#ContentWritingChat Recap: Long-Form Content: Distribution & Promotion Tactics, & Best Examples with Lisa Dougherty
There’s no denying that long-form content is where it’s at when it comes to the world of online content. That’s why we had to host a #ContentWritingChat all about this topic that’s so crucial for content creators. If you’re ready to learn more about the benefits of long-form content, how to create it, and how to promote it, you’re in the right place! Now, let’s dive into the recap!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Long-Form Content: Distribution & Promotion Tactics, & Best Examples with Lisa Dougherty
Join us for #ContentWritingChat on Tuesday, May 2nd at 10 AM Central Time! Our guest host is @BrandLoveLLC from @CMIContent! pic.twitter.com/lBerwOZFyj
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) April 26, 2017
Our guest host this week was Lisa Dougherty. Lisa is an entrepreneur and she’s also the Blog & Community Director over at Content Marketing Institute. CMI is one of our favorite resources and we were thrilled to have Lisa join the chat and share her expertise on long-form content.
Q1: Why should you consider long-form content in this age where so many talk about short-form content?
You’ve likely heard that we as human beings tend to have short attention spans. So, if this is true, then why are people pushing brands to create long-form content online? Here’s how longer, valuable content can actually benefit your brand:
A1a: Long-form content (2k+ words) typically performs better on social, increases website authority, plus links. #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
A1b: Long-form content is more likely to generate backlinks signaling search engines quality content that ranks higher. #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
Lisa said long-form content typically performs better on social media, plus it also increases website authority and earns you links.
@ExpWriters A1 Short answer: long-form WORKS. More rankings, shares and reads actually happen w/ long-form! #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/F9OsBb6i65
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) May 2, 2017
More rankings, more shares, and more reads! Need we say more about why long-form content ROCKS?
A1: Long-form content goes deep with customers, strengthening connections with them. #ContentWritingChat
— Sara Tetzloff (@que_sara) May 2, 2017
Sarah feels long-form content allows you to go deep with your customers and strengthen your relationship with them. After all, when they fall in love with the valuable content you create, they’ll truly appreciate your work and become big fans of your brand.
A1: If it’s meaty, long-form content gives readers a lot of value. Still needs to be concise, actionable. #ContentWritingChat
— Darcy De Leon (@darcydeleon) May 2, 2017
Darcy knows longer content can provide readers with tremendous value, which they’re sure to love you for. Make sure that you keep your content concise and actionable to ensure they’re engaged.
A1 Long-form content offers a more complete narrative, which means you have to stay lively to keep attention throughout. #ContentWritingChat
— Jim Katzaman (@JKatzaman) May 2, 2017
As Jim mentioned, you’ll have to work in order to keep the attention of your audience when creating longer content. You don’t want them to tune out before finishing your post.
Q2: How do you ensure longer blog posts are captivating and hold attention all the way through?
With longer content, you’re going to have to hook your reader in the very beginning and then hold their attention to get them to read through your entire post. What’s the secret to making that happen? Check out this advice from Tuesday’s chat:
A2a: Capturing attention is hard in a noisy world. Tell your story w/ emotion. Use personal experiences. #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
A2b: Write for your reader, not search engines, so they’ll keep coming back. #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
Lisa encourages you to tell your story and infuse it with emotion. Share your personal experiences. It’s this kind of content that will leave people wanting to read more. She also said to write for your reader, not the search engines. While it’s fine to optimize your content for search engines, you need to create with your reader in mind. It’ll help you develop a stronger connection with them and they’ll continue to come back and read more.
A2c: Headlines attract attention. Intros lure readers in. Keep both interesting and short. #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
Lisa also shared some great advice when it comes to writing your long-form content. As she mentioned, headlines will attract attention. They are what will get people to your content in the first place. What will get them to read is your introduction and the content that follows. Make sure you keep it interesting and drawn them in.
A2 Put drafts aside for a day or two. Then read with fresh eyes. If your long-form content bores you, you have problems. #ContentWritingChat
— Jim Katzaman (@JKatzaman) May 2, 2017
When it comes to editing, Jim suggests letting your drafts sit for a day or two. Then, once you’ve had some time apart, you can come back and edit with fresh eyes. As he said, if your long-form content bores you, you have problems. You need to find a way to change it up before you hit publish.
A2: Long blogs require strategic formatting to keep reader interest: graphics for visual support, a captivating voice #contentwritingchat
— Elizabeth Greenberg (@BettaBeYou) May 2, 2017
Elizabeth knows longer blog posts will require strategic formatting in order to keep your reader interested and to lead them through the post. It’s also important to showcase your brand’s captivating voice.
@writingchat A2: Format them properly with headings, subheads, etc. Make sure blog posts have a good flow from 1 point to the other. #ContentWritingChat
— Pinpoint Laser (@PinpointLaser) May 2, 2017
How you structure your blog posts also plays a major role in keeping people hooked on your long-form content. You’ll want to use headings and make sure everything flows. Headings are great for separating individual ideas and it helps to break up big blocks of text. And making sure everything flows is important because you want to have high quality writing on your blog.
A2: Break up content with pictures (worth a 1,000 words) & subheadings can help keep the audience engaged. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) May 2, 2017
Pictures are another great way to break up text and they can also grab attention and keep people interested. You’ll want to add at least one eye-catching visual to each of your blog posts.
A2: Words aren’t the only way you can add “meat” to your content – infographics, videos, podcasts, pics…#ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/15qEz3K3tR
— @AndreaTorti90 (@andreatorti90) May 2, 2017
Other options to spice up your content include: adding infographics, video and podcast versions of your written content, and great pictures.
A2: Break up your copy with subheads, bullets, and visuals. Make sure it’s not long just for length’s sake. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/QPcK0BIAXK
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) May 2, 2017
Erika knows subheadings and visuals are great, but she also suggested using bulleted lists. Bulleted and numbered lists are an easy way to make text scannable for your reader, which they’ll surely appreciate. And as she said, don’t write just to make your posts long. Only write as much as you feel is necessary to get your point across.
Q3: Once you’ve created an amazing piece of long-form content, how do you promote it to maximize your readership?
Once you have an amazing piece of content published on your website, you can’t just let it sit there to gather virtual dust. Instead, you have to be proactive about promoting the content you’ve written. Here’s how you can promote a piece of content and attract plenty of new readers:
A3a: Have a popular post widget on your website so top posts are front and center and can be easily shared. #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
Lisa knows just how beneficial a “popular posts” widget on your website can be. If there are any posts you’d like to showcase, they can be featured in your popular posts section, which is great for keeping people on your site and reading more.
A3: Share it where your audience is! You should know where they are & what content they want. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) May 2, 2017
This advice is simple: share it! If you have something new that you’ve created and you’d like to send some more traffic to it, you can absolutely do that. It all starts with knowing who your audience is (and where you’re from) and also knowing what they want.
@ExpWriters A3 Pin it to your social media/groups, repurpose pieces of it for various social posts, SlideShare, video, more blogs #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) May 2, 2017
Julia said you can share a great post by pinning it to your social media pages, repurpose it for social media posts, SlideShare presentations, videos, and more.
A3 Know your audience. Post to relevant consumers, using the specific sm channels. Timing/repetition is important #contentwritingchat https://t.co/SCNfBk022g
— Xanthe Studios (@xanthestudios) May 2, 2017
Know who your audience is and post the right content to them on the right channels (the ones they’re actively using).
A3: Distribute through social & email. Repurpose for different formats & create short form content frm it for ++ promo #contentwritingchat
— Elizabeth Greenberg (@BettaBeYou) May 2, 2017
Elizabeth recommends sharing content through social media and your email list. Make sure you’re repurposing content for the platform it’s been shared to so you know it’ll perform its best.
A3: I started promoting new post the day before they are published. That way people know it’s coming compared to day of. #contentwritingchat
— Mind of a Diva (@MindofaDiva) May 2, 2017
Teasing your content before it goes live is a great way to share a sneak peek and leave people wanting more. They’re sure to be excited about what you have coming up when they find out.
A3: Socia media, email, influencers, organic promo, media partnerships.. lots of options and opportunies!! #ContentWritingChat
— Allison Lee (@ayylee07) May 2, 2017
Promote your content on social media or to your email list. Ask influencers to help you spread the word or team up for media partnerships. And finally, organic traffic will do you wonders if you’ve optimized correctly.
A3c: Go visual with it! Can it be the basis for a live video? An infographic? A series of graphics? #ContentWritingChat
— Sara Tetzloff (@que_sara) May 2, 2017
Sara encourages you to find a way to repurpose your content. You can do so in a visual way, which means you could create a live video, an infographic, a series of graphics, or something else. It’s all about finding what works best for your brand and your audience.
Q4: What are other creative ways to promote long-form content for maximum mileage?
If you really want to increase the readership on a particular piece of long-form content, you’ll want to get creative with how you spread the word. Here are a few great ideas you can try out:
A4a: Email previews to contributors / mentions w/ the publish date, URL, and pre-written tweets so it’s easy to share. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/YbOFfQzB2Y
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
Lisa likes the ideas of sending email previews to those who contributed to a post or those who are mentioned in a post. You can send them the publish date, the URL, and any pre-written tweets to make it easy for them to share. When you take out the hard work for them, they’ll be more likely to spread the word!
A4d: Add @ClicktoTweet‘s and link older relevant posts within your new post so they stand out & are easy to share. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/pYmjjjhc5u
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
Lisa also mentioned using the Click to Tweet feature to create ready-to-share posts for social media. This makes it easy for readers to spread the word about the content you’ve created. You also want to link to older, relevant content to keep people on your site.
@ExpWriters A4: Turn your long-form content into a Facebook Live video. #ContentWritingChat
— Writer Leah Ingram (@theleahingram) May 2, 2017
With the popularity of live video, Leah is spot on with her suggestion of turning a longer blog post into a Facebook Live. You can also use Instagram Live or Periscope.
A4 – I’m really excited to start repurposing some long-from content into videos, slide shares, and podcasts! #contentwritingchat
— Elizabeth Greenberg (@BettaBeYou) May 2, 2017
Elizabeth is repurposing her content into videos, SlideShares, and podcast episodes. This will really help her reach a wider audience.
@writingchat A4 Seems counter-intuitive, but breaking up long-form content into smaller pieces helps promote the bigger piece. #contentwritingchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) May 2, 2017
Martin suggests breaking up longer content pieces into smaller ones to get the most out of what you’ve created.
@ExpWriters A4: You could turn your long form content into PDF & could use slideshare to promote it #ContentWritingChat
— GCMEDIA (@gcmedia123) May 2, 2017
Longer blog posts can even be repurposed as PDFs and delivered as a freebie for your audience. You can also use it to create informative SlideShares.
A4 I love memes, short form videos, Thought provoking questions, asking their opinion. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/gznSWjdp9L
— Varun Kumar ? (@DigitalVK) May 2, 2017
Varun suggests creating memes, filming short-form videos, asking thought-provoking questions, and inviting your audience to share their opinions.
@ExpWriters A4: #SocialMedia groups, Reddit, Dedicated forum and discussion platforms, Infographics, Quora.#ContentWritingChat
— RankWatch (@RankWatch) May 2, 2017
You can even share it in relevant social media groups, on Reddit, various dedicated forums and discussion platforms, create infographics, and promote it via Quora.
Q5: Should you syndicate a great piece of long-form content on another site? If so, where is a great place to start?
To maximize readership, many turn to syndication as a way to repurpose content they’ve created. Is this really worthwhile though? And if so, how do you go about syndicating content the right way? Read these tips:
A5a: Be careful of syndicating your content. @Google may not like it. Do your research. #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
A5b: Check out @RandyApuzzo’s helpful post on syndicating content: https://t.co/UQFdc4Xk93 #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
As Lisa mentioned, Google may not be a fan of content syndication. You’ll want to do some research before trying this out for yourself. To help, she shared a post from Content Marketing Institute so you can learn more about syndication.
A5 Develop a good, trusting relationship with another site, being sure of syndication terms in writing.Then try it. #ContentWritingChat
— Jim Katzaman (@JKatzaman) May 2, 2017
If you decide to move forward with syndication, keep Jim’s advice in mind. He suggests building a trusting relationship with the site first. You also want to make sure you’re aware of their syndication terms before getting started.
@writingchat A5: If it’s a relevant & reputable site, then yes. I look at the quality of writing they publish before deciding. #ContentWritingChat
— Restaurant Hot Spot (@Restaurant_wifi) May 2, 2017
You’ll also want to make sure the site you syndicate with has a reputation for publishing high-quality content.
A5: If your audience is there, sure. Make sure it isn’t seen as duplicate content though; that can get you in trouble. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) May 2, 2017
Also, make sure your target audience is reading this site so you can actually reach the right people.
@ExpWriters A5. Yes, you should syndicate your blog post on another site because they might have a much better chance to be seen #contentwritingchat
— Cheval John (@chevd80) May 2, 2017
On the plus side, syndication is a great way to get your content seen by a wider audience.
A5: You have to avoid the duplicate content issue, consider REPURPOSING for another site or platform #ContentWritingChat
— Wriber (@WriberInc) May 2, 2017
Because Google could see it as duplicate content, you may want to consider repurposing the piece instead. Find a way to make it fresh and difference so it isn’t repetitive.
@ExpWriters A5 ? Rule of thumb: Syndicate with care so you don’t dilute. Oversyndication (cloning) cheapens content. #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) May 2, 2017
One final piece of advice to remember: don’t overdo it. This can cheapen your content, so do all syndication with care.
A5: Don’t syndicate duplicate content across every platform though, that can become boring and lose follower interest #contentwritingchat
— Hank Conners (@How2GoViral) May 2, 2017
Hank agrees that you shouldn’t go overboard when syndicating. Choose wisely which platforms you want to post your content on.
Q6: What are ways you can repurpose written long-form content? At what point in the process should you start planning for repurposing opportunities?
To truly make the most of your content, you’ll want to repurpose it. This will help you breathe new life into older content and you’ll be able to reach a wider audience. So, how can you get started with this strategy? Check it out:
A6a: Extend life of posts by creating social assets such as YouTube videos, SlideShare, infographics, & quote images. #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
A6b: Start planning right away. Find your evergreen content. Check your site analytics to find top-performing posts. #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
Lisa suggests repurposing your content in the following ways: YouTube videos, SlideShare, infographics, and quote images. All of these ideas are great and are sure to help you get more mileage out of your content.
She also suggests getting started right away when it comes to planning how you’ll repurpose a piece of content. You can do this by finding your evergreen content and determining the best way to repurpose it based on your brand and your audience. Think about what they’d most like to see! It’s also wise to repurpose the posts that are performing the best.
A6: You can split your long-form post into smaller pieces, podcasts, infographics, videos, slides… so many options!#ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/Stwyg0yx0U
— @AndreaTorti90 (@andreatorti90) May 2, 2017
Podcast episodes are another great idea!
A6: 10 blog posts on one subject = 1 Ebook #ContentWritingChat
— Wriber (@WriberInc) May 2, 2017
You can even compile multiple blog posts on one topic into a single eBook.
@ExpWriters A6) Take tidbits from it & create social media posts, memes, quotes, infographics, more granular blog posts, etc. #ContentWritingChat
— Jason Schemmel (@JasonSchemmel) May 2, 2017
Create social media posts, memes, quotes, infographics, and even more blog content.
Take the post and create content for diff platforms: infographics, timelines, videos, pics, Moments, etc #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/MFZhXQiBYR
— Erica (@wickdchiq) May 2, 2017
Erica suggests considering what will work best for the other platforms you want to share your content on. You might choose to create infographics, timelines, videos, pictures, or Moments.
A6 Write content with repurposing in mind. Then you’re less likely to write yourself into a literary, seasonal corner. #ContentWritingChat
— Jim Katzaman (@JKatzaman) May 2, 2017
Jim likes to write content with repurposing in mind. This surely helps him to make the most of his content.
A6: I think of repurpose planning once I’ve created the original piece. That way I can step back & plan big picture. #contentwritingchat
— Elizabeth Greenberg (@BettaBeYou) May 2, 2017
Elizabeth begins thinking about repurposing once she has created the original piece.
@ExpWriters A6 Don’t let the LFC get stale. Update sections of it in blog post form months or a year later, as appropriate. #contentwritingchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) May 2, 2017
This is great advice from Martin. Don’t let your long-form content get stale. You can make updates months or a year later to keep the content fresh and accurate.
Q7: What’s an example of long-form content you loved recently? Share the link!
To help you get some inspiration from amazing long-form content, we asked our chat participants to share a link to a post they loved recently. Here’s what they shared with us:
A7a: An example of long-form content that has been re-used well: https://t.co/OpLOs156GJ #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
A7: Really enjoyed this @aprildunford article for startups: https://t.co/b9HAUIKGQ6 #ContentWritingChat
— Wriber (@WriberInc) May 2, 2017
A7 This link building one by @PointBlankSEO https://t.co/MVpSeVUBzR #contentwritingchat | stands the test of time and is always useful! https://t.co/JDqTcaQ0qt
— Xanthe Studios (@xanthestudios) May 2, 2017
A7. This article by @kfreberg Creating future self-made social media professionalshttps://t.co/7sSZ2vt0b1 #contentwritingchat
— Cheval John (@chevd80) May 2, 2017
@ExpWriters A7 Relatively new but this looks like it will be relevant forever https://t.co/wKHx2a5syP by @HarvardBiz no less! #contentwritingchat
— Traffic Jam Media (@trafficjammedia) May 2, 2017
@ExpWriters A7 Relatively new but this looks like it will be relevant forever https://t.co/wKHx2a5syP by @HarvardBiz no less! #contentwritingchat
— Traffic Jam Media (@trafficjammedia) May 2, 2017
All of these blog posts are worth taking a look at!
Q8: Who does an amazing job at creating long-form content? Tag them!
So, who shines at long-form content? Check out this awesome list:
A8a: .@Buffer does an amazing job at creating long-form content: Check out their blog: https://t.co/zTk5kQfnFM #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
A8b: .@iconicontent does an amazing job at creating long-form content & promoting it: https://t.co/uFdiwDy2Lv #ContentWritingChat
— Lisa Dougherty (@BrandLoveLLC) May 2, 2017
Lisa is a fan of Buffer’s blog and the content they share. (We are too!) She also enjoys reading iconiContent.
A8: @neilpatel is amazing at long-form content! #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel (@redheadrachel) May 2, 2017
There’s no denying that Neil Patel is a long-form content king!
A8: @neilpatel, @buffer, @HubSpot do a great a job! #contentwritingchat
— Wriber (@WriberInc) May 2, 2017
Neil Patel, Buffer, and Hubspot are all great!
A8: I love the articles on @CoSchedule. They are long when you look at them but the graphics and worksheets are great #ContentWritingChat
— Mind of a Diva (@MindofaDiva) May 2, 2017
CoSchedule is another amazing place to read content.
A8: So many names come to mind! @neilpatel, @jeffbullas, @buffer – I’m surely leaving sb out (sorry guys!)#ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/dk4flYQw5e
— @AndreaTorti90 (@andreatorti90) May 2, 2017
The Jeff Bullas blog is also a favorite!
@ExpWriters A8 Do we get any brownie points if we say @BrandLoveLLC ? True points at least! #contentwritingchat
— Traffic Jam Media (@trafficjammedia) May 2, 2017
And our own guest host, Lisa, does a pretty fantastic job herself!
Join us every Tuesday at 10 AM CST for #ContentWritingChat! Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat to stay updated on topics and guests.
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