspective though, as your customers need to feel that you are actually talking with them, not just about yourself.
Content marketing articles show that you are an authority within your field
Your customers expect you to be a credible, honest expert. Content marketing articles are an ideal way of conveying that expertise. Talking factually and sincerely about your work, and approaching it from different angles, strengthens both your brand and your position as a business partner. Your business idea can probably be summarized in a sentence, but all the aspects of your actual work cannot. A neat, up-to-date and easily navigable blog or insights page signals engagement, knowledge and openness. Become the knowledge center you know your customers want and need.
Less is not more – but certainly okay sometimes
When you have introduced your customers to your somewhat longer articles, it becomes easier to intersperse these articles with other content marketing: interviews with customers and coworkers, summarized customer cases, short video presentations, and more. Your longer, in-depth material and your short-format material complete one another, showing the diversity of your work. Posting an article as a social media post is not recommended, though it is the perfect material to post something about and then link to in your social media channels.
Get in touch with us if you want to know more about how to get (and keep) going with your content marketing. You will find lots of other tips, thoughts and inspiration on this subject here on our Skapa blog.
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